It is a violation of women’s rights, a major global health problem, and is experienced by approximately one in three women worldwide. Yet the fight to end violence against women is too often overlooked and underfunded. To mark International Women’s Day, meet the woman working to raise awareness and get survivors the support they need in crisis-affected South Sudan.
The theme of this year’s Zero Discrimination Day is make some noise. Raising our voices in solidarity for compassion, diversity, equality, inclusion and tolerance is core to our common humanity. Today we renew our commitment to achieving a world free of stigma and discrimination and a world where no one is left behind.
In her 2013 memoir, activist Malala Yousafzai recounts a moment that changes not only the course of her destiny but that of many other young girls across the world. On a trip in northwest Pakistan, she comes across a girl selling oranges who is unable to read or write. Disturbed by the discovery that this girl had not received an education, Malala makes a decision that she famously continues to see through: “I would do everything in my power to help educate girls just like her. This was the war I was going to fight.”
On World AIDS Day, we mourn the tragic loss of 1.1 million people to AIDS this year, and reiterate that we must all redouble our efforts to prevent the estimated 6000 new HIV infections which continue to occur each day. Today we gather our strength to confront new and continuing challenges, for the future of AIDS — and of UNAIDS.
This World AIDS Day serves as a reminder of the urgent need to come together as a global community and recommit ourselves to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030—one of the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
AIDS continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide. UNAIDS warns that in spite of the progress made over the past 15 years, our job is far from done. While nearly fifty per cent of people living with HIV are currently accessing antiretroviral therapy, 18.5 million people are still in need of treatment.