U.N. Adopts Historic Declaration

In a historic move, the United Nations General Assemblyadopted a declaration outlining steps to combat HIV/AIDS pandemic and asked richnations to pay billions of dollars over the next decade to help fight thedisease that has so far claimed 22 million lives.

The 16-page Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS,adopted last night at the end of a three-day special session, is not enforceablebut sets important banchmarks to determine the progress towards containment ofthe disease.

An important aspect is that the document does notconsider the disease only as medical problem but views it as economic, socialand human rights issue. It also calls attention to and asks for corrective stepsto ensure women are not exploited and forced into unsafe sex.

Under pressure from Islamic countries and Vatican, thefinal document dropped explicit reference to homosexuals, prostitutes andintravenous drug users as vulnerable groups. But it called for special attentionto the groups at risk.

After days of discussions, proposals and counterproposals the Western nations agreed to drop the reference to get thedeclaration through.

But diplomats said the heart of the documents remainsintact and the discussion on the issue has opened debate on such groups even inthe most conservative nations.

The document asks governments to create nationalpolicies to reduce infection rates within next three to five years and protectthose at risk.

It specifically seeks cooperation between governmentsand private sectors and calls for making drugs affordable.

Under criticism from activist groups and pressure fromgeneric drug manufactures who offered to sell drugs at very low costs, the majorpharmaceutical companies have reduced prices in recent days but they are stillvery high and beyond the reach of a majority of individuals and nations.

The document calls for formulation of nations policiesby 2003 to reduce the infection rates by 25 per cent within two next years inmost affected country and by 2010 globally.

Calling for a major effort to save infants fromHIV/AIDS, the document sets the target of reducing the infection among them by50 per cent by 2005 by providing treatment to HIV positive mothers.

The document wants member states to put in placenational policies by 2003 to combat the disease, finance the campaigns includingavailability of drugs at affordable prices, break stigma attached to thedisease, break the wall of silence and eliminate discrimination against peopleliving with HIV/AIDS.

The document also wants elimination of discriminationagainst girls and women and of traditional and customary practices which lead totheir abuse. It wants protection for girls and women raped or forced into unsafesex by their husbands who have other sex partners.

By 2005, it wants the nations to show progress inimplementing comprehensive heath-care programmes, strengthen response at workplace to those suffering from the disease and provide supportive environment forthose infected with HIV.

Significantly, the document supports UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan's demand for establishment of a global HIV/AIDS and HealthFund to finance the programmes in developing nations.

The documents set the target of annual of expenditureof seven to ten billion dollars in low income and middle income countries by2005 and asked member nations to support the fund on an urgent basis.

Addressing a Press conference shortly after theSecurity Council nominated him for another five-year term, Secretary GeneralKofi Annan said: "After today, we shall have a document setting out a clearbattle plan for the war against HIV/AIDS, with clear goals and a clear timeline.

"It is a blueprint from which the whole ofhumanity can work in building a global response to a truly globalchallenge." Annan repeated that an additional seven to ten million dollarswould be needed annually to implement the targets set in the document andreverse epidemic.

Seeking action on part of the governments, the documentasks the states to integrate HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment intonational plans and establish national prevention targets by 2003.

Within the next two years, it recommends implementationof prevention policies for migrant and mobile workers who are the major sourceof infection which they carry from causal sexual contacts to their spouses andfamilies.

Among other things, it asks member states to encourageresponsible sexual behaviour including fidelity and abstinence and make accessto male and female condoms and sterile injecting equipment easier.

It wants 90 per cent of young persons between ages of15 and 24 have access to information on epidemic by 2005, which should go up to95 per cent by 2010.

The document also asks for policies to support orphansand children with HIV/AIDS and prevent their abuse and enactment of legislationwhich bars all kinds of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

PTI