Click a topic below for an index of articles:

Women and AIDS is the theme of the 2004 World AIDS day.Around the world there are many different ways in which HIV and AIDS affect women. Among them are :

• Transmission. HIV/AIDS has been thought of in the past as a disease mainly affecting gay men or drug users. In fact, in 2004, most HIV infections come from heterosexual sex. And in heterosexual sex, women are slightly more likely to become infected than are men.
• Mother to child transmission of HIV accounted for 90% of all babies infected in 2003. A drug is cheaply available to greatly reduce the chances of this occurring, but it fails to be provided to many women around the world.
• Sexual violence is an issue affecting women everywhere in the world. It can be even more damaging when it involves the transmission, sometimes deliberate, of HIV. A new and alarming phenomenon that has been seen in the past decade is the use of HIV as a weapon of war. In conflict areas such as Rwanda and Kosovo there have been reports of thousands of women being raped and purposely infected with HIV as part of a campaign of 'ethnic cleansing'.
• Discrimination is an issue which has affected women for many decades. It can impact on their job prospects, their economic and social position, their access to healthcare and education. Women who have HIV may experience discrimination on two fronts, and if the healthcare services discriminate against them, their lives can be shortened as a result.
• Men are the most common route of HIV transmission to women. In fact, most women infected with HIV have caught the virus from a husband or partner.

In order for HIV to be effectively tackled on an international level, efforts need to be made to

• End the discrimination against people with HIV and AIDS.
• Educate people in safer sex and drug use, using appropriate media.
• Provide condoms freely to people in the developing world.
• Provide financial and medical assistance so that people with HIV and AIDS can be treated.

Started in 1988, World AIDS Day is not just about raising money, but also about raising awareness, education and fighting prejudice. World AIDS Day is also important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.

The theme for world AIDS day 2004 is Women & AIDS. Each year there is a particular theme chosen for World AIDS Day, and for the last fourteen years the themes have been as follows:

2004 Women & AIDS
2003 Stigma & Discrimination
2002 Stigma & Discrimination
2001 I care. Do you?
2000 AIDS : Men make a difference
1999 Listen, Learn, Live: World AIDS Campaign with Children & Young People
1998 Force For Change: World AIDS Campaign With Young People
1997 Children Living in a World with AIDS
1996 One World, One Hope
1995 Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities
1994 AIDS & the Family
1993 Time to Act
1992 Community Commitment
1991 Sharing the Challenge
1990 Women & AIDS
1989 Youth
1988 Communication

The Red Ribbon is an international symbol of AIDS awareness that is worn by people all year round and particularly around world AIDS day to demonstrate care and concern about HIV and AIDS, and to remind others of the need for their support and commitment.

The red ribbon started as a "grass roots" effort, and as a result there is no official red ribbon, and many people make their own. To make your own ribbons, get some ordinary red ribbon, about 1.5 cms wide and cut it into strips about 15 cms long. Then fold at the top into an inverted "V" shape and put a safety pin through the centre which you use to attach the ribbon to your clothing.

• By raising awareness of HIV and AIDS in your area.
• By wearing a red ribbon, and asking others to do the same.
• Protect yourself - this is the first way to stop the spread of HIV.
• If you are worried - get tested.

• Have a dressing up, down or fancy dress day
• Put up some posters - get people talking
• Sell red ribbons
• Organise a creative writing/poster campaign
• Set up a debate or a quiz
• Cook an international meal or have a cake sale
• Arrange a sponsored three-legged race or balloon release
• Get your friends, family, colleagues or pupils to express their feelings and expand their knowledge about AIDS
• Use your imagination!

Putting up a display, whether at work, school or in a public library or shopping centre or mall, is an excellent way of raising awareness of HIV and creating discussion. There are some posters and booklets on the site on our resource page and these can be downloaded and printed out as part of your display.

Raising money for AVERT or another AIDS charity will help work on AIDS to continue as well as raising awareness.

At AVERT we support overseas projects in countries such as South Africa, fund pioneering AIDS medical research and develop innovative education materials as well as running this website. Unlike many AIDS charities we receive no government funding so we rely entirely on donations. We are very grateful for all donations of any size and you can send your Alternative Treatments by sending a cheque or money order (in any currency) through the post to :

AVERT,
4 Brighton Road,
Horsham,
West Sussex,
RH13 5BA,
England

Providing information on your site about World AIDS Day, and about any events taking place in your community. Asking your school, college or employer to provide information on their site. Providing a link to AVERT's site either to this World AIDS Day page, or some other page providing AIDS and HIV information. If you would like a graphic to use on your site (if you would to use it in any other media, please contact us for permission), then please use any of the ones below or the graphic at the top of this page/front page (wadfinal.jpg).