Background of Topic:

World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS, show their support for people living with HIV/AIDS and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day starting in 1988. HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed more than 39 million lives so far. According to the World Health Organization, in 2013, 1.5 million people died from HIV-related causes globally.

Rwanda is currently on track to receive an HIV-free generation by 2015.

Zonta International has been working with UNICEF to combat mother-to-child transmission of HIV-AIDS and gender based violence in Rwanda since 2008, providing 2.2 million USD towards these efforts. According to UNICEF, gender based violence is a widespread problem in Rwanda and has direct links to higher HIV transmission rates among women and young women in particular.

Ideas for the Day:

Wear a red ribbon in support of World AIDS Day. Share a picture on social media with the hashtag #PutARibbonOnIt
Learn about HIV and AIDS. Know the facts so you can look after your own health, and so you can educate. (Click here to read a fact sheet provided by the World Health Organization.)
Talk about HIV. Talking about HIV is a powerful tool against misinformation and stigma.
Attend a World AIDS Day event in your community or near-by community.
Read about Zonta’s partnership with UNICEF and the project “Working Towards an HIV-Free Generation Effective Prevention and Response to Gender Based Violence in Rwanda”.

Hashtag: #ZontaSaysNo #16Days

Images/Videos to Share:

Print off multiple copies of Zonta International’s World Aids Day fact card and pass it out to members in your community. Download the World AIDS day pdf.
See the impact. UNICEF thanks Zonta International for its support over the years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM5zEyEEgjQ