World Aids Day 2010

Parliamentary corrs.

World Aids Day on December 1, 2010, comes at an important time when we have broken the trajectory of the AIDS epidemic, as we begin to see fewer people being infected with HIV. Among young people, in 16 of the most severely affected countries, the rate of new HIV infections has fallen by more than 25 percent as a result of young people adopting safer sexual practices.

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund in partnership with Sarvodaya Shanthi Sena and the Regional Director of Health Services Vavuniya is commemorating World AIDS Day in the Vavuniya district to highlight this and engage young people to take the lead in raising awareness on HIV/AIDS.

Sri Lanka is one of the countries where rate of HIV infection has remained stable between 2001 and 2009. However, despite the low HIV prevalence, Sri Lanka has a number of vulnarabilities including low condom use, presence of populations engaged in commercial sex high mobility and lack of knowledge among other, which suggests that it may not be maintained if action is not taken.

This year as we also celebrate the international year of the youth to encourage dialogue and mutual understanding between adults and young people; the World AIDS Day commemoration program in Vavuniya, is being led by young people for young people in partnership with adults. It aims to reinforce the message of HIV prevention and that people living with HIV can and must live stigma and discrimination free.

The events in Vavuniya will commence with a cricket carnival at the Vavuniya Municipal Ground, a street drama at Vavuniya bus stand and will culminate with a candle light memorial gathering. Special guests for the event include the Vavuniya GA of Special Forces, Brigadiers Divisional Secretaries of Vavuniya district and UN agency heads states a press release by UNFPA.