Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PRNewswire - May 3, 2005
While always a tragedy, this situation becomes acute in countries which face high rates of orphaning due to HIV/AIDS. Estimates of disproportionate drop-out rates of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS vary, but the need for special attention to children left in the wake of the loss of HIV/AIDS in achieving access to education, free and compulsory, is unchallenged.
FXB USA (Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud which initiated the Day in 2002) will host a high-level experts' meeting on this issue at a working lunch, the New York City Harvard Club, May 6, 2005.
In Paris, Albina du Boisrouvray, President and Founder of FXB, has already raised this issue during a press conference at the French Senate which is officially supporting this day. She is also in contact with French President Jacques Chirac to urge him to place the topic of the elimination of such fees on the agenda of the G8 which meets in Scotland in early July chaired by the United Kingdom.
In support of the Day, the municipality of Paris will disseminate on its electronic billboards, May 6 and 7, 2005, the following message in French:
Every 15 seconds, AIDS kills a child's mother or father.
May 7th is World AIDS Orphans' Day.
On May 9, 2005 the World Bank and FXB are jointly organizing a seminar to take place at the World Bank which will consider legal protection issues of orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.
(for a complete list of mayors and cities go to: http://www.worldorphansday.org/en/index.php?link=cities&sub1=Villes_2005)
Youth Participation
A striking feature of the Day this year is the mobilization of youth in support of these children by organizing Town Hall meetings, school lobbying, videoconferences, marches against discrimination, football matches, dance and theatre. For example,
* New York City-based Global Kids is designing a curriculum for the Day that will be presented at Lafayette High School (HS), HS for Global citizenship, Canarsie HS, Academy of American Studies/Newcomers HS, Long Island HS, and the International HS during the week before May 7th and reach more than 1000 students. As part of the lesson, Global Kids will encourage students to take part in a letter-writing campaign to politicians, voicing support for the assistance to Orphaned and Vulnerable Children in developing countries. Contact: Evie Hantzopoulos, Global Kids, Inc. 212-226-0130.
* Working with local youth groups, community-based NGOs and local partnering organizations, TakingitGlobal and the African Regional Youth Initiative have organized more than 40 town hall meetings in major cities in 22 countries the world to discuss and build upon local responses to assist children orphaned or made vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Contact: Neema Mgana, (215) 350 1895.
* California-based Global Tribe will host an international video conference among 150+ youth in Los Angeles, London & South Africa that will enable them to share discussions and media projects about the topic. The videoconference will lead into a year-long fundraising and action campaign among youth chapters of Global Tribe. Contact: monicawinsor@hotmail.com
* In South Africa. A march against discrimination will take place in Soweto, Alexandra and Witbank. Children, orphans, NGO representatives, women's groups, social workers, HIV positive people and community members will fight against the exclusion, stigmatization and discrimination that HIV infected or affected children often have to bare. Children's debates about orphans, their needs, problems and suggestions of how they could be overcome are planned.
* In Uganda, Children will use art to illustrate the problems of orphans and vulnerable children. Drama and music competitions will be held. Poems and songs by the youth and community members about the challenges of looking after orphans will be performed. 20 crates of sodas from Century Bottling Co, the manufacturers of Coca-Cola in Uganda for our WAOD.
* Youth anti-AIDS clubs In Rwanda: FXB-sponsored "Anti-AIDS" clubs (40 with 1600 members) are organizing a broad array of events from sports competitions to dance and theatre.
* More than 28,000 students and teachers from primary schools in Rwanda will demonstrate against discrimination and stigmatization of orphans. Stickers announcing this message will be distributed.
* In France, the Nautic Clubs of the Golf of Saint-Tropez have organized a day of regattas with the participation of children to raise funds for AIDS orphans.
Other Initiatives
* On May 11: Under the patronage of Mr. Christian de Poncelet, President of the French Senate, an auction of t-shirts for the benefit of orphans, originally created by renowned designers, will take place at the Senate, in Paris, in the presence of the members of the Honorary Committee and of the dozen famous designers, among them: Karl Lagerfeld, Sonia Rykiel, Azzedine Alaia, John Galliano and Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein.
* A book produced by NGOs members of the Forum of Sao Paulo, Brazil (which includes FXB) will be launched in commemoration of May 7th. The book addresses the experiences of many local NGO in dealing with children living and/or affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Brazil.
* During April 2005 in Uruguay several conferences, highly participative presentations and panel discussions about children made orphaned by AIDS and other related issues were held at schools, with the facilitation of Medical and Psychology students previously trained for this purpose.
(NB: for a complete summary of all events go to: http://www.worldorphansday.org/en/index.php?link=events)
FXB established the World AIDS Orphans Day to demonstrate the need for a global solution to educate orphans and other vulnerable children, and to:
* Improve access to antiretroviral treatment in developing countries to keep parents alive.
* Set up sustainable community development programs designed to reinforce families' and communities' capacity to care for these orphans, raise them, reintegrate them into society, and educate them about how to reach their potential as productive citizens.
The President and Founder of FXB, Albina du Boisrouvray sums up the urgency this way:
"The crisis of AIDS orphans is a major humanitarian, economic, social and security challenge that our society must urgently address."
SOURCE Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud
Web Site: http://www.worldaidsorphansday.org
http://www.fxb.org
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