Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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United Press International - October 24, 2005
Fewer than 5 per cent of HIV-positive children have received treatment and millions of children who have lost parents to AIDS go without support, said the U.N. Children's Fund, UNAIDS and other agencies at the launch Tuesday of "United for Children, United against AIDS" at U.N. world headquarters in New York.
"Every minute of every day a child dies of an AIDS-related illness. Every minute of every day a child becomes infected with HIV," said Ann Veneman, UNICEF executive director, adding also in that minute, four young people 15-24 years old become infected with HIV.
The fund said the affected children are the "missing face" of AIDS, missing not only from global and national policy discussions on HIV/AIDS, but also lacking access to even the most basic care and prevention services. Millions of children are missing parents, siblings, schooling, health care, basic protection and many of the other fundamentals of childhood because of the toll the disease is taking, the agencies said.
An estimated 15 million children have lost at least one parent because of AIDS, the United Nations said. Yet, less than 10 percent of children orphaned and made vulnerable by AIDS receive public support or services.
In sub-Saharan Africa, where the impact is greatest, coping systems are stretched to the limit, the agencies said.
The campaign aims by 2010 to reduce the percentage of young people living with HIV by 25 per cent.
"Nearly 25 years into the pandemic, help is reaching less than 10 percent of the children affected by HIV/AIDS, leaving too many children to grow up alone ... too fast or not grow up," U.N. Secretary-General Annan said.
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