World Aids Day

The global impact of AIDS has already been so devastating that the United Nations Human Development Report, 2005, concluded that the HIV and AIDS pandemic has inflicted the single greatest reversal in human development.

2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Since 1988, individuals and organisations from around the world have been coming together on December 1st to bring attention to the global AIDS pandemic. With 33 million people now living with HIV and AIDS, World AIDS Day provides an opportunity to highlight how much more still needs to be done.

To mark World AIDS Day 2008 in Ireland, Irish Aid hosted three events on the theme of HIV, Food Security and Nutrition.

On Wednesday, November 26th Irish Aid hosted a seminar exploring the issues of HIV, Food Security and Nutrition in the Irish Aid Volunteering and Information Centre on Dublin’s O'Connell Street from 10am-12.40pm. The seminar included presentations by Stuart Gillespie, Senior Research Fellow with International Food Policy Research Institute and Connell Foley, Director of Strategy, Advocacy and Learning, Concern Worldwide with inputs by Brendan Rogers, Director General of Irish Aid and Professor Michael Kelly, University of Zambia.

For the seminar's programme, please see the attached links:

• Presentation by Stuart Gillespie
• Presentation by Connell Foley, Concern

Following the seminar, Minister of State Peter Power, T.D, launched a report by the Stamp Out Stigma campaign on the reality and impact of stigma and discrimination towards and experienced by people with HIV in Ireland. This report, entitled "HIV Related Stigma and Discrimination in Ireland Today" establishes a benchmark against which future developments and progress can be compared. For more information on the Stamp out Stigma Campaign, please see www.stampoutstigma.ie

On the evening of Wednesday, November 26th Irish Aid hosted the Fr Michael Kelly lecture on HIV, Food Security and Nutrition at the Royal Irish Academy on 19 Dawson Street from 6pm-8pm. This lecture was the third in the series which was established in 2006 by the Minister of State for Overseas Development in recognition of the outstanding work of Fr Michael Kelly in the field HIV and AIDS. Fr Michael Kelly was due to be joined by Mrs Elizabeth Mataka, the United Nations Special Envoy for HIV&AIDS in Africa but regrettably Mrs Mataka was unable to make it due to illness.

For Fr Michael's presentation, please see the attached link:

• Presentation by Fr. Michael Kelly
• Download a recording of Fr Michael Kelly's presentation, MP3 | 36.5 MB

Food security and nutrition play a crucial role in the prevention, care and treatment of people living with HIV and AIDS. Malnutrition can exacerbate the effects of HIV and speed up the onset of AIDS-related illnesses. Adults living with HIV require 10-30 per cent more energy than before they were infected while children may need up to 100 per cent more.

The rising cost of food, especially in developing countries, may seriously affect the ability of people living with HIV and AIDS to ensure adequate nutritional intake, thereby making them vulnerable to more frequent and severe opportunistic infections.

In order to initiate change it is necessary to raise awareness of the importance of proper nutrition and securing food supply to developing countries. Governments, civil society and international partners must maintain the momentum and intensify action against the AIDS pandemic.

Irish Aid has commissioned a 4 page supplement to mark World AIDS Day to appear in the Irish Independent on December 1 st. The supplement focuses on Ireland’s response to the HIV&AIDS pandemic while also highlighting this year’s theme of HIV, Food Security and Nutrition. The supplement includes interviews with Fr Michael Kelly, Mrs Elizabeth Mataka, Stuart Gillespie and Ciaran McKinney; the Vice Chair of the Stamp of Stigma Campaign. It will also include two opinion pieces; one by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Micheál Martin T.D, and one by the Minister of State for Overseas Development, Mr Peter Power, T.D.

Previous presentations from 2006 & 2007 can be downloaded from our Podcasts & Downloads page.

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