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World AIDS Day: 20th anniversary

Members of the Massingir HIV women's group sing a song written by themselves about HIV [Annie Bungeroth]

Marking two decades of campaigning on the many challenges of the AIDS pandemic but, 20 years on, there are still five newly infected cases for every two accessing treatment

World AIDS Day was inaugurated on December 1, 1988, after a summit of health ministers from around the world called for a greater exchange of information on HIV and AIDS.

Today, according to UNAIDS, there are now 33 million people living with HIV worldwide, including two million children. During 2007, some 2.7 million people became newly infected.

CAFOD has been responding to HIV and AIDS since the mid-1980s, when we said HIV was not only a health issue, but also one of poverty that would affect all of our work. We were one of only a few such voices at the time.

Since then CAFOD has been committed to charting the reality of life for people affected by, and living with, HIV and AIDS .

We have been at the forefront of pushing for better programmes and policies to ensure the poorest and most marginalised in society can access with dignity the care, treatment and prevention that save lives.

CAFOD staff across the UK and overseas, and our partners, are marking World AIDS Day in many different ways, such as special church services and mass, radio shows and university discussions.

Photogallery: World AIDS Day Marking the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day (December 1), this gallery shows the transition in how CAFOD has tackled HIV, from the early focus on care, through to innovative, wide-ranging education, preventive and awareness work	Big Deal: World AIDS Day stories On our youth website, meet a Colombian DJ with a difference, talented young dancers from Ethiopia, and a musician in Cambodia - all tackling HIV in their communities and overcoming prejudice
Leadership imperative at every level Ann Smith, CAFOD's HIV corporate strategist, has been working on HIV and AIDS since the mid-1980s, and says now is the time for world and church leaders to re-affirm their commitment to the cause	HIV challenges in Nigeria Jane Lennon, from CAFOD's HIV team, was struck by the challenges faced by those living with HIV in Nigeria's rural areas - but also heartened by the support they receive

Make HIV treatment available for all

Sign up to the new action from the Stop AIDS Campaign. CAFOD is a member of this campaign, which helps people around the world access the medicines they need to stay alive

Raise awareness around World AIDS Day

Email our HIV team to find out more about holding an event around World AIDS Day (December 1 every year) - we can support you in doing this. Plus, order our FREE leaflet "Working Positively", which provides an overview of our response to HIV and AIDS

Keep the promise

Join this campaign from the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance - of which CAFOD is a member. It aims to ensure those working to end HIV follow through on the pledges they have made, and there are loads of ways YOU can help

Published on 26/11/2008, last updated on 28/11/2008

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