CRI NEWS

Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS

2004-12-1 22:03:37 CRIENGLISH.com

Officials from China and the UN and representatives from anti-AIDS organizations all over the world have appealed for all groups—especially women—to fight against AIDS.

Officials from China and the United Nations and representatives from anti-AIDS organizations all over the world have appealed for all groups—especially women—to fight against AIDS.

The joint appeal was extended during the opening ceremony of the World AIDS Campaign Wednesday in Beijing.

China's Deputy Health Minister Wang Longde says women and girls are the theme of this year's World Aids Day.

"'Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS' is the theme of this year's World AIDS Campaign. The number of female HIV carriers has skyrocketed in recent years and represents nearly half of the total adult HIV carriers."

Henk Bekedam is the World Health Organisation representative in Beijing.

"We have to make HIV/AIDS a people's war. We do believe that some of the ministries can do a little bit more in getting the message out over there and get people a better understanding of what HIV/AIDS is all about."

With the number of AIDS infections growing worldwide, more attention is being paid to female patients.

Women are more easily infected because they tend to be the victims of social equality, and are more likely to experience sexual assault and other abuse.

Officials have called for more attention to be paid to women, to help them gain greater confidence and equality, and allow them the play a more important role in combating the deadly disease.

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