$2.8 m. grant for AIDS awareness programmes

[Guest guest]

$2.8 m. grant for AIDS awareness programmes

The Hindu March 10, 2002

NEW DELHI, MARCH 9. The United Nations Foundation and the Netherlands Embassy

here have announced a grant of $2.8 million each to the UNAIDS programme against

HIV/AIDS in the country.

The grants are to be used for the UNAIDS' project for capacity-building and

creation of awareness among the most vulnerable sections, particularly

adolescent girls.

Welcoming the contributions, the UNAIDS Executive Director, Piot, said

given that gender inequalities were a major driving force behind the HIV/AIDS

pandemic, investing in prevention programmes for young women would not only

empower them to more informed decisions about their sexual relations and protect

themselves against HIV, but also help stem the HIV epidemic in the country.

According to official estimates, 3.86 million people are infected with the

killer disease in India, with women accounting for 21 per cent of the reported

cases.

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Dr.Jagdish Harsh ( jharsh@... )

Director of Administration and Operations

François-Xavier Bagnoud (INDIA) ( www.fxb.org )

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