Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-12-01-Speech-4-009-000"
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"en.20111201.2.4-009-000"2
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"Madam President, World AIDS Day 2011 marks 30 years of the discovery of the first AIDS case in 1981. It is an opportunity for us to unite in the fight against HIV, to show our support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died. HIV/AIDS remains of major public health importance in Europe.
On behalf of the S&D Group, I am calling for the EU to implement the strategy on combating HIV/AIDS in the European Union and neighbouring countries. We need stronger action to reduce new infections, over 25 000 of which were recorded in 2009. An estimated 30% of people with HIV/AIDS are unaware they carry the virus. Therefore, we need to increase HIV testing amongst most-at-risk populations, such as young people, homosexual men, injecting drug users, sex workers and prisoners.
Between 2007 and 2010, a new HIV testing programme in the US was carried out aimed at hard-to-reach groups and high-risk populations. Testing took place in a range of settings: emergency departments, STI clinics, substance abuse clinics and community-based organisations. Whilst most testing was carried out in clinical settings, conducted by community-based organisations as part of the programme, it yielded a disproportionate number of new diagnoses, indicating the importance of supporting community-based organisations to improve rates of HIV diagnosis. We must guarantee access to HIV prevention, counselling, testing and early care, and, most of all, support a community-based approach.
We are also calling for more action to tackle stigma and discrimination. People living with HIV/AIDS should be included in all equality and anti-discriminatory legislation. A 2010 UNAIDS survey reported that those living with HIV experienced high levels of negative attitudes and behaviours, as well as employment discrimination, including loss of work. Exclusion from family activities was reported by more than 40% of respondents. We must remember that the enemy is HIV, not HIV carriers.
The EU should also provide a policy framework to encourage national governments to address the issue of HIV/AIDS in the context of sexual health strategies. We need adequate information and sex education, access to protection means, such as male and female condoms, and strengthening the rights of women in sexual relationships. In an Irish context, I regret we still have not developed a national sexual health strategy. Of course, the active participation and involvement of people living with HIV at all levels of the national and international response is crucial to the success of all our efforts.
Finally, I wish to thank my fellow co-sponsors on this question, and especially my colleague, Michael Cashman, who has worked so hard on this issue for so long."@en1
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