Violence part of Aids fight

The issues of violence against women and HIV/Aids are intertwined, said Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and a speaker at the launch of the coalition's campaign to end HIV and violence against women.

"It is vital that the policies, programmes and funding streams of national governments and international agencies transparently address the intersection of HIV and Aids and violence against women," Robinson said.

Violence is both a cause and a consequence of the rapid spread of HIV among women, the report said. Women account for at least half of HIV-infected people worldwide and more than 60 percent of HIV-infected people in sub-Saharan Africa.

The coalition's report said that leaders in the fight against HIV/Aids have failed to consistently and adequately address the relationship between violence against women and HIV/Aids.

The report examined the policies, programmes and funding patterns of major international agencies dealing with the global HIV/Aids crisis, including the US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Bank, and UNAIDS. – (HealthDayNews)

March 2007