*EPF113 03/03/2003
Bush Initiative for HIV/AIDS Relief Could be "Historic Turning Point"
(Head of research group outlines steps to help women fight the pandemic) (740)

By Charles W. Corey
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- President Bush's proposed five-year, $15,000 million plan for emergency HIV/AIDS relief "could represent an historic turning point if it prioritizes public health and scientific imperatives over political pressures and the dictates that emerge from the misguided morality of a few," says Geeta Rao Gupta, president of the International Center for Research on Women.

The International Center for Research on Women is a private nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., with an office in India.

In remarks February 26 to a daylong conference that examined the destabilizing consequences of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, Gupta warned, "In the countries that are hardest hit in Africa, or that sit on the cusp of a raging epidemic like my country -- India -- those that die because of such mistaken priorities can number in the tens of millions -- a haunting reality that should serve as an effective antidote to any political or ideological posturing."

The initiative, she said, "offers an unprecedented opportunity for this administration and Congress to show its true commitment to combating HIV/AIDS, not just through increased resources but also by setting priorities for the allocation of those resources for the kinds of prevention, treatment, care and support programs that we know through experience and evidence work."

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has been a part of the world for more than two decades, she told her audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, but while the world has learned much about the disease in that time, it continues to see more and more victims of the deadly virus.

"There is no time nor any excuse for a misstep," she stressed. "Following ideological or political priorities rather than science at this stage of the epidemic would definitely be a misstep and would definitely be fatal, and would cost us lives.

What is most important to keep in mind, she said, is that when it comes to HIV/AIDS, women and girls make up a disproportionate number of its victims and therefore need resources and attention tailored to their special needs.

"Understanding their vulnerabilities and the need to empower them is key to containing the spread of this disease," she said.

Gupta went on to outline seven priorities needed to empower women to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which she said, were also outlined to in a letter sent to President Bush:

-- Increase women's access to marketable economic assets like land and property that can serve as collateral and protect them from extreme poverty, and from being forced to exchange sex for food or shelter.

-- Do everything possible to promote zero tolerance for violence against women, especially women victims of HIV/AID, and put in place training programs for judicial and law enforcement personnel "to change the traditional attitudes that often stand in the way of proper enforcement." The "threshold of acceptability" on violence towards women must be also changed, she said, just as many nations have reduced the "threshold for acceptability" for smoking. For that to take place, she explained, strong leadership is needed at the highest level, along with widespread public education and a media campaign.

-- Focus on adolescents and pre-adolescents for HIV/AIDS infection prevention education programs because it is this group, she said, that has the highest rate of infection.

-- Accelerate research and distribution of female condoms and microbicides to help in HIV/AIDS prevention. More than 60 microbicides are now in the research phase, Gupta noted. One of those microbicides could be on the market within five to seven years if increased research funding is made available, she speculated. "Microbicides could change the course of the epidemic once available," she stressed. "All it needs now is strong leadership to ensure that resources are devoted to the necessary research and development."

-- Provide strong support for HIV/AIDS caregivers, who are mostly women and "rapidly burning out" due to the care they give every day.

-- Find ways to reduce the stigmatization of HIV/AIDS victims. Gupta said she was pleased to hear that part of the funds in the president's initiative are expected to be dedicated to this purpose.

-- Enhance family planning services.

Concluding, Gupta told her audience, "President Bush's emergency plan for HIV/AIDS relief provides an opportunity. Take that opportunity boldly and do the right thing, without any caveats, ifs or buts."

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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