Laura Bush Speaks for Millions at UN AIDS Meeting: Let her Know What You Think

As a world community, we are facing an unprecedented human catastrophe and now a quarter of a century into the pandemic, AIDS has inflicted immense suffering on countries and communities throughout the world. More than 65 million people have been infected with HIV, more than 25 million people have died, 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS, with millions more made vulnerable, and 40 million people are currently living with HIV, more than 95 percent of whom are in developing countries.

Heads and representatives of State are meeting in at the United Nations in New York this week to attend the High-Level Meeting, May 31-June 2, 2006 to review the progress made and to re-affirm the commitments made to focus on the global pandemic. Laura Bush will be the head of the US delegation. Let her know what you think.

Send postcards to:

First Lady Laura Bush
Head of Delegation of
UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500

H.E. Mr. John R. Bolton, Ambassador
Permanent U.S. Representative to the U.N.
140 East 45th Street
New York, NY 10017

H.E. Mr. Allan Rock
Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Penipotentiary
One Dag Hammerskjold Plaza
885 Second Ave. 14th FloorNew York, NY 10017

Dear___________________

There is an urgent need to scale up significant HIV prevention treatment, care and support so that universal access is available to all persons in need throughout the world. Therefore, I strongly urge you to commit to support and invest in research and development of new, safe and affordable HIV/AIDS related medicines, products and technologies such as vaccines, microbicides and pediatric antiretroviral formulations.

I urge you to reaffirm our commitment to implement fully the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS “Global Crisis—Global Action” adopted at the twenty-sixth special session of the General Assembly in 2001 and the Millennium Development Goal number six dealing with HIV/AIDS.

Sincerely,

Additional Background for Letters:

There is an overall expansion and feminization of the pandemic and women now represent half of all people living with HIV including nearly 60 percent in Africa. Gender inequalities and all forms of violence against women and girls increase their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.

Half of all new HIV infections are among children and young people under the age of 25 and these children lack pediatric drugs.

We need to further ensure that pregnant women have access to antenatal care, information counseling and other HIV services. There is a need to increase the availability of and access to effective treatment to HIV-infected women and babies in order to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the worst affected region. Urgent and exceptional action is required at all levels to curb the devastating effects of this epidemic.

Without renewed political will, strong leadership and sustained commitment and concerted efforts from all stakeholders at all levels, including people living with HIV/AIDS, civil society and vulnerable groups and without increased resources the world will not succeed in bringing about the end of the pandemic