Teachers across Australia join with a range of government and non-government organisations in supporting action around World AIDS Day.

The theme of World AIDS Day in Australia, held on the 1st December, 2010, is – Take Action. No Discrimination.  

“This theme encourages all Australians to deepen their awareness of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS; to take action to reduce the transmission of HIV; and to accept people who are living with or affected by AIDS,” AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos said.

“The education community, and teachers in particular, have an important role to play in ensuring that the aims of these themes are met.

“In a global sense, we have seen that collective action can make a difference in combating rates of HIV infections and deaths caused by AIDS. The UNAIDS report released on the 23rd November, 2010, shows some positive international trends that the AIDS epidemic is beginning to be arrested, with the number of new HIV infections having fallen by 20 per cent in the last 10 years, and AIDS related deaths down by 20 per cent in the last 5 years.

“However, whilst the number of estimated new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa (where the majority of new HIV infections occur in the world) has decreased from an estimated 2.2 million people in 2001 to an estimated 1.8 million people in 2009, there remain serious educational, social and economic consequences for families, communities and countries.

“In Asia, an estimated 22,000 children aged 0 – 14 became infected with HIV in 2009. Although this is a 15 per cent decrease against the 26 000 children estimated to have contracted the virus in 1999, the sheer number of children living with the virus in Asia shows that we cannot and must not be complacent in our endeavours to fight HIV/AIDS.

This includes the need to ensure that all children who are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS have access to high quality public education, which incorporates wrap-around health and social services to provide children and their families with much needed and appropriate support.

“Whilst global efforts towards the achievement of  Millenium Development Goal 6 – Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases are something to be celebrated, the momentum should not be lost and teachers in public schools, TAFE institutes and early childhood education centres, along with their union, have important roles to play at all levels of this campaign.”