The World AIDS Day theme for 2009 is Universal Access and Human Rights. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV still exists and that there are still things to be done.
Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education.
A focus on universal access is timely because next year will be a milestone for the Millennium Development Goals – encouraging high level review of what has and has not been accomplished in relation to achieving access for all to essential care by 2010.
The World AIDS Day theme emphasises the critical need for universal access and draws attention to the links between violations of human rights and HIV infection rates.
The message for World AIDS Day is that access for all to prevention, treatment, care and support is a fundamental human right. This offers an opportunity for organizations around the world to highlight human rights violations among vulnerable and marginalized communities.
To support organizations marking World AIDS Day, posters and postcards have been created bearing a variety of new slogans including ‘I am safe’, ‘I am living my rights’ and ‘Right to Live’. These materials are now available to order in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi and Portuguese from the World AIDS Campaign website.