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Fighting HIV/AIDS Through Education

Signature Ceremony"With no cure for AIDS, education is currently the most effective way to fight the spread of the virus," said Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Winston Cox.

The Commonwealth Secretariat, in partnership with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), has launched an initiative dedicated to reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS through education in the Caribbean.  For the first time, an internationally supported chair to highlight the critical role education must play in the fight against the pandemic, will be appointed at the University of the West IndiesTrinidad, with the joint support of the two organisations.

In the Caribbean, more than 50,000 new cases of HIV were reported last year, according to UNAIDS. This is in addition to more than 400,000 people living with HIV in the region. UNAIDS estimates that last year, AIDS killed 35,000 people in the Caribbean.

"The Commonwealth has a major role to play in sharing and disseminating information to all its member states about the importance of education as a tool to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic," said Mr Cox who was present and spoke at the launch.

He said the creation of a Chair in HIV/AIDS Education is an important part of that process and the Secretariat is pleased to work with UNESCO in, "striving together towards a world withoutAIDS."

The official launch took place at the Main Conference Room, Cave Hill Campus at the University of the West Indies, Barbados, on Thursday 21 October 2004at 10.00 a.m.The appointment of the Chair in 2005 will be selected from candidates across the Commonwealth.