World AIDS Day 2003

Five people worldwide die of AIDS every minute of every day. HIV has hit every corner of the globe, infecting more than 42 million men, women and children, 5 million of them last year alone.
World AIDS Day 2003 highlights "Live and let live" — the theme of the World AIDS Campaign 2002-2003. The campaign focuses on eliminating stigma and discrimination, the major obstacles to effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care.
Along with others throughout the world, United Methodistsobserve World AIDS Day on December 1 or a Sunday close to this date. This year's theme, chosen by the World AIDS Campaign, is "Live and Let Live." This two-year campaign (2002-2003) will focus on eliminating stigma and discrimination. UNAIDS says, "Help us fight fear, shame, ignorance and injustice worldwide."
Because stigma and discrimination are major obstacles to effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care, one way churches can help overcome these problems is to welcome everyone.
Background: Putting AIDS on the Agenda

The World Health Organization (WHO), supported by the United Nations General Assembly, declared December 1 as World AIDS Day in 1988. With the creation of UNAIDS in 1996, World AIDS Day was remodelled as a Campaign to build on the momentum created by the international day, and to encourage more concerted and sustained responses to the epidemic.
Since then, international mobilization around World AIDS Day has grown steadily. Awareness-raising activities now take place worldwide, with many countries extending their activities to sustained, year-long attention to the selected issue.
With its focus on stigma and discrimination, the 2002-2003 World AIDS Campaign is aimed at helping prevent, reduce or eliminate stigma and discrimination by supporting effective international, regional and national strategies. The Campaign will also tackle wider existing social inequalities-especially those of gender, sexual orientation and race.

AIDS Facts

Worldwide estimates in 2002
42 million living with HIV/AIDS:
- 38.6 million adults
- 3.2 million children under 15

5 million infected in 2002 (13,700 per day):
- 4.2 million adults
- 800,000 children under 15

3.1 million deaths in 2002:
- 1.3 million men
- 1.2 million women
- 610,000 children under 15

United States (reported as of 12/31/01)
816,149 AIDS cases reported
467,910 deaths reported among AIDS cases
40,000 new HIV infections each year (est.)
850,000 – 950,000 living with HIV (est.)

Minnesota (reported as of 12/31/02)
3,065 HIV cases reported (non-AIDS)
4,008 AIDS cases reported
2,528 deaths among HIV and AIDS cases
4,598 living with HIV/AIDS
305 HIV cases reported in 2002 (1 case per
29 hours)