 National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD)
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2008 Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Theme: Honoring our Sisters: Women Living with HIV/AIDS
About NWGHAAD
March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The purpose of this annual day is to raise awareness of the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls and encourage women and girls to take Action. The theme for 2008 is "Honoring Our Sisters: Women Living with HIV/AIDS".
Historically, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has affected more men than women, but women are being increasingly affected. Since 1985, the percentage of new AIDS cases in the U.S. that were diagnosed in women and girls aged 13 years and older had gone up more than five-fold, from less than 5% in 1985 to nearly 27% in 2005. And although each year more men than women become infected with HIV, this gap is slowly closing. In fact, if new HIV infections continue at their current rate worldwide, women with HIV may soon outnumber men with HIV.
The epidemic has increased most dramatically among women of color, especially black women. In 2005, women of color accounted for 80% of all women estimated to be living with AIDS; black women made up 62% of this total.
While the impact of this epidemic on women has been devastating, many women with HIV/AIDS are living longer and stronger lives thanks to new treatments. While there is no cure yet, HIV treatment has come a long way since the first reported cases in the early 1980s. Today, there are a number of therapies and medications available. Women living with HIV/AIDS struggle each day to maintain a healthy, normal life. We can learn much from their experiences.
There are many ways women and girls can take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS:
- Know your status—get tested for HIV
- Engage in behaviors that avoid HIV risk
- Discuss HIV prevention with family, friends, and colleagues
- Provide support to women living with HIV/AIDS
- Host and or Participate in an event for National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in your community
- Listen and learn from the stories of women living with HIV/AIDS
NWGHAAD News
Content last updated January 25, 2008.
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