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Since 1988 1^st December has been a day bringing messages of compassion, hope, solidarity and understanding about AIDS to every country in the world, North and South, East and West.



Each year there is a particular theme chosen for World AIDS Day: 2010 “Universal Access and Human Rights”. Don’t forget to wear your Red Ribbon. The Red Ribbon is an international symbol of AIDS awareness that is worn by people all year round and particularly around world AIDS day to demonstrate care and concern about HIV and AIDS, and to remind others of the need for their support and commitment. A round the world, nine out of every ten people living with HIV are workers. AIDS has made inroads in the workplaces, in communities and families. The challenge of the pandemic lies in response to inequity, oppression and injustice. In response, CCWU have long ago committed to prevent HIV/AIDS at work, to address issues of discrimination and to protect the rights of workers living with the disease, here in Guyana. There is still a lot of work to do for workers’ rights to health. But united the labour movement has shown that it can achieve a lot. The very encouraging results achieved by activists in their workplaces and communities to secure greater access to HIV/AIDS treatment show the way to build and strengthen health equity both here in Guyana and globally. There is growing consensus that the obstacles to overcome AIDS are the same that threaten the health of all working families. Among them is the poor capacity and quality of health infrastructure and services in developing countries like the Caribbean region. The crisis of health systems in so many countries is of major concern to the CCWU. Everywhere there are shortcomings in human resources in respect to wages and retention of workers, upgrade of facilities, and provision of medicines and management of the health care system. Trade unionists must now engage in a more comprehensive struggle to advocate for health systems are to reinforce. To respond to HIV/AIDS, or any disease, prevention and care services must made accessible to all. Our action has captured the attention of governments but noting significant on that broader front has yet been done. As labour and AIDS activists, we clearly demonstrated over the years how the economic policies, political powers and other conditions in which people grow, live, work and age must be addressed to achieve sustainable and equitable results.



Our efforts to halt and reverse the spread of HIV and AIDS must be based on the principle of human rights. The respect for, and full enjoyment of, human rights by all people must be the foundation of our response to the pandemic. To successfully reach the target of Universal Access to Prevention, Treatment and Care, the following perspectives are crucial: Prevention must stay at the top of the agenda. It must be clear that the complexity of the pandemic cannot easily be captured in acronyms and slogans. An effective response requires openness to the drivers of the pandemic. We have to talk about sexuallity, intimacy and sexual relations, men who have sex with men, sexual and other violence, drug use, people who buy and sell sex, migrants, and trafficking in human beings. We must dare to see and acknowledge that prevention is about lack of equality, about power relations in society, between men and women, parents and children, rich and poor. Prevention is about access to male and female condoms, as consistent condom use still is the most effective prevention method. Prevention is also about the search for new technologies. We need effective vaccines. Prevention efforts are critical for people not yet infected, not least among populations most at risk, but it is also critical to target people already infected with HIV with prevention strategies. We must address the pandemic and its consequences, not least the prevention challenge at hand, with open eyes and open minds. This is relevant also in the Western world today, where prevalence rates are increasing.



HIV and AIDS are about rights, and it is about justice. The full respect for all human rights, including the right not to be subject to stigma and discrimination, is critical. All vulnerable groups must be made visible and provided with support. These include gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people, people who sell or exchange sex for money or commodities, injecting drug users, and people – particularly children – who live on the street. Self-employed and Migrant workers refugees are other groups at risk. Globally, most of these people face extreme discrimination and lack meaningful access to HIV prevention services. Addressing the special needs of vulnerable groups is critical to halt the spread of the pandemic. Obstacles to HIV prevention must be removed. For example, same sex relationships must be decriminalized so that these persons dare to exercise their rights and seek health services. Scaling up targeted HIV prevention strategies is an urgent public health necessity. Developed countries have a particular responsibility to implement good policies to curb stigma and discrimination. Travel restrictions and discriminatory visa policies must be lifted, wherever they are applied. An effective response to the pandemic requires long term commitments and sustainable financing. With rapidly decreased international funding and many new national and international actors, resources must be used in a coherent, accountable and effective way.



An effective response also has to be adapted to the different needs of the affected countries and regions. To know your epidemic is essential. Only then, will the response be effective and sustainable. Universal Action is about human and workers rights. Politicians and trade union leaders in society need to take full responsibility to alleviate human suffering, increase respect for human rights, improve the efficiency of preventive work and increase access to care and treatment. Such leadership is also required to stop the depletion of central social functions that follow the epidemic, not least in education and health care. Lastly, greater accountability is needed – in affected countries as well as among international partners. Promises must be fulfilled and commitments must lead to delivery! We need Universal Action Right Now!



Sherwood Clarke, Clerical & Commercial Worker’s Union, CCWU: sherwooduni@yahoo.com