Ensure Global Access To Contraceptives The AIDS pandemic is the worst health crisis in modern history. It is estimated that currently more than 40 million people around the globe are living with HIV/AIDS. Already AIDS has killed over 25 million members of our human family, and every 10 seconds another person dies from AIDS. Unless significant action is taken immediately, experts agree that by 2010 there will be 100 million people living with HIV/AIDS and over 40 million children orphaned by the disease worldwide. In January 2003, President George W. Bush announced his intention to create a new U.S. initiative on the global AIDS pandemic. In response, the U.S. Congress passed an Act known as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to fund programs in 15 target countries around the world, including South Africa. PEPFAR is now the primary source of U.S. g overnment's funds for the fight against global AIDS. Visit www.pepfarwatch.org for more information. The Problem PEPFAR has rules that organizations must follow in order to be considered for funding, based on the ABC approach (Abstain, Be faithful, or use Condoms). The rules don't require that abstinence-only programs-which teach people to delay sex until marriage and then to be faithful to one's spouse-also teach safer sex methods, such as condom use, nor are they required to distribute condoms. But the opposite is not true-no program can focus on condom use without also teaching abstinence. While many people agree with the concept of waiting until marriage to have sex as well as being faithful to one's spouse, there is extensive research, which reveals that these approaches alone are not effective at preventing the spread of HIV. Studies also have proven that HIV prevention efforts that include information on condoms do not result in earlier or more frequent sexual activity nor in a person having more sexual partners. Visit www.aidsmap.com for more information. Some of the other problems with abstinence-only programs include the fact that many young people who pledge abstinence break that promise in a moment of passion and then are much more likely to have unprotected sex, as they are uneducated about condoms and don't have them available. Many people also believe that they can have oral and anal sex without breaking an abstinence pledge and don't realize that these behaviors put them at risk of contracting HIV. And while most people would prefer a faithful partner, no one can fully control another person nor know for certain that their partner is being faithful, and because of that, it is important for people to be able to negotiate safer sex, even in a marriage. Condoms can significantly reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, as well as other sexually transmitted infections, and unwanted pregnancies. Condoms are urgently needed in poor and developing countries, where HIV/AIDS is spreading rapidly, as well as in other regions of the globe. Due in part to PEPFAR's rules, on average, each African man has access to only 4.6 condoms per year. By 2015 the gap in donor-provided condoms could reach more than 12 billion condoms worldwide. The Ensuring Access to Contraceptives Act of 2006, is an upcoming Congressional bill which addresses this problem. This Act would authorize $150 million, for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, to provide condoms and other contraceptives to developing nations. With HIV spreading at such a rapid rate around the world, shouldn't U.S. funds support the most effective methods of HIV education and prevention? If you agree, we ask you to take action to ensure that your tax dollars support the most effective programs possible. Action Write or email your Congressional Representative today to ask him or her to co-sponsor H.R. 4736 Ensuring Access to Contraceptives Act of 2006. You may use the form below to send an email to your Congressional Representative or copy and paste the letter below into your Representative's Web Form. To find the contact information for your Congressperson, please go to capwiz.com/results/dbq/officials/ |