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World Aids Day, 01 December 2009, is a day to promote awareness about the state of the AIDS pandemic across the world. Established in 1988 by the World Health Organization, World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic. According to UNAIDS' 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, there were an estimated 33 million people with HIV/AIDS globally in 2007. While the epidemic seems to have stabilized, and in many countries, the rate of new infections is falling, many other countries are experiencing an increase in the rate of new infections. An estimated 2 million children are infected, with 90% of those children living in Africa.

What you can do

The global epidemic can be reversed if new infections are prevented. There are several things you can do to help. The most important thing you can do is educate yourself and those around you. Download UNAIDS'2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic (pdf) to learn more about HIV/AIDS globally, and visit UNAIDS' website to learn more about how to prevent the spread of HIV. Other informative resources include: The World AIDS Campaign and AIDS.gov. To help promote HIV/AIDS education, check out UNESCO's HIV and AIDS Education programs and activities. Show your support for HIV/AIDS awareness by wearing a red ribbon on 01 December 2009.