Women Honored on World AIDS Day
An all-women breakfast at Tavern on the Green in New York City honored women for their work in AIDS activism and raised awareness that women are also affected by the deadly disease.
An all-women breakfast at Tavern on the Green in New York City honored women for their work in AIDS activism and raised awareness that women are also affected by the deadly disease. The celebration on Thursday was one of many around the world as people mourn the loss of another 6,000 children orphaned through the loss of a parent from HIV/AIDS this 18th annual World AIDS Day.
“We just wanted to spread the message that HIV/AIDS affects many people, but a lot of times, women and children are most vulnerable,” said Katherine Rolands of World Vision in New York.
Early in the epidemic, HIV infection and AIDS were diagnosed for relatively few women. Today, the HIV/AIDS epidemic represents a growing and persistent health threat to women in the United States, especially young women and women of color, according to the Center for Disease Control. In 2001, HIV infection was the leading cause of death for African American women aged 25–34 years and was the 6th leading cause of death among all women aged 25-34 years. Women now account for nearly 50 percent of all adults living with HIV.
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At Thursday’s breakfast, World Vision presented awards to two women for their activism in HIV/AIDS.
Rosa Caraballo won the local award for her founding of Bruised Reed Ministry in the 1980s. The faith-based institution delivers HIV/AIDS education, grief and spiritual counseling, and referral services.
“Women do a lot to get involved both in the metro New York and around the world to help,” said Rolands. “Women got to hear what other women are doing and had an opportunity to get involved.”
The global award, meanwhile, went to Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro, general secretary of the YWCA – a global organization that unites 25 million women and girls in 122 countries through 100 independent national YWCA programs.
The Kenyan national used the World AIDS Day occasion to call for female controlled prevention methods, according to a statement released online.
“The global AIDS pandemic is rapidly evolving into a pandemic for women,” she said, “and we urgently need female controlled prevention methods that are accessible to women in the fight against AIDS.”
Other speakers on Thursday included Rory Kennedy, who directed the HBO documentary, “Pandemic;” Cathleen Falsani, Chicago Sun Times’ religion reporter and author of upcoming book, “The God Factor;” and Broadway singer and actor, Melva Moore.
