World AIDS Day: History and Importance of Red Ribbon
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AIDS stands for?Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. HIV is a virus that causes AIDS.??In that condition, a?person's immune system becomes too weak to defend the body against any?illness or infection. AIDS is typically the final stage of HIV infection, at which point the patient is unable to defend himself and becomes susceptible to various infections. AIDS can be fatal if left untreated.
A person with AIDS may suffer from a number of illnesses, such as thrush, pneumonia, TB, skin disorders, cytomegalovirus, and toxoplasmosis. There is a higher chance of developing a condition like cancer or a neurological disorder.
World AIDS Day
Due to a variety of issues, including division, inequality, and disregard for human rights, HIV became and remains a global health epidemic.
World AIDS Day is marked on December 1 every year. This is an opportunity for people all over the world to unite in the fight against HIV, to stand side by side with those who are infected, and to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses.
The global HIV response is in danger even though HIV remains a severe public health issue that affects millions of people worldwide. HIV became and continues to be a global health concern due to a number of shortcomings, including division, inequality, and contempt for human rights.
World AIDS Day 2022: Theme
The inequities that contribute to the AIDS pandemic can be addressed; they are avoidable. UNAIDS is on all of us to address the injustices preventing the struggle to end AIDS on this World AIDS Day.
The theme for World AIDS Day this year is "Equalize." It serves as a call to action to rectify inequalities and do everything in our power to end AIDS. By improving their availability, quality, and application, HIV treatment, testing, and prevention services can be more widely accessed. The objective consists of:
History
On December 1st, 1988, the World Health Organization (WHO) established World AIDS Day to encourage information sharing among local and federal government agencies, international organisations, and private persons. When the first World AIDS Day was commemorated in 1988, it was estimated that between 90,000 and 150,000 people had HIV, which causes AIDS.
Within 20 years, more than 33 million people had acquired HIV, and since 1981, the year that the first case of AIDS was recorded, more than 25 million people had died from the disease. As a result, AIDS awareness campaigns began to put more of an emphasis on supporting and unifying international organisations that aim to inform society about HIV/AIDS.?
Initiating the yearly themes and activities, WHO oversaw World AIDS Day up until 1996. Following that, these responsibilities were taken over by UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. The World AIDS Campaign (WAC) was founded by UNAIDS in 1997 with the goal of increasing AIDS awareness and integrating AIDS knowledge on a global basis.
The WAC began operating independently in 2005 and has offices in Cape Town, South Africa, and Amsterdam, Namibia. The WAC ensures the assistance of authorities and AIDS organisations while also producing material that is distributed during World AIDS Day.
Importance
In the entire world, around 38 million people are HIV positive. Although the virus was discovered only in 1984, it has been one of the worst pandemics in history, killing nearly 35 million people.
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Science has made strides in HIV therapy today, and laws safeguarding those living with HIV are in place. Since the general population is ignorant of the reality regarding how to protect oneself and others, many persons who live with the disease still endure shame and discrimination.
World AIDS Day is important because it serves as a reminder to the public and the government that HIV is still a major issue that needs immediate funding, increased awareness, the eradication of prejudice, and better educational prospects.
The Red Ribbon
The red ribbon is a universal representation of HIV awareness and support. Wearing a ribbon is a fantastic way to spread awareness on World AIDS Day and in the days leading up to it.
Twelve artists convened in a gallery in New York's East Village in 1991, ten years after the discovery of HIV. They had gotten together to talk about a brand-new initiative for the New York-based arts organisation Visual AIDS, which promotes HIV awareness.
The red ribbon, worn to symbolise awareness and support for those living with HIV, was created there and became one of the decade's most recognized symbols.
According to the UNAIDS official website The colour red was chosen for the project as a "link to blood and the sense of passion — not only anger but love, like a valentine,". Thus, the project acquired the name "Red Ribbon Project"
At the time, communities living with HIV experienced significant stigma, and their struggles were generally hidden. The artists intended to produce a visual representation of their sympathy for HIV-positive persons.
They were inspired by the yellow ribbons that were tied from trees to support the US forces engaged in the Gulf War. Additionally, they decided that the elegant loop of the ribbon shape was easy to make and replicate. They chose not to utilise traditional homosexual community colours like pink or rainbow stripes in order to emphasise that HIV affects everyone. They choose red due to its assertiveness and its metaphorical connotations with love, passion, and the heart.
How did the Red Ribbon become so well known?
In the beginning, the artists produced the ribbons themselves and delivered them to theatres and art galleries throughout New York. The ribbon's importance was initially explained in some words, but as it gained greater popularity, this was no longer necessary.
Within a few weeks, the red ribbon could be spotted in prominent locations like the Oscars red carpet. The symbol quickly gained widespread recognition after being picked up by the media. On Easter Sunday in 1992, more than 100,000 red ribbons were presented to the audience at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, which was hosted at London's Wembley Stadium. Performers including George Michael wore one of the ribbon.
Efforts to raise public awareness of HIV continue to be powerfully fueled by the red ribbon. It has inspired other organizations to use the symbol, such as the pink ribbon used to raise awareness of breast cancer.
Disclaimer: This information, including the suggestions, is only of a general nature. It in no way replaces a professional medical opinion. For more information, always consult with a professional or your own doctor.?
Article by RUCHIKA DWIVEDI
Source – National AIDS Trust, Economic Times, News 18, The Print