UNAIDS welcomes Pope Benedict's support to HIV prevention
GENEVA, 20 November 2010 - UNAIDS welcomes the reported statement of Pope
Benedict XVI calling for "a humane way of living sexuality" and that the use of condoms are
justified "in the intention of reducing the risk of HIV infection".
"This is a significant and positive step forward taken by the Vatican today," said UNAIDS
Executive Director Michel Sidibé. "This move recognizes that responsible sexual behaviour
and the use of condoms have important roles in HIV prevention."
UNAIDS has worked closely with the Vatican, in 2009 Mr Sidibé held far-reaching
discussions with Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski on HIV prevention issues including the
prevention of mother-to-child transmission, protecting young people and reducing sexual
violence against women and girls. "This will help accelerate the HIV prevention revolution, in
promoting evidence-informed and human rights based approaches to achieve universal
access goals towards HIV prevention, treatment, care and support," said Mr Sidibé.
"Together we can build a world with zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero
AIDS-related deaths."
With more than 7000 new HIV infections each day, UNAIDS advocates the use of a
combination HIV prevention approach that utilizes all proven methods for HIV prevention
including use of male and female condoms, choosing to have sex later, having fewer
multiple partners, male circumcision, reducing stigma and discrimination, and the removal of
punitive laws. The male latex condom is the single, most efficient, available technology to
reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Contact
UNAIDS Geneva | Sophie Barton-Knott | tel. +41 22 791 1697 | bartonnkotts@unaids.org
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Contact:
UNAIDS Geneva | Saya Oka | tel. +41 79 514 6896 | okas@unaids.org
UNAIDS
UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an
innovative United Nations partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Learn more at unaids.org.
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