The World Must Act Now
Positively and with Purpose
The U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) convenes this month in New York City to deal with the challenges of our time. Among the many problems is the scourge of HIV/Aids. Since 1978, the world has struggled to end AIDS. The MDG's set out two goals to be achieved by the end of 2015; reducing the number of new HIV infections in children by 90%; and reducing the number of HIV-related maternal deaths by 50%.
This Global Plan has been supported by various sectors and NGO's contributing resources to address a critical issue. Businesses and private foundations have provided financial resources and technical assistance to achieve these objectives. According to UNAIDS, the number of new HIV infections among children has declined by 58 percent. And, over the last five years, there has been a 29% decline in the number of AIDS related deaths among young woman.
Despite having made impressive strides, mother-to-child transmission of HIV will not be eliminated by December 2015. There remains much work to be done. In Kenya for example, there are rural areas where Aids is actually increasing. Poverty, lack of education and regressive cultural practises stand in the way of substantive progress.
CES Canada's role is to provide access to secondary education and to alleviate acute poverty in Kakamega, Bungoma and Navakholo Counties of Kenya. By 2016 over 2000 secondary and post secondary scholarships will have produced an Alumnus Group that will create new hope for their communities. An innovative "School Without Walls" is planned to provide Leadership and Skills training to future leaders of Kenya.
Education is a cornerstone for the work of CES Canada
The future of children without Education is grim
CES Canada believes that a bottom up grass roots approach is more effective than a top down cascade of funding and resources that seldom actually reaches the ground. To that end, CES works closely with public health and education stakeholders to deliver effective service in 24 school communities in a 3000 sq km area of western Kenya.
Global health experts are targeting 2030 as the deadline for ending AIDS as a public health threat. The challenge is to create a model of delivery that combines Health and Education. This approach must focus on children and their mothers and provide access to education even beyond secondary school. The private sector is critical in providing resources; however, without the work of NGO's on the ground, the planned programs will not be effective.
As world leaders gather this week at the Sustainable Development Summit they will no doubt focus on the next 15 years as the SDG's replace the MDG's. If HIV/Aids is to be eliminated, it must be done in conjunction with a focus on education for all, gender equity, justice and human rights that protect women and children. To skirt around these critical areas will be a disaster.
Michael Frederiksen,
President, CES Canada
