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A little girl holds up a board to lend her support to the cause.
NOW MORE THAN EVER! “Condomise don’t compromise.” A woman promotes condom use, still one of the most effective tools against HIV and STDs, including a female condom plastered in the centre.
IT WAS THE SOUND OF DRUMS, WHISTLES AND THE FOOTSTEPS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MARCHING THAT DROVE THE MESSAGE ALL AROUND THE WORLD. HUMAN RIGHTS AND HIV: NOW MORE THAN EVER. by Shuk-Wah Chung, Australia Photos by Ryan Fernandez, Philippines, and Tatsiana Zenkovich, Belarus
Attended by an estimated 20,000 people, activists, supporters and people living with HIV all gathered in Vienna‘s famous Heldenplatz, or Heroes Square to urge governments around the world to increase funding for HIV/ AIDS. Amongst issues like decri-
“Rights here, right now” was the theme of the conference with attention given to why the global AIDS struggle starts with achieving human rights.
minalisation, increased education, and providing access and effective treatment, people from diverse ethnicities and age groups all bonded together over solving this crucial issue. There are still many obstacles, but there was a palpable feeling of hope on that day.
Young people all around the world also called on governments to increase funding and help put an end to the disease. “Now make it happen!” they shout.