Celebrating International Women's Day on March 8, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on all men to assume the responsibilities that would reduce the "terrifying pattern" of HIV/AIDS infection among the world's women.

Such responsibilities "would be ensuring education for their daughters; abstaining from sexual behaviour that puts others at risk; forgoing relations with girls and very young women; and understanding that when it comes to violence against women, there are no grounds for tolerance and no tolerable excuses," he said in his message.

Of the 38.6 million adults (aged 15-49), 19.2 living with HIV/AIDS are women. Not to mention that 15 million children are orphaned because of this deadly disease. According to Annan, women are more vulnerable to infections even though they are usually not the ones with the most sexual partners outside marriage nor are they more likely to be injecting drugs. This is due to society's inequalities that put women at a higher risk.

Also in attendance at March 8 gathering was Queen Noor of Jordan. "The challenges women face are as monumental as their contributions could be," she said. Emphasizing the importance of educating and supporting women, she highlighted efforts being made in Middle Eastern countries to provide confidential counselling and other services to women with HIV.

Ardis Stenbakken, director for the Department of Women's Ministries for the Seventh-Adventist Church commented that, "The whole month of March is important to women with International Women's Day, the World Day of Prayer, and the International Women's Day of Prayer as well."
The Adventist Church's North American Division which covers the U.S. and Canadian territories celebrates March as women's history month. "These are important to our society and to our daughters to help them appreciate the enormous contribution made by women past and present," Stenbakken continued. "One of the great challenges for women now of course is HIV/AIDS. Women are involved in caring for the sick, the dying, and the orphans. Women need to be recognized for their contributions."

Attending, Kelly Razzouk, UN liaison officer for the Adventist Church, reported the premiering of a new documentary on March 8 entitled, "Women Are," which showed women's vulnerability HIV/AIDS and their roles as leaders to promote change.

Copyright © 2004 United Nations Liaison Office, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists