[Documents/Docheader.htm]

HIV/AIDS in Europe

Doc. 10307
4 October 2004

Motion for a recommendation
presented by Mr Dees and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

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1.         The global HIV/AIDS epidemic is entering into its third decade. Approximately 40 million persons are infected in the World, more than 20 million persons have died from HIV related infections and the spread is estimated at 16 000 new infections every day. In Europe, the Baltic countries have the fastest spread of HIV and Ukraine is the first country in Europe to reach a HIV prevalence rate of over 1 % of the population.

2.         Despite the availability of efficient prevention methods and good antiretroviral therapy for persons from living with HIV, there are still far too many people who are newly infected and HIV patients are still dying preventable secondary infections.

3.         HIV is further marginalizing already vulnerable groups such as immigrants and refugees, migrant people, men and women involved in prostitution, injecting drug users, gay men, Roma people, people living in poverty and particularly the young.

4.         The civil society, district and municipal levels of local government, as well as the private sector, need to be involved and enjoy government support to prevent further spread of HIV and to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS.

5.         The Parliamentary Assembly therefore urges the governments of the Council of Europe member states to:

i.            recognise the importance of service delivery on district and municipal level for HIV prevention, care and treatment ;

ii.            prioritise vulnerable groups to HIV infection according to evidence-based epidemiological surveillance in their respective country ;

iii.            guarantee free, safe and sustainable antiretroviral medication and treatment of secondary infections to all HIV patients with clinical needs ;

iv.            provide free, voluntary and confidential HIV testing for all persons who want to find out their HIV status ;

v.            commit to increased long-term funding of non-governmental organisations’ work with HIV prevention and care ;

vi.            assist civil society organisations in Eastern Europe through increased targeted support ;

vii.            invest in research and development of AIDS vaccines and Microbicides ;

viii.            promote social research on vulnerability and innovative prevention methods for identified target groups.

Signed [1]:
DEES, Dirk, Netherlands, LDR
BARGHOLTZ, Helena, Sweden, LDR
BOUSAKLA, Mimount, Belgium, SOC
BRUNHART, Christian, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD
�AVUSOGLU, Y�ksel, Turkey, LDR
CLIVETI, Minodora, Romania, SOC
CORTAJARENA ITURRIOZ, Elvira, Spain, SOC
COUSIN, Alain, France, EPP/CD
GLESENER, Marcel, Luxembourg, EPP/CD
G�L�I�EK, Ali Riza, Turkey, SOC
G�ND�Z, Irfan, Turkey, EPP/CD
HANCOCK, Michael, United Kingdom, LDR
IONESCU, Daniel, Romania, NI
JACQUAT, Denis, France, EPP/CD
MOCIOI, Ion, Romania, NI
POPA, Virgil, Romania, SOC
SCHMIED, Walter, Switzerland, LDR
STANTCHEVA, Darinka, Bulgaria, LDR
TEKELIOGLU, Mehmet, Turkey, EPP/CD

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[1]

SOC EPP EDG LDR UEL NR

Socialist Group Group of the European People’s Party European Democratic Group Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group Group of the Unified European Left Not registered in a group