Contact:
Rahesha White
Communications Director
UNITY
(703) 854-3585
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UNITY AND UNAIDS TO OFFER REPORTING OPPORTUNITY

McLean, VA — UNITY: Journalists of Color and UNAIDS have teamed up to provide a unique reporting opportunity for members of UNITY’s partner organizations.

On June 10, the United Nations will hold a two-day High Level Meeting on AIDS at the General Assembly in New York. Participants will include world leaders, heads of international organizations and civil society. The leaders will review progress towards implementing AIDS declarations made in 2001 and 2006 based on the report presented by the UN Secretary General, drawing data from 147 national reports.

During this meeting, UNITY will create opportunities for briefings with partner journalists and one-on-one interviews with world leaders and other participants. UNITY will also facilitate briefings in advance with leaders of UNAIDS and other organizers.

Despite considerable progress, and due to its breadth and severity, the AIDS epidemic requires leadership and sustained funding for a robust and long-term response to reduce its devastating human and national toll, which include:

• Nearly 33.2 million people live with HIV worldwide.
• Women account for nearly half of all HIV infections among adults globally and over sixty percent in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Sub-Saharan Africa remains the hardest hit region in the world.
• In 2007, the number of new HIV infections was 2.5 times higher than the increase in the number of people receiving antiretrovals, underscoring the pressing need for a stronger commitment to HIV prevention.

During the meeting, five panel discussions will examine the challenges of achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, providing political support in countries with concentrated epidemics. Other panel sessions include making the AIDS response work for women and girls with a focus on gender equality to access and treatment; the question of human rights and a review of critical linkages between the response to AIDS and long-term development, among other areas. A highlight of the gathering will be a hearing on AIDS organized by civil society groups.

If you would like to participate in the advance briefings and cover the meeting, email your name and contact information to info@unityjournalists.org. Deadline to send in your information is May 29.

If you have any questions, contact the UNITY office at 703-854-3585.

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About UNITY: Journalists of Color
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. is a strategic alliance advocating news coverage about people of color, and aggressively challenging its organizations at all levels to reflect the nation’s diversity. UNITY, representing more than 10,000 journalists of color, is comprised of four national associations: Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the Native American Journalists Association.

In addition to planning the largest regular gathering of journalists in the nation, UNITY develops programs and institutional relationships that promote its mission. For more information on UNITY, visit www.unityjournalists.org, email info@unityjournalists.org or call (703) 854-3585.