Europeans reject abstinence doctrine
Europe, led by the UK, last night signalled a
major split with the United States over curbing the Aids pandemic in a statement
that tacitly urged African governments not to heed the abstinence-focused agenda
of the Bush administration.
Europe, led by the UK, last night signalled a major split with the United States over curbing the Aids pandemic in a statement that tacitly urged African governments not to heed the abstinence-focused agenda of the Bush administration.
The statement, released for World Aids Day today, emphasises the fundamental importance of condoms, sex education and access to reproductive health services. "We are profoundly concerned about the resurgence of partial or incomplete messages on HIV prevention which are not grounded in evidence and have limited effectiveness," it says.
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The US has pledged $15bn (£8.6bn) over five years to fight the disease, most of which is channelled through the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar). Pepfar grants come with conditions, however - two thirds of the money has to go to pro-abstinence programmes, and it is not available to any organisations with clinics that offer abortion services or even counselling. The US is also opposed to the provision of needles and syringes to drug users on the grounds that it could be construed as encouraging their habit.
This is about as corrupt and backwards as everything the world has come to expect from the White House. Pity the career foreign service and American aid workers who have to apologize for this crap.
Posted: Thu - December 1, 2005 at 12:22 PM