WASHINGTON -- November 29 -- News Advisory: Every day about 14,000 people are infected with HIV -- nearly half are women. In sub-Saharan Africa, women account for nearly 60 percent of all adult HIV infections. In the United States, African American and Hispanic women represent less than one-quarter of U.S. women but account for nearly 80 percent of U.S. female AIDS cases. Startlingly, AIDS is the leading cause of death for African American women ages 25-34.

With the HIV infection spreading fastest among women worldwide, greater international awareness, resources, and action are needed to support women and girls in their efforts to fight AIDS. Empowering women and girls, who are often denied educational opportunities and land and inheritance rights, is key to turning the tide on the growing AIDS threat.

WHAT: Press conference: Global health, development, and corporate leaders and experts will outline -- and call on the international community to support -- known, innovative strategies to make women and girls a focal point for AIDS prevention, treatment, and care in observance of World AIDS Day.

WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004, at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: National Press Club, 1st Amendment Room, 13th Floor, 14th and F Streets, Washington, D.C.

SPEAKERS:

-- Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta, president, International Center for Research on Women

-- Dr. Peter Piot, executive director, UNAIDS

-- John Demsey, chairman, M7A7C AIDS Fund

-- Asunta Wagura, executive director, Kenya Network of Women Living with AIDS

-- Dr. Khuat Thu Hong, director, Institute for Social Development Studies, Vietnam

ICRW, a private nonprofit organization working to improve the lives of women in poverty, was one of the first to reveal the risk and vulnerability of women in the developing world to HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS is the leading advocate for worldwide action against AIDS. M7A7C AIDS Fund has encouraged women to help other women by using the proceeds from its VIVA GLAM lipsticks to support men, women, and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally and in the United States.

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