The Southern African HIV/AIDS information dissemination service, SAfAIDS, recently launched a Media Resource Desk on HIV/AIDS and Gender to help improve media reporting.

The Media Resource Desk is a one-stop shop for journalists and other media practitioners to access quick, accurate and user-friendly information on HIV and AIDS prevention, care, treatment and mitigation. The Media Resource Desk attends to the information needs of journalists on a fulltime basis, by making available appropriately packaged, ready-to-use information products and resources. These include fact sheets, weekly newsflashes on the latest HIV and AIDS developments and trends, up-to-date statistics and vocabulary for accurate reporting, a complete database of media practitioners in the region, and a wide collection of materials related to HIV and AIDS and the media.

The Media Resource Desk has released a CD-ROM containing all the declarations and key policy documents relating to HIV and AIDS, Gender and Human rights. This CD-ROM is intended to be a reference tool for journalists by providing existing information stored in one place. This information will help journalists in their research and enable them to compare the progress made in the implementation of those policies in each country.

For more information:
SAfAIDS
17 Beveridge Road
Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.safaids.org.zw

Toronto will host the XVI International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2006) from 13 to 18 August 2006. AIDS 2006 is expected to be the largest conference on a single health issue, with 20,000 researchers, government leaders, community workers, activists and people living with HIV/AIDS expected. The 'Take Two to Toronto' campaign seeks to engage organisations participating in AIDS 2006 by encouraging them to sponsor a young person in addition to their representative. Young people - especially young women - are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, representing over 50 percent of new HIV infections occurring annually, or 6,000 infections daily. However, young people are often excluded and marginalised in the global response.

The attachment (http://files.tiggroups.org/) provides information on how young leaders in HIV/AIDS can be supported to be meaningfully involved in the Toronto AIDS Conference. It can also be used by young people to raise funds for their participation.

Check out the newly launched Youth section of the AIDS 2006 website at: http://youth.aids2006.org

ALL INQUIRIES SHOULD GO TO: [email protected]