Alicia Keys and Africa Experts Urge Full Funding for Global AIDS Programs

Washington DC (June 3, 2003) - Today AIDS expertstold members of Congress and their staff of the critical need to ensure full funding for global AIDS programs, and orphans programs in particular, in fiscal year 2004. Congressional briefing focused on AIDS orphans and vulnerable children sponsored by Hope for African Children Initiative (HACI).

Stephen Lewis, The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa and Dr. Pat Youri, Executive Director of HACI spoke to lawmakers about solutions to the orphan crisis. They were joined by Grammy award winning pop star, Alicia Keys, a member of Artists Against AIDS Worldwide. HACI is a partnership of Save the Children, CARE, World Vision, The Society for Women and AIDS, PLAN International and The World Conference on Religion and Peace.

(left-right)Dr. Pat Youri, Executive Director of the Hope for African Children Initiative 2.) Dr. Stephen Morrison, CSIS, panel moderator 3.) Alicia Keys, five time Grammy Award winning Artist and AIDS Advocate 4.) Stephen Lewis, The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa 5.) Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota)

Last week, President Bush signed the US Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003, which authorizes Congress to spend $3 billion each year for five years to fight AIDS. The Global AIDS legislation said that 10% of the funding should be devoted to orphans and vulnerable children. The provision is unbinding 2004-2005, but, beginning in the 2006 fiscal year, the provision would require appropriators to devote 10% of overall AIDS funding to programs addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children.

Stephen Lewis said, "My UN colleagues and I profoundly appreciate the dramatic increase in funding, to confront the pandemic of AIDS, approved by the President and Congress. We only hope that a full billion dollars each year goes to the Global Fund".

Dr. Pat Youri, Executive Director of Hope for African Children Initiative, (HACI) said, "We are at a critical time in our fight for the future of Africa and much is at stake. If we hope to save the lives of millions of orphaned children the US Congress needs to fully fund the Global AIDS bill and commit the resources needed to build a brighter future for the children of Africa. We need Americans to remind their legislators of how important it is to provide the full $300 million for AIDS orphans, starting in fiscal year 2004."

Dana Rohrbacher (R-California) and Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) both championed the needs of orphaned children as the bill was being debated. Thanks to their efforts, the provision in the bill related to orphans was included in the bill. Key members of Congress who will decide the actual funding levels for orphans programs include the Chairs of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittees: Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Arizona) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky).

The impact of the AIDS epidemic on children is most evident in the tragic loss of parents, aunts, uncles and neighbors who once provided stability and protection for children. As a result, there has been a rapid increase in the number of children who are malnourished, sexually exploited (sometimes in exchange for food), forced to join militias and street gangs, exploited for cheap labor and forced to drop out of school to care for younger siblings.

By 2005, there will be more than 20 million AIDS orphans around the world. In Africa alone, UNAIDS, UNICEF and USAID estimate that by 2001, 11 million African children under the age of 15 were orphaned by AIDS. By 2005 that number is projected to surpass 16 million.

For more information please contact Jennifer Delaney at: 703.807.1264, or go to www.hopeforafricanchildren.org