Brussels, 12/08/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has announced a further contribution of EUR 22 million to combat AIDS in the developing countries, under a programme primarily targeting young people. Special attention will be paid to the needs of young women, who are particularly vulnerable to infection by the AIDS virus. The contribution comes on top of the action plan adopted last year to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, the three leading transmissible diseases. The programme is also in keeping with the EU's overall strategy of combating poverty.
The actions implemented under the programme are expected to help improve (1) information, education and communication so as to foster a change of attitude while taking into account the constraints of the socio-economic and cultural context, (2) the quality of care for young people and particularly young women, as well as access to such care, and (3) gender equality in health care systems (notably problems concerning sexual relations, in particular in the case of young women at risk because of biological, social and economic factors, and various forms of violence at home, at school or at the workplace). The programme will be implemented by private, public, national or international not-for-profit associations. A call for proposals will be launched in the next few days.