Millennium Development Goal # 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and other Diseases

In 2000 eight Universal Goals were created for human development and were meant to lift the world out of poverty, disease and war. Alongside 188 other governments, Canada pledged to ensure that the eight Millennium Development Goal’s (MDG) are met by 2015. The commitment was made by each country to contribute 0.7% of their GDP to the MDG's.

These are eight universal goals that were created not only for international aid and partnership but also for each individual country. The MDG’s, I believe are extremely crucial in reducing inequalities locally as well as globally. For example, these goals include: the empowerment of women and gender equality and goal number six which focuses on combating HIV/AIDS and other diseases. These goals are important because they are universal and truly encompass the needs of human development.

Unfortunately, as convincing as these goals sound to a humanitarian and social advocate who believes in change, the sad reality is that the promise that was made was quickly forgotten. Since 2000, there has not been much progress or any possibility at this time for these goals to be achieved by 2015. This is due to the fact that not even countries such as Canada are contributing the 0.7% that was promised. However, once again as an advocate for human rights, I believe we have the power for our voices to be heard and hold these governments accountable for their commitments.

MDG #6 is an area of human development that I am most passionate about and most active in terms of awareness and commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS. This disease is not only infiltrating the developing world but silently affecting the whole world. Many in the West feel invincible to this disease and pretend it is only a problem in "third world" countries. This is an unfortunate reality, because this is not only a problem in the West it is a problem everywhere , even here in Windsor. In 2003 Canada had approximately 50,000 people living with HIV. I found this interesting information when browsing through the AIDS Committee of Windsor website http://www.aidswindsor.org/index.php .