UNICEF: International AIDS conference convenes in Tanzania

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, 26 September 2008 AIDS continues to cut short young lives across sub-Saharan Africa, while decimating families, debilitating economies and weakening societies. The Regional Inter-Agency Task Team on Children and AIDS in eastern and southern Africa known as RIATT will convene a high-level conference starting tomorrow here in the Tanzanian capital. Participants will review progress and achievements to date in order to scale up the response to issues facing children affected by HIV and AIDS. They will also encourage young people themselves to take part in shaping that response. Representatives of governments, civil society groups, UN agencies, the International Comparison Program for Africa and others are travelling from 19 eastern and southern African countries to attend. The 23 organizations that comprise RIATT first came together in 2006 to build consensus around a regional strategy for children affected by the pandemic through resource-tracking, social protection measures, advocacy, regional engagement and social innovation. Among the teams member organizations are the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, UNICEF, the UN Development Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization. To read the full story, visit: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/tanzania_45764.html