AIDS IS NOT DEAD 2012

December 1 is  internationally recognized as the world day against AIDS and ContestaRockHair, as every year, launches  the  “AIDS Is Not Dead” campaign. This is an awareness promotion that includes condom distribution  within our salons in Italy and abroad. Condoms we sell for charity are specifically produced for ContestaRockHair  to raise funds.

According to the latest data published by UNAIDS – Joint United Nations Programme on HIV / AIDS – people infected with HIV worldwide are 33.4 millions.

During the whole month of December, condoms will be sold at the nominal price of 1 Euro: the funds raised at ContestaRockHair will be entirely donated to the campaign “ Fermiamo l’AIDS sul nascere”( Let’s stop AIDS in the bud) promoted by CESVI, a no-profit organization based in Italy. CESVI actions aim to the prevention  of HIV transmission from mother to child, ensuring medical, food and psychological assistance programs. It promotes information, awareness campaign and support structures for AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe, Congo and South Africa.

In sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are 22.4 million people living with HIV, representing the 67% of population affected by HIV worldwide. In this region, 14 millions of  children are orphaned by the virus and 60% is the rate of women living with HIV, representing  a very high risk for the newborns as well. It is estimated that 390 000 children have been infected, almost all from the mother during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Another important element regarding the sub- Saharan region is the lack of access to anti-retroviral treatments involving 12 million of people.

ContestaRockHair wants to remember that AIDS still represents a crucial problem for our society. The  lack of information prevails, especially among young people, because the significant decline of deaths related  to the virus in developed countries suggests that the risk of infection can be averted, while percentage about the worldwide spread of HIV  increase alarmingly every year.  Mortality from AIDS appears to be a problem in  poor countries only, but it is necessary to remember that HIV continues to spread in Western countries where, due to treatment, most people do not die of this disease. Furthermore, the number of people who discover they are HIV-positive only after being diagnosed officially through blood test, has increased.