British Prince Harry and Sir Elton John attend a session about the Elton John Aids Fund on the second day of the Aids2018 conference, in Amsterdam. Image: Robin Utrecht / ANP / AFP
Elton John joined forces with Britain鈥檚 Prince Harry to launch a $1.2 billion initiative on Tuesday to 鈥渂reak the cycle鈥� of HIV transmission by targeting young men, among whom infections are on the rise.
On the second day of a major international AIDS conference in Amsterdam, the two lent their mega-wattage star power to calls for action to end the lingering stigma around the virus and protect generations to come.
鈥淵oung people are the only age group where HIV infections are rising, not falling,鈥� warned rock star and veteran AIDS campaigner Elton John as he announced the launch of the MenStar Coalition.
鈥淲e have to do much, much more to bring men, especially younger men more fully into the fold,鈥� he insisted.
The coalition brings together different partners, including the UN鈥檚 Unitaid and the US fund PEPFAR, as John warned that 24- to 35-year-old men were accessing HIV testing and treatment at 鈥渦nacceptably low rates鈥�.
Much work has been done to protect women and girls but 鈥渨e can鈥檛 solve the whole problem if we are only addressing half the situation,鈥� John said.
鈥淚f we want to win this fight, if we want to end AIDS once and for all, we must make men part of the solution鈥� and teach them to protect themselves, 鈥渘ot only their wives and girlfriends, their sisters, and daughters, but also critically their brothers and their sons.鈥�
鈥楧angerous complacency鈥�
Some 15,000 delegates 鈥� researchers, campaigners, activists and people living with the HIV virus which causes AIDS 鈥� have gathered for the five-day war council, amid dire warnings the AIDS epidemic could yet spiral out of control.
鈥淭he progress we have fought so hard for is at risk from a dangerous complacency,鈥� Prince Harry told conference delegates.
鈥淭oo many around the world are still ignoring the damaging knock-on effects on education and other community services for not prioritizing HIV prevention and treatment.鈥�
The new initiative was focused on 鈥渢he tough but essential work of truly changing mindsets,鈥� the Duke of Sussex said.
鈥淚nspired by the growing alarm of the rate of new HIV infections among young women, this campaign is bravely tackling the root of this problem 鈥� the lack of awareness of HIV prevention amongst hard-to-reach young men.鈥�
He urged people to unite around the 鈥渟mashing of a deadly stigma鈥� surrounding HIV, 鈥渁nd calling out the prejudice that is still there鈥�.
South African actress Charlize Theron agreed as she addressed the day鈥檚 opening plenary session entitled: 鈥淏reaking the barriers of inequity鈥�.
鈥淲e have come a long way as a global community from that moral panic that defined early stages of this epidemic,鈥� she told the audience.
But she warned that 鈥渕ost of us now know and understand that HIV is not just about sex or sexuality鈥� We know it is linked to the second-class status of women and girls worldwide.鈥澛�NVG
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