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In this page, I would like to share my interest and a very important concern for everybody in this world.

The United Nations was established in 1945 by 51 countries and committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, 191 countries belong to the UN as its member. The United Nations has four purposes for their existence: to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights; and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. The UN activities fascinate me and the more I learn about their works, the more I was interested in the international relations and their concerns.

Recent years, one of UN organizations' activities caught my eyes, it was UNAIDS.  One of today's serious concerns among the nations is HIV/AIDS epidemics. Since the first report of HIV/AIDS, it has become one of the fastest growing killers in the nations.  Especially in Africa, the epidemic’s impact of HIV/AIDS is much larger than any other continent. HIV/AIDS takes away people’s health, income and ability to work.  In such developing countries, when people suffer from severe poverty, they are more likely to shoulder the burden of this life threatening disease.  “Sub-Saharan Africa has just over 10% of the world’s population, but is home to more than 60% of all people living with HIV” (UNAIDS, 2000).  There are many reasons and resources that explain why especially the sub-Saharan African region accounts for an absolute majority of HIV/AIDS infection rate.  The socioeconomic impact is one of the strongest reasons in this country’s high infection rate.  The Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS at the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (June, 2001) stated, “while HIV/AIDS must be seen as an emergency of the highest order, steady progress in reducing poverty is still the long-term and sustainable solution to the health crisis in the developing world.  In the long run, prevention and care will only succeed if people and nations can lift themselves out of poverty.”  We have not found a cure for HIV, and the poverty rate in Africa will not be diminished over night.  Therefore, I believe that the primary education to individuals in Africa is more effective start for this enormous innovation project, and step by step, it will bring a better nation to everybody.  There are things that governments can do, and there are things that all civilians can do their own to make each individual's life better. 

 Since HIV/AIDS accounts for the major cause of premature death in sub-Saharan Africa, I assume that the development of an educational program will prevent promiscuous young people, who have no knowledge of HIV/AIDS, from having unprotected sex in their early ages and spreading their diseases to their partners and their babies.  Education of the lethal disease will give them awareness of the danger and prevent them from engaging in risky behavior. I believe that if people are educated and well-counseled about HIV/AIDS, there will be a reduction in high-risk of behaviors and people will be safe from HIV/AIDS. Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. It is also a weapon that the world cannot do without in the fight against AIDS. Education saves lives” (UNAIDS).  I believe that the knowledge of HIV/AIDS is the effective prevention and the prevention programs have a positive effect upon people in this world.