HIV/AIDS is one of the most significant issues facing the world today. While here in Australia the impact of HIV/AIDS has been relatively slight, in many parts of the world HIV/AIDS has had a devastating effect on communities and its impacts continue to be felt and are growing.

The consequences of HIV/AIDS for communities include:

• The loss of people in the key age group of 15-49 years old - the years when economic production is at its highest
• Children facing the loss of parents to AIDS, and grandparents being forced into a parental role through the loss of their children
• Bearing the burden of providing health care for people with AIDS.

HIV/AIDS raises a number of justice issues. The impact of HIV/AIDS is felt disproportionately by the poor. The poor have less access to health care that can both prolong life and provide a better quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS. The economic consequences of HIV/AIDS are often devastating for the poor in countries where there is no social security. The poor often don't have access to the same education about prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Many of our partner churches are struggling with the impact of HIV/AIDS. The Church of Christ in Thailand has developed a significant AIDS ministry, while the Evangelical Church in the Land of Papua has recently developed an HIV/AIDS team to deal with an exponential increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases.

For more information about HIV/AIDS go to http://www.unaids.org/en