Hunger and World Poverty About 21,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes, according to the

United Nations. This is one person every four seconds, as you can see on this display. Sadly, it is children who die most often. Yet there is plenty of food in the world for everyone. The problem is that hungry people are trapped in severe poverty. They lack the money to buy enough food to nourish themselves. Being constantly malnourished, they become weaker and often sick. This makes them increasingly less able to work, which then makes them even poorer and hungrier. This downward spiral often continues until death for them and their families. There are effective programs to break this spiral. For adults, there are food for work programs where the adults are paid with food to build schools, dig wells, make roads, and so on. This both nourishes them and builds infrastructure to end the poverty. For children, there are food for education programs where the children are provided with food when they attend school. Their education will help them to escape from hunger and global poverty. AIDS AIDS is now second only to the Black Death as the largest epidemic in history. AIDS kills roughly 1.5 million people a year, or about one person every 20 seconds, as you can see here. This death toll surprisingly includes a lot of children, who are often infected with the HIV virus during pregnancy or through breastfeeding. The toll is worst in Africa, where millions of parents have died, leaving children as orphans. Often teachers have died as well, leaving schools empty. Doctors and nurses have died, leaving hospitals and medical clinics with nothing. Farmers have died, leaving crops in the fields. Entire villages have been devastated. Yet AIDS is a preventable and increasingly treatable disease. The huge majority of deaths can be stopped. Through education, the use of condoms, and proper medicine, AIDS has been brought under control in the developed countries. The same can be true in Africa and other poor areas of the world. Tuberculosis In the entire history of humankind, it is believed that tuberculosis has killed more people than any other disease (in shorter periods of time, the epidemics of the Black Death and AIDS have killed more). Tuberculosis dates back to at least 4000 BC and was present in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and India. Known as consumption, it was responsible for one in five deaths in 17th century London. Tuberculosis is highly contagious and spreads through the air from coughing. If not treated, a person with TB infects an average of 10 to 15 new people each year. Approximately a million people die annually from tuberculosis in developing countries. In 1995 the World Health Organization launched a multi-pronged tuberculosis program called DOTS (Directly Observed Therapy). Since then it has successfully treated many millions of tuberculosis patients. Funding is needed so that this effective program can expand to reach all the people who need it.

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.Source 1 More than 80 percent of the worlds population lives in countries where income differentials are widening.Source 2 The poorest 40 percent of the worlds population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.Source 3 According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.Source 4 Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. If current trends continue, the Millennium Development Goals target of halving the proportion of underweight children will be missed by 30 million children, largely because of slow progress in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.Source 5 Based on enrollment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005; 57 per cent of them were girls. And these are regarded as optimistic numbers.Source 6 Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.Source 7 Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didnt happen.Source 8 Infectious diseases continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world. An estimated 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 3 million deaths in 2004. Every year there are 350500 million cases of malaria, with 1 million fatalities: Africa accounts for 90 percent of malarial deaths and African children account for over 80 percent of malaria victims worldwide.Source 9 Water problems affect half of humanity: Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day. More than 660 million people without sanitation live on less than $2 a day, and more than 385 million on less than $1 a day. Access to piped water into the household averages about 85% for the wealthiest 20% of the population, compared with 25% for the poorest 20%. 1.8 billion people who have access to a water source within 1 kilometre, but not in their house or yard, consume around 20 litres per day. In the United Kingdom the average person uses more than 50 litres of

water a day flushing toilets (where average daily water usage is about 150 liters a day. The highest average water use in the world is in the US, at 600 liters day.) Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhoea The loss of 443 million school days each year from water-related illness. Close to half of all people in developing countries suffering at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits. Millions of women spending several hours a day collecting water. To these human costs can be added the massive economic waste associated with the water and sanitation deficit. The costs associated with health spending, productivity losses and labour diversions are greatest in some of the poorest countries. Sub-Saharan Africa loses about 5% of GDP, or some $28.4 billion annually, a figure that exceeds total aid flows and debt relief to the region in 2003.Source 10 Discrimination Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their actual or perceived membership in a certain group or category, "in a way that is worse than the way people are usually treated." It involves the group's initial reaction or interaction, influencing the individual's actual behavior towards the group or the group leader, restricting members of one group from opportunities or privileges that are available to another group, leading to the exclusion of the individual or entities based on logical or irrational decision making. Discriminatory traditions, policies, ideas, practices, and laws exist in many countries and institutions in every part of the world, even in ones where discrimination is generally looked down upon. In some places, controversial attempts such as quotas or affirmative action have been used to benefit those believed to be current or past victims of discriminationbut have sometimes been called reverse discrimination themselves. Age Ageism or age discrimination is discrimination and stereotyping based on the grounds of someone's age.[10] It is a set of beliefs, norms, and values which used to justify discrimination and/or subordination based on someone's age.[11] Ageism is most often directed towards old people, or adolescents and children.[12][13] Age discrimination in hiring has been shown to exist in the United States. Joanna Lahey, professor at The Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M, found that firms are more than 40% more likely to interview a young adult job applicant than an older job applicant.[14] In a survey for the University of Kent, England, 29% of respondents stated that they had suffered from age discrimination. This is a higher proportion than for gender or racial discrimination. Dominic Abrams, social psychology professor at the university, concluded that Ageism is the most pervasive form of prejudice experienced in the UK population.[15]

Disability Discrimination against people with disabilities in favor of people who are not is called ableism or disablism. Disability discrimination, which treats non-disabled individuals as the standard of normal living, results in public and private places and services, education, and social work that are built to serve 'standard' people, thereby excluding those with various disabilities.[citation needed] In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates the provision of equality of access to both buildings and services and is paralleled by similar acts in other countries, such as the Equality Act 2010 in the UK.[citation needed] Employment Denying someone employment, or disallowing one from applying for a job, is often recognized as employment discrimination when the grounds for such an exclusion is not related to the requirements of the position, and protected characteristics may include age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, height, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, skin color, and weight. Still unrelated to the requirements of the position, only 9% of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are women while they are over 60% among accountants and auditors. And yet those who reach a high responsibility position are paid on average 16% lower than their male colleagues. (According to a recent report, 2013) [21] Language Diversity of language is protected and respected by most nations who value cultural diversity.[dubious discuss] However, people are sometimes subjected to different treatment because their preferred language is associated with a particular group, class or category. Commonly, the preferred language is just another attribute of separate ethnic groups.[dubious discuss] Discrimination exists if there is prejudicial treatment against a person or a group of people who speak a particular language or dialect. Language discrimination is suggested to be labeled linguicism or logocism[by whom?] Anti-discriminatory and inclusive efforts to accommodate persons who speak different languages or cannot have fluency in the country's predominant or "official" language, is bilingualism such as official documents in two languages, and multiculturalism in more than two languages. Nationality Discrimination on the basis of nationality is usually included in employment laws[36] (see below section for employment discrimination specifically). It is sometimes referred to as bound together with racial discrimination[37] although it can be separate. It may vary from laws that stop refusals of hiring based on nationality, asking questions regarding origin, to prohibitions of firing, forced retirement, compensation and pay, etc., based on nationality.[37] Discrimination on the basis of nationality may show as a "level of acceptance" in a sport or work team regarding new team members and employees who differ from the nationality of the majority of team members.[38]

Racial or ethnic Racial discrimination differentiates individuals on the basis of real and perceived racial differences and has been official government policy in several countries, such as South Africa in the apartheid era. Discriminatory policies towards ethnic minorities include the race-based discrimination of ethnic Indians and Chinese in Malaysia[39] or discrimination of ethnic Uighurs in China.[40] In the United States, racial profiling of minorities by law-enforcement officials has been called racial discrimination.[41] As early as 1866, the Civil Rights Act provided a remedy for intentional race discrimination in employment by private employers and state and local public employers. The Civil Rights Act of 1871 applies to public employment or employment involving state action prohibiting deprivation of rights secured by the federal constitution or federal laws through action under color of law. Title VII is the principal federal statute with regard to employment discrimination prohibiting unlawful employment discrimination by public and private employers, labor organizations, training programs and employment agencies based on race or color, religion, gender, and national origin. Title VII also prohibits retaliation against any person for opposing any practice forbidden by statute, or for making a charge, testifying, assisting, or participating in a proceeding under the statute. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 expanded the damages available in Title VII cases and granted Title VII plaintiffs the right to a jury trial. Title VII also provides that race and color discrimination against every race and color is prohibited. Within the criminal justice system in the United States, minorities are convicted and imprisoned disproportionately when compared to the majority.[42][43] In 1998, nearly one out of three black men between the ages of 20-29 were in prison or jail, on probation or parole on any given day in the United States.[44] Native Americans make up about 2% of Canada's population, but account for 18% of the federal prison population as of 2000.[45] According to the Australian government's June 2006 publication of prison statistics, Aborigines make up 24% of the overall prison population in Australia.[46] In 2004, Mori made up just 15% of the total population of New Zealand but 49.5% of prisoners. Mori were entering prison at 8 times the rate of non-Mori.*47+ A quarter of the people in England's prisons are from an ethnic minority. The Equality and Human Rights Commission found that five times more black people than white people per head of population in England and Wales are imprisoned. Experts and politicians said over-representation of black men was a result of decades of racial prejudice in the criminal justice system.[48] Discrimination against racially mixed people: The notion that people can be split into clean categories of race has turned into an unchallenged and non-debated assumption. People of more than one race are not only overlooked by society but often misjudged and represented. The assumption that race is immutable is deeply embedded in the social and legal construction of race today. Race is something created by society, yet society let's it determine much of our lives. People of mixed race are constantly subdued to judgment to be put in a category, this makes them easier to identify. By identifying where someone comes from, judgments can be made. Many applications and forms continue to allow only one box to be checked when it comes to race. Racially mixed people can also experience "otherness"- the feeling of not belonging to or being accepted by one group because you are part of another. For example- Not white enough to be white, not black enough to be black.[49]

Religious Religious discrimination is valuing or treating a person or group differently because of what they do or do not believe or because of their feelings towards a given religion. For instance, the indigenous Christian population of Balkans (known as "rayah" or "protected flock") lived under the Ottoman KanuniRayah. The word is sometimes translated as 'cattle' rather than 'flock' or 'subjects' to emphasize the inferior status of the rayah.[50] Restrictions upon Jewish occupations were imposed by Christian authorities. Local rulers and church officials closed many professions to Jews, pushing them into marginal roles considered socially inferior, such as tax and rent collecting and moneylending, occupations only tolerated as a "necessary evil".[51] The number of Jews permitted to reside in different places was limited; they were concentrated in ghettos and were not allowed to own land. In a 1979 consultation on the issue, the United States commission on civil rights defined religious discrimination in relation to the civil rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Whereas religious civil liberties, such as the right to hold or not to hold a religious belief, are essential for Freedom of Religion (in the United States secured by the First Amendment), religious discrimination occurs when someone is denied " the equal protection of the laws, equality of status under the law, equal treatment in the administration of justice, and equality of opportunity and access to employment, education, housing, public services and facilities, and public accommodation because of their exercise of their right to religious freedom."[52] Sex, gender, and gender-identity Though gender discrimination and sexism refers to beliefs and attitudes in relation to the gender of a person, such beliefs and attitudes are of a social nature and do not, normally, carry any legal consequences. Sex discrimination, on the other hand, may have legal consequences. Though what constitutes sex discrimination varies between countries, the essence is that it is an adverse action taken by one person against another person that would not have occurred had the person been of another sex. Discrimination of that nature is considered a form of prejudice and in certain enumerated circumstances is illegal in many countries. Sexual discrimination can arise in different contexts. For instance an employee may be discriminated against by being asked discriminatory questions during a job interview, or by an employer not hiring or promoting, unequally paying, or wrongfully terminating, an employee based on his or her gender. In an educational setting there could be claims that a student was excluded from an educational institution, program, opportunity, loan, student group, or scholarship because of his or her gender. In the housing setting there could be claims that a person was refused negotiations on seeking a house, contracting/leasing a house or getting a loan based on his or her gender. Another setting where there have been claims of gender discrimination is banking; for example if one is refused credit or is offered unequal loan terms based on ones gender.*55+ As with other forms of unlawful discrimination there are two types of sex discrimination direct discrimination and indirect discrimination. Direct sex discrimination is fairly easy to spot Barmaid wanted, but indirect sex discrimination, where an unnecessary requirement puts

one sex at a disproportionate disadvantage compared to the opposite sex, is sometimes less easy to spot, although some are obvious Bar person wanted must look good in a mini skirt.*56+ Another setting where there is usually gender discrimination is when one is refused to extend his or her credit, refused approval of credit/loan process, and if there is a burden of unequal loan terms based on ones gender. Socially, sexual differences have been used to justify different roles for men and women, in some cases giving rise to claims of primary and secondary roles.[57] While there are alleged non-physical differences between men and women, major reviews of the academic literature on gender difference find only a tiny minority of characteristics where there are consistent psychological differences between men and women, and these relate directly to experiences grounded in biological difference.[58] However, there are also some psychological differences in regard to how problems are dealt with and emotional perceptions and reactions that may relate to hormones and the successful characteristics of each gender during longstanding roles in past primitive lifestyles. Unfair discrimination usually follows the gender stereotyping held by a society.[59] The United Nations had concluded that women often experience a "glass ceiling" and that there are no societies in which women enjoy the same opportunities as men.[60] The term "glass ceiling" is used to describe a perceived barrier to advancement in employment based on discrimination, especially sex discrimination.[61] In the United States in 1995, the Glass Ceiling Commission, a government-funded group, stated: "Over half of all Masters degrees are now awarded to women, yet 95% of senior-level managers, of the top Fortune 1000 industrial and 500 service companies are men. Of them, 97% are white." In its report, it recommended affirmative action, which is the consideration of an employee's gender and race in hiring and promotion decisions, as a means to end this form of discrimination.[62] In 2008, women accounted for 51% of all workers in the high-paying management, professional, and related occupations. They outnumbered men in such occupations as public relations managers; financial managers; and human resource managers.[63] The PwC research found that among FTSE 350 companies in the United Kingdom in 2002 almost 40% of senior management posts were occupied by women. When that research was repeated in 2007, the number of senior management posts held by women had fallen to 22%.[65] Transgender individuals, both male to female and female to male, often experience transphobic problems that often lead to dismissals, underachievement, difficulty in finding a job, social isolation, and, occasionally, violent attacks against them. Nevertheless, the problem of gender discrimination does not stop at transgender individuals or with women. Men are often the victim in certain areas of employment as men begin to seek work in office and childcare settings traditionally perceived as "women's jobs". One such situation seems to be evident in a recent case concerning alleged YMCA discrimination and a Federal Court Case in Texas.[citation needed] The case actually involves alleged discrimination against both men and blacks in childcare, even when they pass the same strict background tests and other standards of employment. It is currently being contended in federal court, as of fall 2009.

Slavery There are 21-30 million people in slavery today. They are forced to work without pay, under threat of violence, and theyre unable to walk away. You can find them in brothels, factories, mines, farm fields, restaurants, construction sites and private homes. Many slaves have been tricked by traffickers who lure vulnerable people with false promises of good jobs or education. Some slaves are marched to work at gunpoint. Others are trapped by phony debts from unscrupulous moneylenders. Slavery is illegal everywhere, but it happens nearly everywhere. WHAT IS MODERN SLAVERY? When we think about slavery what comes to mind is the Trans-Atlantic Slavery Trade, captured Africans, transported to the West Indies and America to work mainly in the sugar plantations. Although that slavery was abolished in 19th century, slavery still exists today. Although its modern forms are different, when we talk about slavery we do not use a metaphor. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 20.9 million men, women and children around the world are in slavery. In the 21st century people are still sold like objects, forced to work for little or no pay and at the complete mercy of their 'employers'. There are many different characteristics that distinguish slavery from other human rights violations, however only one needs to be present for slavery to exist. Someone is in slavery if they are: forced to work - through mental or physical threat; owned or controlled by an 'employer', usually through mental or physical abuse or the threat of abuse; dehumanised, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as 'property'; physically constrained or has restrictions placed on his/her freedom of movement.

Contemporary slavery takes various forms and affects people of all ages, gender and races. WHAT TYPES OF SLAVERY EXIST TODAY? Bonded labour affects millions of people around the world, with biggest numbers in South East Asia. People become bonded labourers by taking, or being tricked into taking, a loan for which they are unable to ever pay off. Some bonded labourers receive basic food and shelter as 'payment' for their work, but due to penalties and exorbitant interest rates, no matter how hard they work they are never able to pay off the loan, which can even be passed down on to their children. Child Slavery affects an estimated 5.5 million children around the world. Child slavery includes the worst form of child labour and child trafficking. Early and forced marriage predominately affects women and girls who are married without choice, forced into lives of servitude often accompanied by physical violence and have no realistic choice of leaving the marriage. Forced labour affects people who are illegally recruited by individuals, businesses or governments and forced to work - usually under the threat of violence or other penalties.

Descent-based slavery involves people who are either born into a 'slave' class or are from a 'group' that society views can be used for slave labour. Trafficking involves the transport of any person from one area to another for the purpose of forcing them into slavery conditions. Trafficking involves transporting people between borders but can also affect Many forms of slavery involve more than one element or form listed above. For example, trafficking often involves an advance payment for the trip and organising a promised job abroad which is borrowed from the traffickers. Once at the destination, the debt incurred serves as an element of controlling the victims as they are told they cannot leave the job until the debt is paid off . CHILD SLAVERY Despite the fact that many people believe that slavery no longer exists, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that there are some 8.4 million children in slavery or practices similar to slavery (ILO,2002). Although the ILO acknowledged that the data on which these estimates were based was partial and incomplete. They are all in child slavery, as defined by the 1956 UN Supplementary Slavery Convention. In these cases, as well as being in a hazardous situation, there is an intention to exploit these children for someone elses gain. This group of children includes: Children who are used by others who profit from them, often through violence, abuse and threats, in prostitution or pornography , illicit activities, such as forced begging, petty theft, and the drug trade; Forced child labour, for example in agriculture, factories, construction, brick kilns, mines, bars, restaurants or tourists environment Children who are forced to take part in armed conflict. They don't only include child soldiers but also porters or girls taken as wives for soldiers and militia members. There are about 300,000 child soldiers involved in over 30 areas of conflict worldwide, some even younger than 10 years old. Children involved in conflict are severely affected by their experiences and can suffer from long-term trauma. Child domestic workers, many of whom are forced to work long hours, in hazardous and often abusive environments, for little or no pay, and often far from home; HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM? There are 215 million child labourers aged between 5 and 17 years old (ILO 2010). 115 million children work in the worst forms of child labour (ILO 2010). 53 million children under 15 years old are in hazardous work and should be "immediately withdrawn from this work" (ILO 2010). 8.4 million children are in slavery, trafficking, debt bondage and other forms of forced labour, forced recruitment for armed conflict, prostitution, pornography and other illicit activities (ILO 2002) CHILD WORK, CHILD LABOUR, CHILD SLAVERY?

Child work Some types of work make useful, positive contributions to a child's development. Work can help children learn and develop particular skills that will benefit them and the rest of society. Often, work is a vital source of income that enables children to help sustain their families. Child labour According to the ILO, however, there are over 200 million child labourers around the world. Child labour is not slavery, but nevertheless hinders childrens education, development and future livelihoods. For example, children who are working below the legal minimum age for employment. Worst forms of child labour Of the children in child labour, some 115 million are engaged in hazardous work, otherwise known as the worst forms of child labour (ILO, 2010). This is work that irreversibly threatens childrens health and development, through, for example, exposure to dangerous machinery or toxic substances, and may even endanger their lives. The worst forms of child labour also include the 8.4 million children in slavery and slavery-like practices, who are also subject to exploitation by others, and are the priority for us all to address. Child Trafficking Trafficking involves transporting people away from the communities in which they live, by the threat or use of violence, deception, or coercion so they can be exploited as forced or enslaved workers for sex or labour. When children are trafficked, no violence, deception or coercion needs to be involved, it is merely the act of transporting them into exploitative work which constitutes trafficking. Increasingly, children are also bought and sold within and across national borders. They are trafficked for sexual exploitation, for begging, and for work on construction sites, plantations and into domestic work. The vulnerability of these children is even greater when they arrive in another country. Often they do not have contact with their families and are at the mercy of their employers. Child marraige Marriage involving children under 18 years old remains a widely culturally accepted practice in many corners of the globe. Estimates suggest that 11 per cent of women aged between 20 and 24 worldwide were married before reaching the age of 15 (UNICEF 2012). There has been growing awareness about the negative consequences of child marriage, especially for girls, including the impact of marriage on childrens education, and risks to their physical and psychological health. Child marriage can also often operate as a shield behind which slavery and slavery-like practices occur with apparent impunity. Many marriages involving children will not amount to slavery, particularly between couples aged 16 to 18 years. However, many married children can experience levels of suffering, coercion and control that meet international legal definitions of slavery and slavery-like practices, including servile marriage, child servitude, child trafficking and forced labour. Estimates for the number of boys in marriage and information on their experiences are notably scarce.

WHAT IS TRAFFICKING IN PEOPLE? Trafficking involves transporting people away from the communities in which they live and forcing them to work against their will using violence, deception or coercion. When children are trafficked, no violence, deception or coercion needs to be involved: simply transporting them into exploitative conditions constitutes trafficking. People are trafficked both between countries and within the borders of a state. Trafficking affects countries and families on every continent. Because of its hidden nature, it is difficult to get accurate statistics on the numbers affacted, but the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that at any one time there are some 2.5 million people who have been trafficked and are being subjected to sexual or labour exploitation. Most coverage of the trafficking issue has focused on trafficking for sexual exploitation, but around a third of all trafficked people are used exclusively for labour exploitation (for example, domestic work, agricultural work, catering or packing and processing). Trafficking for sexual exploitation almost exclusively affects women and girls (98 per cent), but trafficking for labour exploitation also affects women more than men (56 per cent being women and girls). WHAT IS FAMILY VIOLENCE? The term domestic violence has been used for many years and usually refers to the violence that occurs between two people living in a close relationship including spouses, de facto couples, same sex couples, family members or even flat-mates. It is only relatively recently that it has been recognised that the violence between those two people impacts greatly on other members of the family, household or community especially children. For this reason we will use the broader term of family violence. Family violence encompasses inter-generational violence and abuse and recognises all victims. It refers to the harm caused when an individual physically or psychologically tries to dominate or control another family member. EFFECTS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE ON CHILDREN For some New Zealand children, life is like living in a war zone! They live in an environment characterised by fear, frustration, anger, cruelty and violence. Research shows that children of all ages are affected if there is violence or abuse between their caregivers and extended family members. Children and young people who experience violence in their families and whnau are more likely than children who have not experienced any form of family violence to: develop severe behavioural problems become violent as adolescents continue the cycle of violence. There are a number of factors shared by children who have been exposed to domestic violence. They may display failure to thrive symptoms even as infants.

They may be aggressive or violent towards siblings or the victim parent in ways similar to the abusive parent. They often suffer from low self-esteem. They may have poor impulse control. They often experience academic problems. They can have a disrupted home life when the victim is forced to flee the home. They are more often abducted by the abuser parent than other children. They may have a fear and distrust of close relationships. They dont always recognise socially acceptable or correct behaviour. They may experience psychosomatic complaints, such as stomach pains, headaches, stuttering and anxiety. They may wet the bed. They kill themselves more often than children who do not live with abuse. They blame themselves for the violence or their inability to stop it and protect the victim parent. They are more likely to be victim of child physical and sexual abuse, most often by the abuser parent but sometimes by the victim. They are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs. They are more likely to commit sexual assaults and other crimes. Children will be affected in different ways depending on a number of factors including their age, resilience, amount of support from other family members, predictability of the violence. The following is only a guide as to some ways in which the harm may affect them: Infants Poor brain development. Poor health and development. Poor sleeping patterns. Cry and scream more than normal. Toddlers Become very distressed when witnessing violence. Be severely shy, have low self esteem.

 Bite, hit, kick, pull other childrens hair. Are argumentative. Pre-schoolers Blame themselves for the violence. Become very distressed. Become very withdrawn. Show verbal and physical aggression. Primary school children Begin to learn that violence is a way of resolving conflict. Have difficulty at school. Have the highest levels of depression and aggression (especially girls). Have difficulty concentrating. Become rebellious. Become anxious and withdrawn. Adolescents Develop other social networks outside of the family. Regard the victim of the violence as being responsible. Development and future adult behaviour affected. Strong possibility of depression (especially girls). Become aggressive towards victim or other family members (especially boys). Continue cycle of violence. WHAT IS HIV? To understand what HIV is, lets break it down: H Human This particular virus can only infect human beings. I Immunodeficiency HIV weakens your immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. A "deficient" immune system can't protect you. V Virus A virus can only reproduce itself by taking over a cell in the body of its host.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a lot like other viruses, including those that cause the "flu" or the common cold. But there is an important difference over time, your immune system can clear most viruses out of your body. That isn't the case with HIV the human immune system can't seem to get rid of it. Scientists are still trying to figure out why. We know that HIV can hide for long periods of time in the cells of your body and that it attacks a key part of your immune system your T-cells or CD4 cells. Your body has to have these cells to fight infections and disease, but HIV invades them, uses them to make more copies of itself, and then destroys them. Over time, HIV can destroy so many of your CD4 cells that your body can't fight infections and diseases anymore. When that happens, HIV infection can lead to AIDS. WHAT IS AIDS? To understand what AIDS is, lets break it down: A Acquired AIDS is not something you inherit from your parents. You acquire AIDS after birth. I Immuno Your body's immune system includes all the organs and cells that work to fight off infection or disease. D Deficiency You get AIDS when your immune system is "deficient," or isn't working the way it should. S Syndrome A syndrome is a collection of symptoms and signs of disease. AIDS is a syndrome, rather than a single disease, because it is a complex illness with a wide range of complications and symptoms. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is the final stage of HIV infection. People at this stage of HIV disease have badly damaged immune systems, which put them at risk for opportunistic infections (OIs). You will be diagnosed with AIDS if you have one or more specific OIs, certain cancers, or a very low number of CD4 cells. If you have AIDS, you will need medical intervention and treatment to prevent death. For more information, see CDCs Basic Information About HIV And AIDS. WHERE DID HIV COME FROM? Scientists believe HIV came from a particular kind of chimpanzee in Western Africa. Humans probably came in contact with HIV when they hunted and ate infected animals. Recent studies indicate that HIV may have jumped from monkeys to humans as far back as the late 1800s. HOW DO YOU GET HIV? HIV is found in specific human body fluids. If any of those fluids enter your body, you can become infected with HIV. WHICH BODY FLUIDS CONTAIN HIV? HIV lives and reproduces in blood and other body fluids. We know that the following fluids can contain high levels of HIV:

Blood Semen (cum) Pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum) Breast milk Vaginal fluids Rectal (anal) mucous

Other body fluids and waste productslike feces, nasal fluid, saliva, sweat, tears, urine, or vomitdont contain enough HIV to infect you, unless they have blood mixed in them and you have significant and direct contact with them. Healthcare workers may be exposed to some other body fluids with high concentrations of HIV, including: Amniotic fluid Cerebrospinal fluid Synovial fluid HOW IS HIV TRANSMITTED THROUGH BODY FLUIDS? HIV is transmitted through body fluids in very specific ways: During sexual contact: When you have anal, oral, or vaginal sex with a partner, you will usually have contact with your partners body fluids. If your partner has HIV, those body fluids can deliver the virus into your bloodstream through microscopic breaks or rips in the delicate linings of your vagina, vulva, penis, rectum, or mouth. Rips in these areas are very common and mostly unnoticeable. HIV can also enter through open sores, like those caused by herpes or syphilis, if infected body fluids get in them. You need to know that its much easier to get HIV (or to give it to someone else), if you have a sexually transmitted disease (STD). For more information, see CDC's The Role Of STD Detection And Treatment In HIV Prevention. During pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding: Babies have constant contact with their mothers body fluids-including amniotic fluid and blood-throughout pregnancy and childbirth. After birth, infants can get HIV from drinking infected breast milk. As a result of injection drug use: Injecting drugs puts you in contact with blood-your own and others, if you share needles and works. Needles or drugs that are contaminated with HIV-infected blood can deliver the virus directly into your body. As a result of occupational exposure: Healthcare workers have the greatest risk for this type of HIV transmission. If you work in a healthcare setting, you can come into contact with infected blood or other fluids through needle sticks or cuts. A few healthcare workers have been infected when body fluids splashed into their eyes, mouth, or into an open sore or cut. As a result of a blood transfusion with infected blood or an organ transplant from an infected donor: Screening requirements make both of these forms of HIV transmission very rare in the United States.

HOW DO YOU GET AIDS? AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection, when a persons immune system is severely damaged and has difficulty fighting diseases and certain cancers. Before the development of certain medications, people with HIV could progress to AIDS in just a few years. Currently, people can live much longer - even decades - with HIV before they develop AIDS. This is because of highly active combinations of medications that were introduced in the mid 1990s. Read more about how HIV causes AIDS. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HIV? The symptoms of HIV vary, depending on the individual and what stage of the disease you are in. EARLY STAGE OF HIV: SYMPTOMS Within 2-4 weeks after HIV infection, many, but not all, people experience flu-like symptoms, often described as the worst flu ever. This is called acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) or primary HIV infection, and its the bodys natural response to the HIV infection. Symptoms can include: Fever (this is the most common symptom) Swollen glands Sore throat Rash Fatigue Muscle and joint aches and pains Headache These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. However, you should not assume you have HIV if you have any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be caused by other illnesses. Conversely, not everyone who is infected with HIV develops ARS. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for 10 years or more. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether you have HIV. The only way to know for sure if you are infected with HIV is to get tested. If you think you have recently been exposed to HIVif you have had oral, vaginal or anal sex without a condom with a known HIV positive person or a partner whose HIV status you do not know or shared needles to inject drugsget an HIV test. Traditional HIV tests detect HIV antibodies. But during this early stage your body is not yet producing these antibodies. A new HIV test was approved in 2013 that can detect the presence of HIV in your body during this early stage of infection. So no matter where you get tested, it is very important to let your provider know that you may have been recently infected with HIV and you would like to be tested for acute HIV. Use the HIV/AIDS Testing and Services Locator to find a HIV testing site near you or enter your location here:

It is important to remember that with or without symptoms, you are at particularly high risk of transmitting HIV to your sexual or drug using partners during this time because the levels of HIV in your blood stream are very high. For this reason, it is very important to take steps to reduce your risk of transmission. THE CLINICAL LATENCY STAGE After the early stage of HIV infection, the disease moves into a stage called the clinical latency stage. Latency means a period where a virus is living or developing in a person without producing symptoms. During the clinical latency stage, people who are infected with HIV experience no HIV-related symptoms, or only mild ones. (This stage is sometimes called asymptomatic HIV infection or chronic HIV infection.) During the clinical latency stage, the HIV virus reproduces at very low levels, although it is still active. If you take antiretroviral therapy (ART), you may live with clinical latency for several decades because treatment helps keep the virus in check. (Read more about HIV treatment.) For people who are not on ART, this clinical latency stage lasts an average of 10 years, but some people may progress through this phase faster. It is important to remember that people in this symptom-free period are still able to transmit HIV to others even if they are on ART, although ART greatly reduces the risk of transmission. Again, the only way to know for sure if you are infected with HIV is to get tested. Tests are available that can detect the virus at this stage. Use the HIV/AIDS Testing and Services Locator to find a HIV testing site near you. PROGRESSION TO AIDS: SYMPTOMS If you have HIV and you are not taking HIV medication (antiretroviral therapy), eventually the HIV virus will weaken your bodys immune system. The onset of symptoms signals the transition from the clinical latency stage to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). During this late stage of HIV infection, people infected with HIV may have the following symptoms: Rapid weight loss Recurring fever or profuse night sweats Extreme and unexplained tiredness Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week Sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals Pneumonia Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids

Memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. So, as noted above, the only way to know for sure if you are infected with HIV is to get tested. Many of the severe symptoms and illnesses of HIV disease come from the opportunistic infections that occur because your bodys immune system has been damaged. (Read more about opportunistic illnesses.) THE GLOBAL HIV/AIDS CRISIS TODAY HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has become one of the worlds most serious health and development challenges: 33.4 million are currently living with HIV/AIDS. More than 25 million people have died of AIDS worldwide since the first cases were reported in 1981. In 2008, 2 million people died due to HIV/AIDS, and another 2.7 million were newly infected. While cases have been reported in all regions of the world, almost all those living with HIV (97%) reside in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most people living with HIV or at risk for HIV do not have access to prevention, care, and treatment, and there is still no cure. The HIV epidemic not only affects the health of individuals, it impacts households, communities, and the development and economic growth of nations. Many of the countries hardest hit by HIV also suffer from other infectious diseases, food insecurity, and other serious problems. Despite these challenges, there have been successes and promising signs. New global efforts have been mounted to address the epidemic, particularly in the last decade. Prevention has helped to reduce HIV prevalence rates in a small but growing number of countries and new HIV infections are believed to be on the decline. In addition, the number of people with HIV receiving treatment in resource poor countries has increased 10-fold since 2002, reaching an estimated 4 million by 2008.