OneWorld, the online human rights and sustainable development network, today
announced the launch of a new multimedia web portal on HIV/AIDS.
AIDSchannel.org, www.aidschannel.org, goes live to coincide with World AIDS
Day (1 December 2001). The site will be edited from OneWorld Africa centre
in Zambia.

AIDSchannel.org launches with a partnership of over 100 leading aid
agencies, human rights and campaign groups worldwide. The site aims to
promote understanding, knowledge sharing and action on AIDS as a
development, social, economic and human rights issue.

Across the world, AIDS claims the lives of nearly 8,000 people every day.
The epidemic has killed almost 25 million people since the first officially
recorded case 20 years ago and 40 million people are currently living with
HIV/AIDS.

"AIDSchannel.org uses the Internet to bring together civil society from all
continents to help limit the human suffering and devastation of HIV/AIDS,"
said Priscilla Jere, director of OneWorld Africa. "OneWorld invites everyone
with access to the web
to join us online and connect to fight the global AIDS crisis."

AIDSchannel.org carries stories and information from around the world in one
of the most comprehensive spaces on the web on  HIV/AIDS. Channel features
include news, campaign actions, opinion pieces by leading commentators,
in-depth analysis, events listings, a beginner's guide to HIV/AIDS and a
dedicated search facility on AIDS.

AIDSchannel.org is a global platform for a global issue. The OneWorld
partners involved in the site share a particular concern to promote the
voices and concerns of people in developing countries. It is these
experiences of AIDS and these views on what should be done to fight the AIDS
epidemic that must be more widely heard.

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Keep informed with all the latest news on HIV/AIDS from OneWorld partners
and the media.
Subscribe to the AIDSchannel.org weekly email digest by sending an email to:
mailto:[log in to unmask]
With the following text in the body of the message:
subscribe newsletter_aids

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For more information about AIDSchannel.org and OneWorld Africa contact:
Priscilla Jere, OneWorld Africa, PO Box 34571, Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: 260 1 232773 Fax: 260 1 224122
email: mailto:[log in to unmask]

Notes:

1. OneWorld is a non-profit network that aims to harness the democratic
potential of the Internet for human rights, sustainable development and an
end to world poverty. OneWorld brings together a partner community of over
1000 organisations at www.oneworld.net.

2. OneWorld partners in AIDSchannel.org include: ActionAid, Association
François-Xavier Bagnoud, CAFOD, CARE, Christian Aid, DFID, Hivos,
InterAction, Journalists Against AIDS, Oxfam, Panos, Relief Web, Save the
Children, Stop AIDS Campaign, UNDP, UNICEF, Youth Against AIDS, Voluntary
Service Overseas,
World Vision and many more.

3. OneWorld is a founding partner of the UNDP ICT Against AIDS Coalition, an
alliance of developed nations, developing country governments, private
sector companies, non-profit and academic organisations aiming to strengthen
the global response to HIV/AIDS through greater access and more effective
use of ICTs (information and communications technologies).

4. Organisations working in the field of HIV/AIDS are invited to participate
in AIDSchannel.org. Find out more at www.oneworld.net/partners/joining or
email [log in to unmask]

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