Phnom Penh (dpa) - Media had a vital role to play in stemming a burgeoning epidemic of HIV/Aids which threatened to make Asia its newest epicentre, Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith told an international seminar Tuesday.
Speaking at a meeting of HIV/Aids experts and media representatives at a cross-regional meeting of African and Asian nations organized by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Kanharith, a former journalist, said the world had come a long way in 20 years in its approach to the issue, but that the media held the key to further progress.
"Twenty years ago, when people spoke about HIV/Aids they asked 'who - who is to blame'," Kanharith said. "Now they ask 'how - how to evolve, understand and fight (this problem) better together'."
He said the media's role in disseminating information and raising people's awareness of the disease both saved lives and helped the community move from blaming victims to understanding the problem.
The publicity also improved the quality of life of the millions already living with the virus and the social stigma that the infection so often carries with it, he added.
Cambodia suffers from one of the highest HIV/Aids infection rates in the region due to a number of factors, including a 30-year civil war which robbed many people of an education.
"It is our duty as media to share experiences, disseminate information and raise awareness to help reduce infections," Kanharith told the two-day meeting in his opening speech.
Delegates at the meeting, hosted by Cambodia, include experts and media representatives from Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia.
Among the issues to be discussed include how to reduce stigma for those living with it as well as dispelling myths surrounding its causes and prevention.
Australian IFJ representative Emma Walters told the gathering that journalists and the media were pivotal forces in helping contain the spread of HIV/Aids.
"The situation in Africa is nothing short of horrific, and in addition there is deep concern in Asia," she said. "Asia is in danger of become the new epicentre."
This was due to a number of factors including fast growing populations and economies, which had introduced a whole new range of social and cultural factors that could worsen the spread of the virus, she said.
"Journalists have a central role to play in explaining why HIV/Aids is on the rise...simply put, lives depend upon it," she said.
Speaking at a meeting of HIV/Aids experts and media representatives at a cross-regional meeting of African and Asian nations organized by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Kanharith, a former journalist, said the world had come a long way in 20 years in its approach to the issue, but that the media held the key to further progress.
"Twenty years ago, when people spoke about HIV/Aids they asked 'who - who is to blame'," Kanharith said. "Now they ask 'how - how to evolve, understand and fight (this problem) better together'."
He said the media's role in disseminating information and raising people's awareness of the disease both saved lives and helped the community move from blaming victims to understanding the problem.
The publicity also improved the quality of life of the millions already living with the virus and the social stigma that the infection so often carries with it, he added.
Cambodia suffers from one of the highest HIV/Aids infection rates in the region due to a number of factors, including a 30-year civil war which robbed many people of an education.
"It is our duty as media to share experiences, disseminate information and raise awareness to help reduce infections," Kanharith told the two-day meeting in his opening speech.
Delegates at the meeting, hosted by Cambodia, include experts and media representatives from Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia.
Among the issues to be discussed include how to reduce stigma for those living with it as well as dispelling myths surrounding its causes and prevention.
Australian IFJ representative Emma Walters told the gathering that journalists and the media were pivotal forces in helping contain the spread of HIV/Aids.
"The situation in Africa is nothing short of horrific, and in addition there is deep concern in Asia," she said. "Asia is in danger of become the new epicentre."
This was due to a number of factors including fast growing populations and economies, which had introduced a whole new range of social and cultural factors that could worsen the spread of the virus, she said.
"Journalists have a central role to play in explaining why HIV/Aids is on the rise...simply put, lives depend upon it," she said.
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