Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie yesterday called on the US Congress to fully fund a comprehensive response to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in developing countries. Jolie recently adopted a child from Ethiopia who was orphaned by AIDS.
"America has the opportunity to lead the world in addressing the AIDS orphan crisis," she said in a Capitol Hill press conference. "We all know we should do this. I hope that we will."
The press conference was organized by Global Action for Children to celebrate the signing into law of The Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act of 2005.
Jolie challenged lawmakers to fully fund the new law. "Will we see it through?" she asked. "Will Congress and the Administration put enough money forward to make a substantial difference in the lives of these kids? Or will we talk about it for a very long time, and then maybe come up with a part of the money but not the whole thing? I hope not."
Jolie also highlighted the importance of guaranteeing universal access to quality education. "New medicines are giving children with AIDS a chance at life," she said. "So what are they supposed to do with that life? Sit idle? Most of them have lost their parents to AIDS and they're trying to raise themselves, they're trying to feed themselves, and now they have to send themselves to school. We must eliminate school fees."
David Gartner, policy director for Global AIDS Alliance, the co-chair of the Global Action for Children coalition, said: "With AIDS orphaning another child every 14 seconds we have no time to waste. The Global Action for Children Coalition calls for full funding of the 10 percent of Global AIDS appropriations that by law must go to help orphans and vulnerable children. For the current fiscal year that promised 10 percent is $340 million."
Experts on global children's programs are presenting a set of recommendations for the U.S. as it implements the law. These are listed online at:
http://www.globalactionforchildren.org/latest/
Also speaking at the event were religious and business leaders, including Rev. Mpho Tutu, director of the Tutu Center for Pilgrimage and Prayer, The Most Reverend Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, and Trevor Nielsen, Executive Director, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS.
Several members of Congress spoke, including Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), and Rep. Ileana Ros- Lehtinen (R-Fla.).
Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, who co-sponsored the legislation, noted: "This great struggle that we have embarked upon to fight the global HIV/AIDS pandemic is a very noble one...It's not a Democrat issue, a Republican issue. It is a non-partisan issue."
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PHOTO EDITOR'S NOTE:
High-resolution, publication-ready photographs are available for free editorial use supporting this story at http://www.wirepix.com/newsphotos/index.php . A full transcript of the event is also available.
http://www.usnewswire.com/

Source: U.S.Newswire