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1 | SENATE RESOLUTION
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2 | WHEREAS, HIV/AIDS is a serious public health issue that | ||||||
3 | affects almost 280,000 women in the United States; while men | ||||||
4 | account for most HIV/AIDS cases, the impact on women is | ||||||
5 | growing; women also face gaps in access to health care when | ||||||
6 | compared to men; and
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7 | WHEREAS, According to the American Foundation for Aids | ||||||
8 | Research, women account for more than one in four new HIV/AIDS | ||||||
9 | diagnoses and deaths caused by AIDS, and the proportion of AIDS | ||||||
10 | diagnoses reported among women has more than tripled since | ||||||
11 | 1985; and
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12 | WHEREAS, HIV/AIDS has a disproportionate affect on women in | ||||||
13 | ethnic minorities; African-Americans and Hispanics represent a | ||||||
14 | quarter of all women in the United States, but they account for | ||||||
15 | over 80 percent of AIDS cases among women; African-Americans | ||||||
16 | constituted 61 percent of women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in | ||||||
17 | 2005; and
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18 | WHEREAS, Girls represented 43 percent of AIDS cases | ||||||
19 | reported among people aged 13 to 19; and
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20 | WHEREAS, Education is one of the most effective tools in | ||||||
21 | preventing HIV infections, and is especially important for |
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1 | girls so that they are able to make informed decisions about | ||||||
2 | their sexual lives; and
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3 | WHEREAS, Eradicating the stigma of HIV/AIDS through | ||||||
4 | education can decrease the vulnerability of a group that may be | ||||||
5 | at high risk for HIV infection; and
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6 | WHEREAS, Throughout the month of March, organizations | ||||||
7 | across the country will come together to offer support, promote | ||||||
8 | discussion, and teach women and girls about prevention of HIV, | ||||||
9 | the importance of getting tested for HIV, and how to live with | ||||||
10 | and manage AIDS; and
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11 | WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' | ||||||
12 | Office on Women's Health has designated March 10, 2011 as | ||||||
13 | "National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day", a nationwide | ||||||
14 | observance that encourages people to take action in the fight | ||||||
15 | against HIV/AIDS and raise awareness of its impact on women and | ||||||
16 | girls; therefore, be it
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17 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL | ||||||
18 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate March 10, | ||||||
19 | 2011 as "Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the State of | ||||||
20 | Illinois"; and be it further
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21 | RESOLVED, That we encourage State and local organizations |
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1 | in their efforts to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and education to | ||||||
2 | women of all ages; and be it further | ||||||
3 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
4 | presented to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' | ||||||
5 | Office on Women's Health in appreciation of their ongoing | ||||||
6 | effort to promote awareness of women's health issues.
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