More than 25 million people worldwide have already died of AIDS, and 12 million children have been left without parents. However, in March, on his first visit to Africa, Pope Benedict said that “[AIDS] cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems”.
The Pope’s statement is at odds with the research on AIDS prevention, and a setback to decades of hard work on AIDS education and awareness, which is why many people and organizations around the world have mobilized against it. Avaaz.org, an independent and not-for-profit global campaigning organization, is running a petition asking the Pope “to take care not to undermine proven AIDS prevention strategies”, which is going to be addressed to Vatican.
“We may not be able to ask the Catholic Church to change its broader position, but we are asking the Pope to stop actively speaking out against prevention strategies that work. It’s important that people of all beliefs, especially Catholics, call on the Pope to exercise care in his leadership on this issue”, says the petition.