Today, HUD commemorates World AIDS Day at 2:00 p.m. in the HUD cafeteria.  Deputy Secretary Roy A. Bernardi and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs Patricia Carlile will be among the speakers.  This year, the focus is on the way women's inequality fuels transmission of HIV and increases the impact of AIDS.

The observance will highlight the successful HUD funded activities under the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program. These HUD programs have provided funding for operation of AIDS housing programs and for technical assistance to improve the capacity of local organizations in addressing the special needs of these citizens. Information about all of HOPWA's programs can be found on the Statewide HOPWA Information Website.

More information about World AIDS Day and HIV/AIDS is available from many sources on the Internet, including:

• Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (http://www.unaids.org/wac2004/index_en.htm)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (http://www.omhrc.gov/hivaidsobservances/)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/dhap.htm)