She will raise global awareness on protecting children from HIV infection and increasing access to antiretroviral treatment. The appointment came a day before the start of the annual debate at the UN General Assembly. Aishwarya has been involved in humanitarian issues for many years and will now have a special focus on HIV/AIDS, Xinhua reported.
At a press conference Monday, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe welcomed Aishwarya to the UNAIDS family. Mrs. Rai Bachchan is respected and admired by millions of people around the world, Sidibe said.
I am convinced that through her global outreach, Mrs. Rai Bachchan can help UNAIDS reach its goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children by 2015.
Speaking on this occasion, Aishwarya said: 'I am honoured to accept this appointment.' 'Spreading awareness on health issues, especially related to women and children, has always been a priority for me,' she said. And now, as a new mother, I can personally relate to this -- the joys and concerns of every mother and the hopes that we have for our children.
I strongly believe that every baby should be born free from HIV. And I wish that every woman living with HIV stays healthy and has access to treatment. I promise that with UNAIDS, I will do my utmost to make this happen,' she added.
Aishwarya worked as a model before starting her acting career, and won the Miss World pageant in 1994. She has starred in films in various languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali.
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