(BW)(NIPPON－FOUNDATION)日本财团支持发起全球性反耻辱、反歧视倡议

美国商业资讯2007年1月28日菲律宾马尼拉消息――

麻风病患者的代表们今日发起2007年全球倡议，呼吁结束对其自身及家人因患病所遭受的耻辱及歧视。在这一历史性时刻，麻风病患者向世界发出了直接的呼吁。此前的2006年1月，世界各国的领导人齐聚印度新德里，代表麻风病患者发出首次全球倡议。

来自安哥拉、巴西、柬埔寨、中国、埃塞俄比亚、加纳、印度、印尼、日本、尼泊尔、尼日利亚、菲律宾以及美国的16位麻风病患者签署了2007年全球倡议。

日本财团主席Yohei Sasakawa也在该倡议书上签字。Yohei Sasakawa同时担任世界卫生组织消除麻风病亲善大使，他带头发起2006年及2007年两次全球倡议。

2007年全球倡议声明称：“因患病而否定人们与生俱来的人权是毫无根据的。歧视行为永远都不会被正当化。在这个问题上的沉默是不可接受的。我们号召大家加入我们的斗争，结束这种社会歧视。”

组织者包括：马尼拉Ateneo大学、菲律宾卫生部、世界卫生组织、菲律宾消除麻风病协会、日本财团和Sasakawa纪念健康基金会。

麻风病及日本财团

麻风病是一种中度传染性疾病，主要感染皮肤和神经，通过多种药物联合治疗(MDT)能够彻底治愈。由于多种药物联合治疗方案在二十世纪八十年代得到广泛应用，超过1500万名患者已经得到治疗和治愈。然而，痳疯病患者乃至其家人由于受到不公平的对待，继续面临着教育、就业及婚姻方面的重重障碍。

自二十世纪六十年代，日本财团已经在多个国家开展资助活动。1975年以来，日本财团作为世界卫生组织的重要伙伴，为消除麻风病这一影响公众健康的难题作出了积极的努力，其中包括一项五年计划，为全球每个国家提供无偿的药物联合治疗服务。2003年，Yohei Sasakawa代表麻风病患者首次向联合国下辖委员会提议，加强对于麻风病患者人权的宣传及保护。一直以来，日本财团积极关注着该疾病所带来的各种社会影响。

联系方式：日本财团（The Nippon Foundation）

Keiko Mori, +81-3-6229-5131

pr@ps.nippon-foundation.or.jp

http://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/eng/

(BW)(NIPPON-FOUNDATION) The Nippon Foundation Backs Launch of Global Appeal against Stigma, Discrimination

MANILA, The Philippines--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 28, 2007—

Representatives of people affected by leprosy today issued Global Appeal 2007, in which they call for an end to the stigma and discrimination they and their families continue to face. This is a historic occasion for people affected by the disease to issue a direct appeal to the world. It follows a first Global Appeal issued on their behalf by world leaders in New Delhi, India, in January 2006.

The 16 leprosy affected persons who signed Global Appeal 2007 include representatives from Angola, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines and the United States.

The document also carries the signature of Yohei Sasakawa, chairman of The Nippon Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Leprosy, who took the initiative for issuing both Global Appeal 2006 and Global Appeal 2007.

Global Appeal 2007 states: "Denying the inherent human rights of anyone on the basis of disease is indefensible. Discrimination can never be justified. Silence on this issue is not acceptable. We urge you to join us in the fight to end this social injustice."

Organizers include: Ateneo de Manila University; Department of Health, the Government of the Philippines; the World Health Organization; the Philippine Leprosy Mission; The Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation.

Leprosy and The Nippon Foundation

Leprosy is a mildly infectious disease that mainly affects the skin and the nerves. It is completely curable with multidrug therapy (MDT). Since MDT became widely available in the 1980s, over 15 million people have been treated and cured. However, the stigma attached to leprosy means that people affected by the disease and even their families continue to face obstacles to education, employment and marriage.

Since the 1960s, The Nippon Foundation has supported leprosy control efforts in many countries. Since 1975, as a key partner of the WHO, it has taken an active effort to eliminate leprosy as public health problem, including a five-year program to provide free MDT in every country of the world. Since 2003, when Yohei Sasakawa first approached the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights on behalf of people affected by leprosy, The Nippon Foundation has actively focused on the social aspects of the disease.

CONTACT: The Nippon Foundation

Keiko Mori, +81-3-6229-5131

pr@ps.nippon-foundation.or.jp

http://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/eng/