BOSTON, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Bilge Ogun Bassani has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB), it was announced here today by FXB Founding President Albina du Boisrouvray.
Ms. Bassani, the former Programme Director of the UN Fund for International Partnership (the office created to serve as the operational arm of the UN system in support of the UN Foundation -- UNF), will take direction of the worldwide 15-year-old NGO with headquarters in Switzerland and 87 AIDS-related projects in 17 countries reaching more than a million persons today, World AIDS Day.
Commenting on the appointment, Albina said "I am confident that Bilge with her long experience of work with the UN Foundation, UNICEF and field experience with Save the Children will lead FXB to the next level to develop the resources, strengthen and tighten the worldwide management and to raise public consciousness to effectively help the millions of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children from FXB grassroots programs to political, legal and medical changes."
"HIV/AIDS orphans crisis is the greatest humanitarian, social, economic and development challenge facing the global community. It is a priority to prevent AIDS orphans and these vulnerable and destitute children from becoming a global stability and security risk. In order to survive, these children have no choice but to let themselves be pulled into prostitution, criminality, drug dealing, becoming child soldiers, terrorists or turning themselves into human bombs, creating a global subculture of delinquency values," she said.
Ms. Bassani, who will initially work out of New York City, said that "to help the orphans and vulnerable children globally, we will vigorously promote the FXB low-cost community-driven models, create opportunities through high- technology and market-based solutions for them to move out of poverty to dignified self sufficiency. Based on the results of our research and policy analysis, we will not hesitate to speak out forcefully in defense of these children."
The appointment was announced World AIDS Day at the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Building, the US headquarters of FXB as well as the location of the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, established in late 1992 at the Harvard School of Public Health under the leadership of the late Dr. Jonathan Mann, a pioneer in developing programs to deal with the AIDS pandemic.
FXB is a non-profit organization registered as a 501(c) (3) public charity in the United States; in France under the Law 1901 modified; as per articles 60ss of the Swiss Civil Code; and in numerous countries in which FXB has staff and operations, consistent with national registration and incorporation requirements. In addition, FXB has Special Consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The mission of FXB is to fight poverty and AIDS and support the orphans and vulnerable children left in the wake of the pandemic by advocating for their rights and by providing direct support to families and communities that care for them.
From the time that Albina du Boisrouvray founded FXB in 1989, she has sought to identify and apply practical solutions to the social, economic and health problems caused by the AIDS pandemic. FXB has been a leading innovator and pioneer in the fight against HIV/AIDS and the application of social entrepreneur models to care for those infected and affected by the virus. FXB works with the conviction that the inextricable link between Health and Human Rights is a key to sustainable development.
For more information: http://www.fxb.org/.
Francois-Xavier BagnoudCONTACT: Don Casey of Francois-Xavier Bagnoud, +1-718-237-9173,dcasey@fxb.org
Web site: http://www.fxb.org/