UNITED NATIONS: Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was appointed on Monday as the new international Goodwill Ambassador for the joint UN programme on AIDS and HIV.

The announcement was made at the UN headquarters here by UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe on the sidelines of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly.

“I am honoured to accept this appointment. Spreading awareness on health issues specially related to women and children has always been a priority for me 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,” she said.

Her main focus will be to advocate for the global plan for elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive. This plan was launched at the UN in June 2011 and focuses on 22 countries including India, which account for more than 90 per cent of all new HIV infections among children.

Rai said she strongly believed that every baby should be born free from HIV. “I promise that with UNAIDS I will do my utmost to make this happen,” she said. UN aids director Sidibe said through Aishwarya’s global outreach he was convinced she would be able to help UNAIDS reach its goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children by 2015. UNAIDS, which is focused on working towards universal access to HIV treatment, prevention, care and support, said 34.2 million people were living with HIV in 2011.