We are Stronger Together: Groups find Common Agenda 02/08/2008
August 2nd, 2008 |
Written by Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance
Gender-based violence, human rights and stigma and discrimination were three of the common themes of concern to emerge when representatives from six conferences meeting in advance of AIDS 2008 gathered in Mexico City 1 August in a unique forum to identify priorities to help guide future action.
Gender-based violence, human rights and stigma and discrimination were three of the common themes of concern to emerge when representatives from six conferences meeting in advance of AIDS 2008 gathered in Mexico City 1 August in a unique forum to identify priorities to help guide future action.
Building on the momentum and ideas from their respective pre-conferences, representatives from labour, faith, youth, people living with HIV, sex workers and men who have sex with men explored solid cross-constituency advocacy actions to build a shared platform.
“This meeting reflects our collective belief that we are stronger together, and shows our shared commitment to achieving universal access to prevention, care and treatment,” says Lyndon Haviland from the World AIDS campaign, who facilitated the meeting.
The forum, which was convened by the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+) and the World AIDS Campaign, was seen as a vital opportunity for the various pre-conferences to share ideas and create a strategy for leadership opportunities, tackle challenges and firm up commitments for this week’s XVII International AIDS Conference (IAC) and beyond to World AIDS Day in December.
Participants identified gender-based violence and its link to HIV and AIDS as a priority area because it addresses underlying causes of HIV transmission such as poverty, gender inequity and discrimination.
Participants urged for action to build awareness of the links between human rights, stigma and discrimination and violence against women and sexual minorities. They also suggested the need for campaigns that address gender-based violence and discrimination in the home, workplace and church.
Educating young people and providing them with the skills to take on HIV and AIDS leadership roles was seen as essential to continuing the impetus in the response to HIV and AIDS.
Increased research of prevention and scaling up of that area of work was also highlighted as a need. Participants stressed the importance for expanding access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education.
Labour leaders at the forum said that the International Labour Organization (ILO) will release HIV in the Workplace guidelines in 2009. The contribution of civil society to this document was seen as a crucial element in its formulation.
As a follow up to its leadership strategy forum, World AIDS Campaign will host several 90-minute “leadership encounters” that will bring together between three and five key leaders from two different civil society groups. These meetings will provide a space for focused dialogue and commitment to joint action.
WAC will also host a leadership stand in the conference hall exhibition center during the IAC. The stand will promote the Stop AIDS Leadership Pledge, as well as the themes of leadership, universal access and human rights. Launched in November 2007, the Stop AIDS Leadership Pledge asks people from all over the world to pledge their leadership to help stop AIDS.