XVI International AIDS Conference
Toronto, Canada • 13 - 18 August, 2006
Action on GBV and HIV/AIDS: Bringing Together Research, Policy, Programs, and Advocacy
On August 10-11, 2006, a strategic conversation was hosted by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership and the Harvard Program on International Health and Human Rights. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together organizations working at the intersection of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and HIV/AIDS. The meeting provided an opportunity to share lessons learned from various frameworks: human rights, gender, feminism, sexuality and sexual rights with the many methods that they all use. The diverse group of practitioners, policy advocates, and on-the-ground activists also discussed the gaps and challenges in doing this work at the intersection of Gender Based Violence and HIV/AIDS, and how to move forward. Funds from UNAIDS supported CWGL’s inclusion of 16 Days participants from the Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW) Kenya, and Raising Voices in Uganda.
An important outcome of the meeting were the statements of commitment and connection to the other participants. Groups of individuals committed to tracking specific issues, such as funding on VAW and HIV and the inclusion of GBV on the agenda of future international AIDS conferences. Recommendations included the creation of closer alliances by international organizations such as the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS with organizations working on the intersections locally and internationally, and to achieve concrete changes that highlight the importance of working on the intersection of GBV and HIV/AIDS.
New Publication
The Center for Womens Global Leadership introduces its new report:
Strengthening Resistance: Confronting Violence Against Women and HIV/AIDS
To be released at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, August 2006
Strengthening Resistance: Confronting Violence Against Women and HIV/AIDS is a new report that focuses on the points of intersection in the social, political and public health crises of violence against women and HIV/AIDS.
The report uses a human rights lens to focus on critical political challenges and on innovative strategies used by activists worldwide as they respond to the links between violence and HIV/AIDS. From street theater to telenovelas/soap operas to traditional lobbying, activists in both VAW and HIV/AIDS communities are beginning to work together to focus attention to ways both crises are causes and consequences of each other. Neither can be addressed adequately without taking into account the links between them and the human rights implications of each crisis on its own, and in conjunction with the other.
Strengthening Resistance is designed as an overview of the most salient issues, and is meant for activists and policy makers alike who may be familiar with HIV/AIDS, violence against women or human rights but not necessarily the nexus across all of these areas. The report highlights nine creative advocacy initiatives from different countries and regions, offers recommendations to a range of actors and contains a resource section for further study.
Researched, written and edited by Cynthia Rothschild, Mary Anne Reilly and Sara A. Nordstrom.
Center for Womens Global Leadership, 2006; 40 pages. ISBN 0-9711412-4-X.
US$6.95 (plus shipping & handling). To order, please contact:
Women, Ink., 777 UN Plaza, NY, NY 10017 USA; Phone: (1-212) 687-8633; Fax: (1-212) 661-2704;
Email: MaryWong@iwtc.org
Funded, in part, by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) through the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS.
Events
- August 14, 2006: Women's & Girls' Rally & March http://ctac.ca/en/action/AIDS2006
- August 15, 2006 (6-8pm) Skills Building Room 8: GBV and HIV: Making the Connection, ICW and ATHENA Satellite Symposium at AIDS 2006. Chaired by: Sofia Gruskin, Harvard University, USA and Mary Robinson, Ethical Globalization Initiative, USA. Speakers will include: Charlotte Bunch, Center for Women’s Global Leadership, USA; Arely Cano, ICW, Nicaragua; Lynde Francis, The Centre, Zimbabwe; Chantal Mukandoli, ICW, Rwanda; Lydia Mungherera, ICW/ATHENA, Uganda; Violeta Ross, ICW/ATHENA, Bolivia; Alejandra Scampini, ActionAid, Uruguay; Claire Thiboutot, Stella, Canada. Additional information: tyler.crone@gmail.com or fpettitt@icw.org
Resources
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