International Women
Help us to make 2005 the year of HIV positive women's leadership
2005 is a year of important international milestones for the global response to HIV/AIDS. The Millennium Development Summit, the annual United Nations General Assembly Review of the Declaration of Commitment, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria's Replenishment Conference, all provide opportunities this year for the international community and government figures from around the world to reiterate their commitment to working towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the targets set by the UN General Assembly's Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.
But on this International Women’s Day, how have things changed for those of us who are living with HIV/AIDS around the world?
Today, as ICW members from a number of countries take part in the Commission on the Status of Women discussions on Beijing + 10, our concerns reflect the ongoing struggle to make women’s rights a reality.
Nineteen million women are living with HIV/AIDS. New infections are growing fastest amongst young women, who represent a growing number of those living with HIV/AIDS. It is clear that prevention messages are not working for women – and that they ignore the realities of young women’s lives, and the gender inequities that mean women of all ages have little control over our sexual and reproductive lives. It is equally clear that HIV/AIDS treatment programmes have a long way to go if they are to meet our needs and priorities. And ICW members worldwide still struggle to make our voices and visions heard by those in positions of power at all levels.
For ICW, like all years, 2005 is the Year of Women living with HIV/AIDS. In 2005, we are calling for:
In 2005, ICW members around the world will be working together and with others to monitor the implementation of GIPA (the Greater Involvement of People living with HIV/AIDS), CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women), the 3 by 5 initiative, the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, the UNGASS declaration, and regional declarations such as the Abuja Declaration, as well as progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.
ICW calls on the global community, to UN agencies, governments, health ministries, civil society organisations, NGOs, faith organisations, community organisations, the youth development movement, scientific, medical and social researchers, and the corporate sector, to tell us how you will be helping to make 2005 the year of HIV positive women’s leadership.
2005 - What will you be doing to make this year of HIV positive women’s leadership?
ICW is a network of HIV positive women members in 120 countries, working on a wide range of issues related to rights, treatment, care and support. We can put you in touch with HIV positive women who would be happy to talk to you about their work.
2005 is a year of important international milestones for the global response to HIV/AIDS. The Millennium Development Summit, the annual United Nations General Assembly Review of the Declaration of Commitment, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria's Replenishment Conference, all provide opportunities this year for the international community and government figures from around the world to reiterate their commitment to working towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the targets set by the UN General Assembly's Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.
But on this International Women’s Day, how have things changed for those of us who are living with HIV/AIDS around the world?
Today, as ICW members from a number of countries take part in the Commission on the Status of Women discussions on Beijing + 10, our concerns reflect the ongoing struggle to make women’s rights a reality.
Nineteen million women are living with HIV/AIDS. New infections are growing fastest amongst young women, who represent a growing number of those living with HIV/AIDS. It is clear that prevention messages are not working for women – and that they ignore the realities of young women’s lives, and the gender inequities that mean women of all ages have little control over our sexual and reproductive lives. It is equally clear that HIV/AIDS treatment programmes have a long way to go if they are to meet our needs and priorities. And ICW members worldwide still struggle to make our voices and visions heard by those in positions of power at all levels.
For ICW, like all years, 2005 is the Year of Women living with HIV/AIDS. In 2005, we are calling for:
- Greater understanding that without increasing our access to sexual and reproductive rights, gender equity will never be achieved and the targets of each of the Millennium Development Goals will be missed.
- In a climate of increasing routinisation of health provider-initiated testing, a renewed commitment to voluntary testing for women, and an understanding that women may decide not to be tested because of the risk of gender violence, abandonment, loss of property, livelihood and access to children which may be the result of a positive diagnosis, and the ongoing problems of lack of treatment access, lack of respect for confidentiality, and stigma and discrimination from health care workers and others.
- Urgent action to ensure that treatment programmes meet our needs, realities and visions. This means that treatment programmes must be more flexible and adaptable. Care, treatment and support must be affordable. Service hours must be appropriate. Locations must be accessible. Health workers must be trained in HIV/AIDS, gender and sexual and reproductive rights, and able to give good, non-judgemental support and information to HIV positive women, including support to our choices about whether or not to have children. Care, treatment and support must uphold and promote the human, sexual and reproductive rights of all women, young and old, including injection drug users and sex workers. And treatment research must recognise the differences in women, men and young women and men’s bodies.
- Urgent action to support young women living with HIV/AIDS, including support for sexual and reproductive rights, access to care, treatment and support, access to livelihoods, and support to the development of leadership among young positive women.
- Recognition of the leadership of HIV positive women in the fight against AIDS, and urgent action to ensure that we and our organisations are involved at every stage of decision-making, design, implementation and monitoring of HIV/AIDS-related policies and programmes. Without this, global efforts to address the pandemic will continue to fail to meet our needs, address our realities or support our visions, and infection rates among women will continue to spiral.
In 2005, ICW members around the world will be working together and with others to monitor the implementation of GIPA (the Greater Involvement of People living with HIV/AIDS), CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women), the 3 by 5 initiative, the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, the UNGASS declaration, and regional declarations such as the Abuja Declaration, as well as progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.
ICW calls on the global community, to UN agencies, governments, health ministries, civil society organisations, NGOs, faith organisations, community organisations, the youth development movement, scientific, medical and social researchers, and the corporate sector, to tell us how you will be helping to make 2005 the year of HIV positive women’s leadership.
2005 - What will you be doing to make this year of HIV positive women’s leadership?
ICW is a network of HIV positive women members in 120 countries, working on a wide range of issues related to rights, treatment, care and support. We can put you in touch with HIV positive women who would be happy to talk to you about their work.