The “Feminization” of the AIDS Epidemic
07/18/2010
Raising awareness of the failure to make good on promises that go back as far as the first Cairo meeting
This is my first AIDS conference. I'm here with Women ARISE a coalition of 35 international women's groups who share common cause: an abiding awareness of the "feminization" of the AIDS epidemic, of the needs of diverse women and girls affected by HIV and the failure of governments and international agencies to make good on promises that go back as far as the first Cairo meeting.
Women ARISEs' intention to increase the visibility of women and girls in the conference, and provide a space for discussion and strategizing around women and girls' issues related to the epidemic found strong support. Even before the conference began their efforts were evident. This year for the first time in the history of the International AIDS Conference more than half the plenary speakers are women addressing women's issues, and over 80 meetings and workshops are dedicated to the concerns of women and girls. But many said this is not enough.
Mabel Bianco claimed this progress is only a start and demanded that governments and international agencies "walk the talk for women and girls." When she called for action now, the room roared with applause.
A panel of highly regarded speakers supported the call for action including Dr. Nafis Sadik, UN special envoy for HIV in Asia and the Pacific; Purnima Mane, deputy executive director, UNFPA; Christoph Benn, director of partnerships and external relations, Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Zonibel Woods, program manager, Global HIV Initiative, Ford Foundation; Meena Seshu, executive director, SANGRAM; Everjoice Win, international head, women's rights, ActionAid and Andrea von Lieven, ICW Germany & clinical program manager, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
Nafis Sadik surprised me when she boldly stated, "traditional cultural values and religious traditions are not designed to empower young women. Women must have the knowledge and power to protect themselves. Ignorance for a girl in sex matters is not only often the norm, it is considered good, and it is what is expected. We must change this and make sexual education a top priority."
Then Purnina Mane followed with, "We must ask ourselves the question, is inequality an inevitable part of life? No! There is no value to ignorance whatsoever. Our three goals must be fulfilling the right to education, the right to health, and above all gender equity, without which we cannot achieve the rest."
Christoph Benn cautiously said the Global Fund had been addressing the needs of women and girls since 2005, though not nearly enough. He asserted that the fund is committed to scale-up an integrated health response that includes maternal and child health in the applications for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.
Ann von Leiven, a nurse who has worked in AIDS vaccine interventions for many years in Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Zambia and the United States, told her personal experience of being HIV positive for the first time publicly, and many stood to honor her.
The thorny question of funding was raised: "What will it take to support fulfilling these goals?" Dr. Bianco called upon Benn and Michele Sidibé, of UNAIDS, to open not a small window, but a wide door to funding support for the needs of women and girls. The session concluded with women of every age and origin, joining the discussion to describe their hopes for the needs of women and girls re HIV to be addressed in their communities and countries,
Later that evening at the conference Opening Ceremony more than 200 women stood together in solidarity wearing shirts emblazoned with the mottos of Women ARISE - Their goals appeared to be shared by many speakers and conference attendees: "Equity for Women" The question is, as Sidibé, plenary speaker said, "How do we get there?"
Roberta Sklar is a long time advocate for human and civil rights.
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