Subject: [fem-women2000 672] Women's GlobalNet #170: UNGASS on HIV/AIDS
From: iwtc <iwtc@iwtc.org>
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 23:04:24 +0000
Seq: 672

IWTC WOMEN'S GLOBALNET #170
Initiatives and Activities of Women Worldwide
By Anne S. Walker and Kirsten Isgro

June 21, 2001

GLOBAL CRISIS-GLOBAL ACTION: SPECIAL UN SESSION ON HIV/AIDS, 25-27 June 
2001

WHAT ARE SPECIFIC GENDER CONCERNS AND ISSUES?

BACKGROUND: This United Nations General Assembly Special Session 
(UNGASS), which meets at UN Headquarters in New York, will review and 
assess the problem of HIV/AIDS in all its aspects.  It marks the first 
time that the UN has called a Special Session on a specific disease, 
indicating the seriousness with which the world faces the enormity of 
the HIV/AIDS pandemic. 

The aim of the session is to "secure a global commitment to enhancing 
coordination and the intensification of national, regional and 
international efforts to combat the epidemic in a comprehensive manner." 
Member states are expected to agree on a declaration of commitment that 
will strengthen political commitment and intensify efforts in the global 
fight against HIV/AIDS.

SPECIFIC GENDER CONCERNS: One of the most contentious issues discussed 
during the second UNGASS preparations meeting from 21 May to 2 June, 
2001 was the identification of vulnerable groups to HIV infection and 
their specific human rights.  Cumulatively, more than 56 million people 
have been infected with HIV, with approximately 23 million deaths to 
date. Alarmingly, more than 25.3 million people living in sub-Saharan 
Africa are infected. Amongst the most vulnerable of groups within these 
statistics are women, who represent approximately 55% of those infected 
in Africa, and  43% of the 33 million people currently living with 
HIV/AIDS globally.  Women find themselves at special risk of HIV/AIDS 
because they so frequently lack information on preventive measures. 
Added to this is the crucial and often deadly factor related to the lack 
of decision-making power by young women and girls to determine where, 
when, how and whether sex takes place.  And increasingly, HIV rates in 
girls and young women are pushed even further by what is euphemistically 
known as "age-mixing", i.e., when they are coerced, raped, or enticed 
into sex by men older, stronger, and/or richer than themselves.

Since many representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will 
not be able to participate in the Special Session, a virtual forum (via 
e-mail) has been set up to channel their input, ideas and priorities 
into the meeting.  It is important that women and girls register their 
thoughts and feelings wherever and whenever possible and this forum is 
one more place where this is possible.  To join, send an e-mail to: 
<break-the-silence@hdnet.org>.  

Another informative source for information about the meeting is the 
website of Health & Development Networks (HDN), a non-profit 
organization that manages and moderates electronic discussion forums and 
provides communication support to conferences. Web-site: 
<http://www.hdnet.org>.  Check out the Conference of NGOs (CONGO) 
web-site also at: 
<http://www.conferenceofngos.org/txt/ngomeet/hivaids.htm>

For more information regarding the UNGASS on HIV/AIDs, please contact: 
Mr. Elhadj Sy, UNAIDS Representative, New York:  Fax: (1-212) 824-6493. 
E-mail: <esy@unicef.org> Web-site: <www.unaids.org>

MEETINGS AND EVENTS RELATED TO GENDER ISSUES AND HIV/AIDS AT THE SPECIAL 
SESSION, 25-27 JUNE, 2001

Here are a few that are planned:

Monday, 25 June
9:30-11 am	"Gender and HIV/AIDS" Conference Room 4.  Sponsored by WILDAF 
(Women in Law and Development in Africa).  Contact: Leslie Wright . Tel: 
(1-212) 986-8557

1:30-3 pm	"Gender and HIV/AIDS:  Programme for Prevention Conference" 
Conf. Rm 4.  Sponsored by UNPF. Contact:  Dr. Akinyele Dairo.  Tel:  (1- 
212) 297-5259

4-7 pm	Women Welcoming Women at UNGASS.
	Iris House, 2348 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. (between 137 and 138 
Streets). Contact: Tel: (1-646) 548-0100 

Tuesday, 26 June
10am-1pm	"HIV/AIDS and Human Rights" ECOSOC Chamber.  Sponsored by 
UNICEF/UNIFEM, ILO.   Contact: Mark Stirling Tel: (1-212) 326-7475 
(UNICEF); Stephanie Urdang. Tel:  (1-212) 906-6400 (UNIFEM); or Cindy 
Berman: Tel; (1-212) 697-0150 x 106 (ILO).

11:30am-1pm	"Women & Prevention: Dual Protection and the Female Condom" 
Conf. Rm B. Sponsored by Female Health Foundation. Contact:  Sarah Joy 
Albrecht. Tel: (1-301) 270-1182.

11:30am-1pm	"Family, Youth and AIDS" Conf. Rm 4. Sponsored by World 
Organization for Women.  Contact: Renee Green. Tel: (1-212) 987-1648.

1:15-3pm      "Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS" 
Conf. Rm 3. Sponsored by WHO.  Contact:  Kingsley Green. Tel: (1-212) 
963-5996

1:30-3pm       "Orphans & Vulnerable Children" Dag Hammarskjold 
Auditorium. Sponsored by UNICEF.  
Contact:  Itai Madamombe. Tel: (1-212) 326-7412

Wednesday, 27 June
9:30-11am	"What$BCT(B Next?  Strategizing Gender and HIV/AIDS" Conf. Rm B.  
Sponsored by DAW/UNAIDS/WHO.
		
1:15-2:45pm	"Women at the Epicenter: Gender & HIV/AIDS Epidemic" Conf. 
Rm 3. Sponsored by UNIFEM/DAW.  Contact:  Suzette Mitchell. Tel: (1-212) 
906-6340

For more information, please refer to the calendar of events that can be 
found at the web-site of UNAIDS: <www.unaids.org>

BOOKS FROM WOMEN, INK. RELATED TO WOMEN AND HIV/AIDS
 
Sex, Drugs and Structural Violence 1996. 473 pages WE289Z. Cost: 
US$19.95.
Paul Farmer, Margaret Connors and Jane Simmons (Eds.) 

The face of AIDS is increasingly that of a woman: in some regions, women 
already constitute the majority of those infected. This timely book 
overviews the status of women in the global AIDS pandemic, and analyzes 
large-scale economic, political, and cultural forces that continue to 
place millions of women at increased risk for HIV infection. Case 
studies; charts; glossary; bibliography.

Women Coping with HIV/AIDS:  We Take It As It Is 1998.126 pages. WE517V. 
Cost: US $9.00
Judith van Woudenberg

HIV and AIDS are particular risks for women in developing countries due 
to their low socio-economic status, and their lack of power compared to 
men, which makes prevention more difficult. The report, based on a 
14-month study in Zimbabwe, reaches into the experiences of 35 
HIV-positive women, delineating their coping strategies and the support 
they needed and received. Ideal for policymakers, counselors and 
researchers involved in the care and support of those affected by 
HIV/AIDS, it can be used as a reference to determine what is important 
for women when developing and implementing activities intended to help 
them. Numerous quotations from the participants in the study reflect the 
concerns of the thousands of HIV-positive women around the world.

SPECIAL NOTE:
We have appreciated the thoughts and concerns of the people who have 
written during  this 9 weeks gap in the transmission of the IWTC Women$BCT(B 
GlobalNet. The gap was caused in large part by a special project 
undertaken by IWTC in partnership with the Acacia Programme of IDRC and 
community groups in Uganda related to the development of electronic 
information materials for women who live and work around rural 
telecentres in Uganda. There should not be any more breaks in Women$BCT(B 
GlobalNet for the foreseeable future! Our apologies$B)B(Bnd thanks for 
noticing! 

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<http://www.womenink.org>. 

Or contact Women, Ink. at 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA.  Tel: Yasna Uberoi (1-212) 687-8633 ext 212 or Mary Wong (1-212) 687-8633 ext 204. Fax: (1-212) 661-2704. E-mail: <wink@womenink.org>

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