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! IWTC Women's GlobalNet is a production of: International Women's Tribune Centre 777 United Nations Plaza 3rd Floor New York, NY 10017, USA Tel: (1-212) 687-8633 Fax: (1-212) 661-2704 Email: <iwtc@iwtc.org> Web: <http://www.iwtc.org> You can subscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to: <iwtc-womensglobalnet-subscribe@igc.topica.com> You can unsubscribe to this list at any time by sending a blank message to: <iwtc-womensglobalnet-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com> WOMEN, INK. For quality, cutting-edge publications on women and development by, for and about women worldwide, see Women, Ink's catalogue at : <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> Women, Ink. is a project of IWTC ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://igc.topica.com/u/?aVxinV.aVF16V Or send an email To: iwtc-womensglobalnet-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com This email was sent to: fem-women2000@jca.apc.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================ _________________________________________________________________________ fem-Women2000@jca.apc.org for Women 2000, UN Special Session on Beijing+5 Searcheable Archive http://www.jca.apc.org/fem/news/women2000/index.shtml visit fem-net HomePage for other mailing lists http://www.jca.apc.org/fem