I will be out of the office starting 06/16/2007 and will not return until 07/14/2007.
This email will continue to be checked by Seema Opal.
If this email is a personal message for Danielle, she can be reached at dlaymanp@...
thanks
Seema and Danielle
The program is really good.
I wish I could be there!
MNM
--
Maria Nengeh Mensah
Professeure
École de travail social
http://www.travailsocial.uqam.ca/
Tél. 514.987.3000, poste 1723
Téléc. 514.987.8795
www.forum3evague.uqam.ca
Surlignage shari margolese <sharfree1@...>:
>
>
>
>
> Our Bodies, Our Rights
>
> Positive Women: Sexual and Reproductive Rights
>
> Town Hall Meeting, Nairobi City Hall
>
> 5 July 2007, 12:30-2:30pm
>
>
>
> Welcome and Introduction
>
> Louise Binder (Canada)
>
> Inviolata Mmbwavi (Kenya)
>
>
>
> The Right to Participate in Policymaking
>
> Kate Thomson (UNAIDS)
>
>
>
> The Right to Safety and Freedom from Violence
>
> Beatrice Were (Uganda)
>
>
>
> The Right to Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Services
>
> Jennifer Gatsi (Namibia)
>
> Promise Mthembu (South Africa)
>
>
>
> The Right to Safe, Healthy Motherhood
>
> Shari Margolese (Canada)
>
> Lydia Mungherera (Uganda)
>
>
>
> The Right to Our Sexuality
>
> Mony Pen (Cambodia)
>
> Anita Isaacs (Namibia)
>
> Anisia Karanja(Kenya)
>
>
>
> Question and Answer Session
>
> Facilitated by Alice Welbourn (UK) and Dorothy Odhiambo (Kenya)
>
>
>
> Session Summary and Closing Remarks
>
> Ludfine Anyango (Kenya)
>
>
>
> Post Town Hall Media Event
>
> Members of the media are invited to interview all panellists after the
> meeting.
>
>
>
> PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP BY:
>
>
>
>
> ActionAid
>
> ATHENA
>
> Blueprint for Action on Women and HIV
>
> International Community of Women Living with HIV
>
> NEPHAK
>
> Voices of Positive Women
>
> Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK)
>
> World YWCA
>
>
>
>
>
>
> With generous support provided by ActionAid, UNFPA, the United Nations
> Foundation, and the World YWCA.
>
>
>
>
-------------------------------------------------
Uqam Service IMP: http://www.er.uqam.ca/courrier
From:athenanetwork@yahoogroups.com [mailto:athenanetwork@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of E. Tyler Crone Sent: May 25, 2007 1:36 AM To:athenanetwork@yahoogroups.com;
aidsinitiative@yahoogroups.com Subject: [athenanetwork] Update
from Mexico City Consultation - ATHENA, ICW Latina, Mexicanas Positivas, UNPA,
UNIFEM
Dear friends:
I am writing to share some news from the UNFPA and UNIFEM
sponsored meeting that ATHENA participated in from May 6-11th in Mexico City.
These are my personal reflections – and ATHENA members who participated
will be creating an informal report to share a more substantive review of the
week.
International partners who had been involved with organizing
around gender and HIV as a community partner at prior International AIDS
Conferences from Women at Durban, Women at Barcelona, Women at Bangkok, and the
Women’s Networking Zone in Toronto shared their experiences as a
framework from which positive women leaders in Mexico and regionally could
begin to articulate a vision and an action plan for AIDS 2008 in Mexico City.
The week was very intense – exciting – exhausting
– and exhilarating. We were all met with tremendous support from
allies within the conference organizing structure – and from within the
national AIDS community in Mexico. I am very
pleased to report that due to the strength, leadership, and effort of
individuals inside and outside the conference structure – Niza Picasso
from ICW Mexico is now serving on the Community Programming Committee. I
am also very pleased to report that a positive woman from Mexico
will now serve on the UNAIDS theme group – and that positive women
leaders have also been invited to lead/participate/consult on a number of
national initiatives. Details are important so please look for them in
the report that will soon follow.
From the international perspective, it was tremendous to see how
much we had to learn about the national and regional context – and how
much we could share from our respective experiences to begin to build the
partnerships that will carry us through and beyond AIDS 2008. Shari Margolese
brought a strong international perspective to an exciting press conference that
UNFPA and UNIFEM had organized with Hilda Esquivel from ICW Mexico and Patricia
Perez from ICW Latina alongside Jorge Saavedra, Director of CENSIDA and
Mauricio Hernandez, Under Secretary of Health. Tamil Kendall and Amaia
Perez created numerous opportunities for international and regional partners to
meet with important decisionmakers from UNAIDS, CENSIDA, IAS, INMUJERES.
Philippa Lawson joined us for the beginning of the week to share her
perspective on global advocacy – and help us all identify our
vision. Monruedee Laphimon/Pat and Betsi Pendry will be spearheading
ATHENA’s advisory role on the cultural program for AIDS 2008.
MariJo Vazquez introduced ATHENA to important NGO allies in reproductive and
sexual health as well as indigenous populations.
As part of the week together, participants began to articulate
main themes of interest. The themes which are attached reflect local
priorities most centrally – however we have been asked to bring a global
perspective to these themes. If you have immediate comments and/or
contributions, please share them as soon as possible. I will also be
separately emailing around the synthesis of the discussions that we have had as
ATHENA members to date with regard to priorities. There are many areas of
important overlap – and there are ways that our voice has been
different. It is my hope that we can continue to identify the global
points of intersection while also strengthening national and regional
perspectives. This is a process that we will continue at the
Women’s Networking Zone in Nairobi
– this July at the International Women’s Summit.
Again please look for a more complete report soon!
With very best wishes and many thanks to all of our tremendous
colleagues –
NIH-Funded Studies Find Marital Sex is
Greatest HIV Risk for Women Around the World
The June 2007 issue of the American Journal of Public Health will
publish the findings of three studies overseen by Jennifer S. Hirsch, PhD
at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. According to the
press
release from Columbia University,
"The findings, indicating that globally, prevention programs that
take a 'just say no' approach and encourage men to be monogamous are unlikely
to be effective, underline the need for programs that make extramarital
sex safer, rather than?unrealistically?trying to eradicate it." Similar
studies are being carried out in Uganda and Vietnam and are expected to
show similar results. You can read pre-publication copies of the articles
now:
Please circulate widely
On June 6 the leaders of the wealthiest nations will
meet in Germany at the G8 Summit. But this is not just any meeting.
It's a meeting where life and death decisions will be made, affecting
the lives of millions of people.
You
can help. Join Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and tell G8 nations to
keep their promises! The commitments made by the G8 leaders in 2005 on poverty,
aid to poor countries, HIV/AIDS, health systems, and education, are solemn
promises, made to impoverished people. Breaking these promises is morally
unacceptable.
Yet, the G8 is not on track to keep these promises:
Aid levels have actually declined;
Less than half of all people in urgent need of AIDS treatment
by 2010 will be receiving it;
77 million children have no access to school; and
Africa alone faces a shortage of nearly 1.5 million health
workers.
This petition calls for the G8 nations
to agree on a financing plan to reach the promise of universal access
to all AIDS services by 2010, to fully support a coordinated plan to strengthen
health systems, and to provide full funding for education so every child
can have the chance to go to school. Tell
the G8 leaders they must get AIDS and education funding back to the promised
level.Take
Action! Thank you for making a difference!!
Women and girls are at a
heightened risk of HIV infection as a result of their economic,
social, political, and sexual subordination, and also because of high
rates of violence and sexual assault perpetrated against them.
Violence against women and girls intensifies in situations of conflict
and emergencies. Women, especially in Africa, suffer
disproportionately as they continue to be targeted in countries in and
emerging from civil strife, armed conflict or disaster. Inequality
between men and women is in turn reinforced by the HIV&AIDS
pandemic - women and girls bear the disproportionate burden of care
and they may also be targeted for violence and/or be dispossessed and
further impoverished as a result of their HIV status. In addition we
know that women and girls do not have equal access to health services,
including HIV services, increasing their risk of infection manifold.
The Women Won't Wait coalition seeks to ensure that women's human
rights, specifically their right to be free of violence, is placed at
the center of all AIDS responses.
We feel real commitments on the issues of violence against women and
on the feminization of the AIDS epidemic from member nations of the G8
are long overdue. We expect that the upcoming G8 summit will ensure
that attention is directed to HIV & AIDS in relation to women's
experience and in relation to violence, in particular.
We know that violence
against women and girls is an incessant, endemic and gross violation
of all women's and girls' human rights that requires urgent action
from all, in and of itself and when it intersects with HIV&AIDS.
We anticipate that G8 member nations will demonstrate their commitment
to women's human rights and ensure action is taken now to protect and
fulfill women's rights especially in the context of HIV&AIDS by
promoting policies and negotiating positions that would ensure
adequate health care, education, legal services, gender sensitive and
rights based AIDS interventions.
CALL TO
ACTION
The G8 must:
Prominently underscore that violence against
women and girls is a major driver and consequence of HIV&AIDS,
reiterating that violence against women and girls is a human rights
crisis, and that the fight against one epidemic--HIV&AIDS--cannot
be won without tackling the other epidemic?gender-based violence.
Increase current funding for programmes to prevent and redress
violence against women and girls to at least 10% of AIDS funding per
year among the G8 countries in addition to broader and increased
investment in sexual and reproductive health and rights;
and to
promote empowerment of women and girls as an integral and indivisible
part of any AIDS response, whether these be focused on prevention,
treatment, or care. Given the evidence, it is clear that every
strategy, program, and intervention aimed at stemming the spread of
HIV and expanding access to prevention, treatment, care and support
must integrally address issues of violence, stigma, and discrimination
that fuel this epidemic or we will continue to lose ground.
Underscore their commitment to ending violence against women
and stemming the HIV pandemic
by making public their financial and
policy commitments, and call for attention and concrete action by all
to the intersection of violence against women and girls and
HIV&AIDS.
Establish concrete targets on the elimination of violence
against women and girls as a part of the Universal Access Process.
Such steps will require first and foremost increased funding to
collect baseline data on the extent, nature, and drivers of violence
against women in specific settings, and to provide ample and flexible
funding to address these factors.
Deliver a funding plan for their commitment to universal
access
to AIDS treatment, prevention, and care and fill the $8-10
billion annual funding gap and ensure full and predictable funding of
the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).
Achieve universal access to comprehensive sexual and
reproductive health services by 2010
to reduce the spread of HIV,
maternal mortality and morbidity and eliminate the disproportionate
burden on women's lives and health as well as other adverse outcomes
of coerced unprotected sex.
Support universal access to comprehensive sexuality education
for all women and young people by 2010.
Dramatically strengthen the health and legal sectors responses to
gender-based violence and all human rights violations related to
HIV/AIDS
including but not limited to violence, stigma, and
discrimination. All prevention, treatment and care programs should
include relevant programmatic responses to violence against women and
girls, and all health care workers doing direct delivery should be
trained in screening and referral for violence and abuse. We would
ostensibly not support the deployment of health care workers
improperly trained to deliver medically sound advice on prevention,
treatment, or care, but in fact they are ill-trained if they are
unable to assess risks so critical to the very survival of women in
many settings.
Make ending all forms of violence against women and girls a
central aspect of all bilateral and multilateral strategies including
but not limited to HIV programs.
This includes among other things
establishing systemic approaches to legal reforms, efforts to end
child marriage, educate girls, establish women's property and
inheritance rights and their financial and legal security in
situations of divorce or widowhood, ensure equal access to education
and employment opportunities, dramatically increase funding for
programs to change social and cultural norms that support violence
against women, increasing women's ability to negotiate safer sex, and
also increasing their immediate access to essential services.
Achieve Universal Access to PMTCT+ services by 2010 by fully
supporting and funding national PMTCT+ plans.
Women Won't Wait is an international coalition of organizations and
networks from the global South and North committed to, and working for
many years to promote, women's health and human rights in the struggle
to comprehensively address HIV and AIDS and end all forms of violence
against women and girls. Women Won't Wait seeks to accelerate
effective responses to the linkages of violence against all women and
girls and the spread of HIV by tracking and, where necessary, calling
for changes in the policies, programming and funding streams of
national governments and international multilateral and bilateral
donor and technical agencies.
The Women Won't Wait campaign has released a report: "Show Us the
Money: is violence against women on the HIV&AIDS donor agenda?"
that analyses the policies, programming and funding patterns of the
four largest public donors to HIV&AIDS. The report (available at
www.womenwontwait.org) is the first step in an effort by this
coalition to monitor the policies, programmes, and funding streams of
international agencies and national governments, and to hold these
agencies accountable to basic health and human rights objectives.
For more information about the Women Won't Wait campaign, please
contact: Neelanjana.mukhia@...
From: shari
[mailto:shari.margolese@...] Sent: May 16, 2007 3:53 PM To: 'dlaymanp@...'; 'Anne
Marie'; 'LaVerne Monette'; 'wangari@...'; 'Louise Binder'; '- leah -';
'Lisungu_Chieza/ACT@...'; 'info@...';
'support@...'; ed@... Cc:
'blueprintforaction@...' Subject: Important themes for
Mexico City-follow up work Temas importantes- trabajo de seguimiento/ Importance: High
Hi everyone.. As many of you already know,
I have been very fortunate to have spent the last week with a fabulous group of
women advocatesbelow and attached are the topics that Mexican women identified
as important to be addressed. There is also a suggested consultation
process . I would like to further suggest that we use any means at our
disposal.. ie email or direct contact with HIV positive women to provide
further input to this process. I apologize to those of you who have
already provided input . I will collect the information from Canadian
women and forward it on to the appropriate person. I have requested translation
into French but it may not be timely. If anyone would like to volunteer to do
this quickly it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your valuable
input….gracias a todas
Shari
Estimadas amigas,
Adjunto las listas completas de los
temas importantes identificados por nosotras durante nuestra reunión. Acordamos
durante la reunión que cada mujer compartará estos temas con su grupo de apoyo
o red de contactos para recibir retroalimentación. Si van a reunirse con sus
compañeras, sugerimos que hagan la misma metodología de priorización que
hicimos durante la reunión: compartir la lista, distribuir tarjetas para
agregar temas que no están en la lista, pegar todos los temas en tarjetas en la
pared, votar (2 votos por mujer).
LA FECHA LIMITE PARA ENTREGA ES EL 28 de MAYO,
entonces tendrán que hacer la consulta en los próximos 12 días. Tyler y yo nos
encargaremos de hacer los temas llegar a aliados quienes estan en el proceso de
definir los temas para los tracks de los comités científicos.
Quiero felicitarlas todas por todo su trabajo y todo
que logramos juntas. Estaríamos enviándolas formatos de evaluación esta semana.
Seguimos en contacto, un abrazo, Tamil.
Dear friends,
I am attaching the complete lists of the important themes
identified during our meeting. We agreed during the meeting that each woman
would share the themes with her support group or network of contacts to get
feedback. If you are going to meet with your colleagues, we suggest that you
carry out the same prioritization exercise that we did during the meeting:
share the list, distribute cue cards to add themes that aren’t in the
list, stick all the themes up on the wall, and vote (2 votes per woman).
THE FINAL DATE FOR SENDING THIS MATERIAL IS MAY 28, so you
will need to carry out this consultation over the next 12 days. Tyler and I
will be responsible for getting the themes to the allies who are in the process
of defining abstract headings for the scientific tracks.
I want to congratulate you for all of your work and
everything that we achieved together. We will be sending out evaluation forms
this week.
Let’s keep in close communication, hug, Tamil.
UNFPA - porque cada persona es importante.
Tamil Kendall
Consultora
VIH y SIDA
Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas
O:
(52-55)5263-9893
F:
(52-55)5254-7235
http://www.unfpa.org.mx
El UNFPA, Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas,
es una agencia de cooperacióninternacional para el desarrollo
que promueve el derecho de cada mujer,hombre y niño a disfrutar
de una vida sana, con igualdad de oportunidades para todos.El
UNFPA apoya a los países en la utilización de datos socio-demográficos parala formulación de políticas y programas de reducción de la pobreza, y
para asegurarque todo embarazo sea deseado, todos los partos
sean seguros, todos los jóvenes esténlibres de VIH/SIDA y todas
las niñas y mujeres sean tratadas con dignidad y respeto.
The Spring/Summer issue (2007) of Network magazine,
the official
publication of the Canadian Women's Health Network, is now online.
This issue includes several articles dedicated to violence issues,
specifically, the missing and murdered women of Vancouver's Downtown
Eastside, as well as many other pressing women's health topics and
concerns.
Full PDF of the magazine:
http://www.cwhn.ca/network-reseau/9-34/network-vol9no34EN.pdf
Excerpt from the Editorial:
As we go to press with this issue of Network magazine, the grisly
details of what has come to be known as the 'Pickton farm murders'
emerge in daily gratuitous media coverage. Often the missing and
murdered women mentioned in the media stories - the victims of such
horrendous violence - are dehumanized, and we are provided with passing
references to the fact that many of them were living in poverty,
struggling with addictions, working in the sex trade, living in
Vancouver 's seedy Downtown Eastside. Their lives, loves and
achievements are not celebrated, and their struggles provide merely the
backdrop to the attention and mounting notoriety that the accused
perpetrator receives almost daily in the same media coverage.
Sadly, this is not unique to this particular case, but has become the
traditional way in which violence against women is addressed in our
mainstream media. We did not want to replicate that pattern here. Our
attention, instead, is paid to the struggles and lived realities of the
missing and murdered women of Canada , so many of them Aboriginal women
-- a national tragedy. And how we may be able to memorialize the victims
of such crimes, and others who have suffered similar violent ends, in
ways that celebrate their lives, yet appropriately address the need for
putting an end to violence that targets women because they are women.
The articles on violence that follow only begin this work, and it is up
to all of us to continue to find ways to establish a lasting cultural
memory of these women in all of their humanity , and to challenge the
systemic inequalities, including race, gender and economic security,
that permit this violence to be repeated.
We also introduce a number of articles on other pressing health topics,
including the complexity of the HPV debate, the mounting maternity care
crisis in Canada , and the continuing economic hardship and health
consequences suffered by unpaid caregivers, who are most often women,
plus much more women's health content.
For more information on Network magazine, or to subscribe, please visit:
www.cwhn.ca
Carolyn Shimmin
Information Centre Coordinator / Coordonnatrice du centre d'information
Canadian Women's Health Network
Réseau canadien pour la santé des femmes
203-419 Graham Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R3C 0M3
SUPPORT CWHN. BECOME A MEMBER. http://www.cwhn.ca/infoform.html
APPUYEZ LE RCSF. DEVENEZ MEMBRE. http://www.cwhn.ca/infoform_f.html
This e-mail may be privileged and/or confidential from the Canadian Women's
Health Network (CWHN). If you received this e-mail in error, please advise
(by return e-mail or otherwise) immediately.
-----------------------
Ce courriel est confidentiel et protégé du Réseau canadien pour la santé
des
femmes (RCSF). Si vous recevez ce courriel par erreur, veuillez en aviser
immédiatement, par retour de courriel.
Hi all -
For those who have contacts in the developing world perhaps
they can offer Carmen their support.
Carmen, I have contacts with support groups in Zimbabwe,
Lesotho, Swaziland, and Rwanda. I am sure you will get other contacts too.
thank you for caring for these women. -peg
Peggy Frank
positively AFRICA
2092 Byron Street, Victoria, BC
Canada V8R 1L9
pegfrank@...
APPEALING TO ALL MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND
ORGANIZATIONS
Dear members, friends and organizations! As you might be aware (ICW News 35) ICW
together with Positively Women and Asylum Aid are looking to support positive
women who are been returned or choose to return to their countries of origin
due to the fact that their applications for asylum have been overturned
and have exhausted all channels for appealing to the Home Office. There has been a major shift politically
in how the asylum system in the UK deals with people living with HIV which
culminated in the recent ruling by the Law Lords in May 2005. As a result
HIV status alone in the majority of cases does not provide grounds for
obtaining leave to remain in the UK regardless of the standards of health
care and availability of HIV treatments in the home country. This is resulting
in an increasing number of positive women and men been repatriated to their
country of origin. At the moment the countries where + women
are been repatriated include: Burundi, DRC Guyana Swaziland Uganda Zimbabwe Botswana Zambia Malawi Ghana Nigeria South Africa Tanzania As you can imagine they are experiencing
a lot of anxiety as some were diagnosed in the UK and have no links to
support groups or know much about the situation in their own country. The
women have expressed a variety of concerns ranging from disclosure to family
and children; treatment and where to access it (and also the cost of treatment!);
been able to support themselves; finding support groups; finding someone
who might be able to find them at the airport on arrival to facilitate
the initial integration into society; stigma; isolation; depressionÅ
It is for this reason that I am requesting
your help. It would be very useful to these ladies if they could have a
contact who might be able to give some orientation and alleviate some of
their anxieties but of course I cannot do so unless you express your willingness
to be contacted. So please, do let me know if yourself,
or your support group would be willing to give support and whether you
are happy for me to give your contact details - or give you their contact
details once they are there. I appeal to all members of ICW not just
those in the countries mentioned previously as the situation is starting
to apply to most countries of the world. Looking forward to hearing from you,
your support groups and other organizations you belong to! Thanking you in advance for all your
help! Carmen
Carmen Tarrades Membership Development Officer
International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS
Unit 6, Canonbury Yard,
190a, New North Road
London N1 7BJ
t: +44 (20) 7704 0606
t: +44 (20) 7704 0769 (direct line)
F:+44 (20) 7704 8070
www.icw.org
carmen@...
--
---
Executive Assistant
Canadian Treatment Action Council
Conseil Canadien de surveillance et d'accès aux traitements
ph & fax 416.422.0114
leah@...
www.ctac.ca
www.ccsat.ca
----- Message from Dr Nili Kaplan-Myrth <nili.kaplan-myrth@...>
on Thu, 26 Apr 2007 23:57:06 -0400 -----
To:
Recipient list suppressed: ;
Subject:
call for submissions for the book, Women Who Care
I am writing to formally invite you to contribute to our
book: Women Who Care: Reflections on Women’s Personal & Professional
Experiences of the Canadian Health Care System.
Most women have stories to tell about their experiences of the Canadian
health care system: We care for ourselves through personal health and illness;
we seek care from others; we are lay care givers to our children, our partners,
our aging parents and our extended families; and some of us work as health
care professionals, health educators, health administrators, health policy-makers
and leaders in women’s health.
We are collecting submissions (written work, visual art, photography) for
a book on women’s personal and professional experiences of health care
– enlightening or confusing, moments of healing or times of discouragement,
celebrations of empowerment and change or frustration with barriers and
the status quo.
We care about women’s health care. The idea behind this project is to
examine what works well and to voice our concerns about what does not work.
Please see the detailed call for submissions (attached as a PDF file).
Thank you if you have already sent us your work. We would like all submissions
by July.
Please also distribute the call for submissions to women across Canada.
Send it out through your network of colleagues, friends and family. Drop
it off at local women's organizations and events.
On behalf of the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE),
I am pleased to inform you that on Monday evening the Executive Directors
of the World Bank approved the World Bank Strategy for Health, Nutrition,
and Population Results (HNP Strategy), which contains strong references
to sexual and reproductive health and rights. CHANGE has issued a press
release responding to the approved Strategy and it follows this email message.
We want to thank those of you who sent letters to the
Executive Directors of the Bank and to foreign affairs and health ministers
to advocate for strong language on sexual and reproductive health and rights
to be included in the document. We want to especially thank the Government
Accountability Project and the International Planned Parenthood Federation
for bringing to our attention an early version of the Strategy that had
virtually no reference to reproductive health and family planning, only
to mention a previous bank-funded project. Following that version, as you
know, was a subsequent draft that contained very weak language in reference
to sexual and reproductive health and rights. And now, thanks to our joint
advocacy efforts--and the steadfast support of the European Executive Directors--the
new HNP Strategy endorses sexual and reproductive health and rights.
While we are very pleased that the final document references
sexual and reproductive health and rights, we are concerned that the narrative
text in section H focuses almost exclusively on demographic trends and
fertility rates and lacks a detailed analysis of the consequences of poor
reproductive and sexual health and does not address specific solutions
and approaches to this matter. We plan to move forward to advocate to ensure
that application of the Strategy at the regional and country levels promote
women's rights and full sexual and reproductive health and rights.
You can access the final HNP Strategy document
here
. The report Annexes can be accessed on theWorld
Bank website .
It has been very rewarding to see our combined advocacy
and information-sharing bear fruits. Thank you again for your support and
solidarity.
U.S. Group Sees Partial Victory in new World Bank Health,
Nutrition Population Strategy; Applauds Efforts by World Bank Executive Board to Reaffirm
Commitments to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Final document released after Wolfowitz appointee tampers
with Bank policy on sexual and reproductive health
(Takoma Park, MD)-The World Bank's 10-year Health, Nutrition
and Population Strategy, approved Monday by the Bank's Executive Board,
represents an important but partial victory over attempts by an ultra-conservative
Wolfowitz appointee to eliminate references to reproductive and sexual
health from the strategy document, said the Center for Health and Gender
Equity (CHANGE).
"This is a victory for women throughout the world.
An appointee obviously working in line with the ultra-conservative forces
in the U.S. and abroad tried to impose his own fundamentalist religious
agenda on women worldwide. As a result of concerted action by civil society,
and leadership by both Executive Directors of the Bank and committed staff
inside the Bank, this effort failed," stated Jodi Jacobson, executive
director of the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE).
Women's health and rights groups throughout the world
were joined by a diverse array of civil society actors such as the International
Planned Parenthood Federation, The Bretton Woods Project, CARE International
UK and Action Aid in protesting the initial draft strategy, which did not
acknowledge women's sexual health and rights and included no references
to family planning services. The draft appeared to have been "censored"
by Mr. Juan José Daboub, an appointee of Paul Wolfowitz. Daboub, who is
from El Salvador, is a member of the right-wing Catholic sect-like group
Opus Dei, and a strong supporter of the anti-family planning and reproductive
health policies of the Bush administration. In a separate incident, Mr.
Daboub sought to remove all references to family planning from the country
assistance strategy for Madagascar despite a strong request by the Madagascar
government to include these services as a core component of Bank support
for its health sector.
The majority of women in many countries still lack access
to basic sexual and reproductive health services and information, safe
labor and delivery services, emergency obstetric care, and essential drugs
and contraceptive supplies. Complications of labor and delivery and of
unsafe abortion, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and conditions
such as vesico-vaginal fistula remain the leading causes of death and illness
among women ages 15 to 49 worldwide. "Lack of access to basic sexual
and reproductive health services is a major reason that we have seen little
progress in reducing maternal deaths worldwide. These problems also have
exacerbated women's vulnerability to HIV infections," stated Serra
Sippel, Deputy Director of CHANGE. Women now represent two-thirds of those
infected with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. "It is critical that a multilateral
organization such as the Bank promote public health and human rights, not
ideology, "she stated.
Advocates were aided in their efforts by strong leadership
among the Executive Directors of the Bank from throughout the world, including
a strong contingent from Europe. The EDs rejected both the first and the
second drafts, which represented a step backward from longstanding Bank
policy supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights. A large continent
of World Bank employees, with assurances of anonymity, also strongly supported
advocacy efforts. Despite civil society pressure, the United States Executive
Director E. Whitney Debevoise attempted several times to weaken language
on women's health and rights throughout the process, but was rebuffed by
EDs from Europe.
"The final draft is a dramatic improvement over the
first version," stated Jacobson, "but it still contains some
weaknesses." For example, Jacobson noted, the final version states
support for reproductive and sexual health and rights and affirms the Programme
of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development,
signed in 1994 by more than 180 nations, which are important gains. "But
the narrative portions of the document focus largely on demographic trends
and fertility rates and do not offer either detailed analysis of the causes
and consequences of poor reproductive and sexual health nor outline specific
solutions and approaches," she said.
"Moreover, the document fails to explicitly underscore
the need to ensure that all women have access to safe abortion services
and fails to acknowledge the contributions of gender-based violence in
the spread of HIV, in the persistence of high rates of undesired pregnancies,
and in undermining women's ability to make real choices about sex and reproduction--and
even marriage," Jacobson concluded.
"We pushed as hard as we could for Bank commitments
given the circumstances," noted Sippel. "The challenge now is
to monitor application of Bank agreements at the country and regional level
and ensure that efforts to address sexual and reproductive morbidity and
mortality and promote women's fundamental human rights are at the core
of each country strategy. This is the next phase of work toward which we
all must turn."
The Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) is
a US-based non-governmental organization focused on the effects of US international
policies on the health and rights of women, girls and other vulnerable
populations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE) is a
US-based non-governmental organization focused on the effects of US international
policies on the health and rights of women, girls and other vulnerable
populations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Support
our work! Update
your contact information or unsubscribe.
---
Executive Assistant
Canadian Treatment Action Council
Conseil Canadien de surveillance et d'accès aux traitements
ph & fax 416.422.0114
leah@...
www.ctac.ca
www.ccsat.ca
From: Dilani Mohan [mailto:dilani@...]
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 11:34 AM
To: sonika@...
Cc: 'Ross Chapman'; ctac@...
Subject: Women's Future Fund
Hey all!
Women's Future Fund launched their promo campaign this
Tuesday and I'm pleased to be able to provide you with the link. This
is a great organization doing a lot of good feminist work.
The success of this campaign depends on the number of
people that visit the site. So please visit the site and pass the link
on to everyone you know.
----
Dilani Mohan
Clerical Assistant
Canadian Treatment Action Council (CTAC)
E: dilani@... T/F: 416.410.6538
--
---
Executive Assistant
Canadian Treatment Action Council
Conseil Canadien de surveillance et d'accès aux traitements
ph & fax 416.422.0114
leah@...
www.ctac.ca
www.ccsat.ca
PATH www.path.org
is conducting a survey to identify opportunities and obstacles to promoting
female barrier methods within HIV prevention programs.
PATH is also interested in exploring issues and attitudes that facilitate
or obstruct access to female barrier methods as part of comprehensive prevention
programming. While current examples will necessarily focus on female condoms,
this information will be helpful in identifying countries and programs
that might be likely to adopt innovative practices when other female barrier
methods (such as diaphragms) become more widely available.
If you know of articles, reports, or case studies of HIV prevention programs
that promote female condoms as part of a comprehensive prevention package
– or programs that include female condoms as part of the HIV/AIDS prevention
programming - please send the reference, citation or program contact information
to Maggie Kilbourne-Brook at mkilbou@....
----- Forwarded by Kim
Thomas/CAS on 03/30/2007 03:06 PM -----
-leah- <leah@...>
03/30/2007 01:52 PM
To
blueprint@..., dlaymanp@...
cc
Subject
Fwd: FW: RFP Oxfam Gender Audit
Hi all,
I am circulating this RFP for a Gender
Audit of Oxfam Canada to those who I feel may be interested, or know of
individuals who may be interested in this opportunity. Please feel
free to circulate through your respective networks.
From: Jodi Jacobson
[mailto:change@...] Sent: March 29, 2007 1:28 PM To: sharfree1@... Subject: TIME SENSITIVE: Int'l
Call to End Restrictions under PEPFAR
Dear Friends,
We have
exciting news: two leading members of the U.S. Congress have re-introduced the
Protection Against Transmission of HIV for Women and Youth Act (PATHWAY Act),
which would take important steps to improving U.S. international HIV prevention
policy.
We need your
help in supporting it.
We are
seeking the support of international NGOs and individuals to ensure that U.S. global HIV
prevention funding and programs promote the basic health and human rights of
all individuals through evidence-based, comprehensive approaches to HIV
prevention. Prevention programs must address the root causes of vulnerability
to HIV infection, reduce stigma and discrimination, and simultaneously ensure
that all individuals at risk of
HIV infection have complete access to the skills-training, information, and
methods (including male and female condoms) necessary to prevent the sexual
tranmission of HIV.
In short, we
are requesting that you sign on as an individual and/or organization to the international
statement of support (also pasted below) for U.S. legislation (the PATHWAY Act)
that seeks to remove the requirement that the U.S. spend 1/3 of its PEPFAR
prevention money on abstinence-until-marriage programs and to ensure a
comprehensive approach to HIV prevention. If at all possible, we request that
you reply by Thursday, April 12.
We welcome both organizational and individual signatories.
To sign-on as an organization, please fill out the simple form found here:
To sign-on as an individual, please fill out the simple form found here:
(U.S.
organizations and individuals are requested not to sign this international
statement but instead to endorse the PATHWAY Act as an organization, which you
can do here.)
Additionally,
we ask you to take a moment to tell us why the passage of the PATHWAY Act is
important to HIV prevention efforts in your country or community. You can do
that here.
At your request, we will keep your name and organization confidential.
About the PATHWAY Act:
On March 27,
2007, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Congressman Christopher Shays (R-CT)
re-introduced the Protection Against Transmission of HIV for Women and Youth
Act (PATHWAY Act). This bill is critical to ensure that U.S. funding
for international HIV prevention programs work for women and youth. It would
remove the requirement that the U.S. spend 1/3 of its international HIV
prevention funding on abstinence-until-marriage programs (the "abstinence
earmark") and it would require the President to develop a strategy to
address the specific prevention needs of women and girls.
You can find
more information about the PATHWAY Act on our website at www.pepfarwatch.org.
We appreciate
your support.
Best,
Jodi Jacobson
Executive
Director
Center for Health and Gender Equity
www.genderhealth.org
www.pepfarwatch.org
www.preventionnow.net
We, the undersigned represent a diverse group
of regional, national, community- and faith-based organizations and individuals
from around the world working to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We are united in
our commitment to ending the spread of HIV and the suffering caused by
AIDS-related illnesses through policies and programs that simultaneously promote
basic individual human rights and public health. We are further committed to
comprehensive, evidence- and rights-based HIV prevention programs that
simultaneously address the root causes of vulnerability to HIV infection, such
as gender-based violence, stigma and discrimination, and offer comprehensive
interventions that ensure that all individuals at immediate or potential
risk—women, men, adolescents and young adults—have access to the
information, skills-training, and methods—including male and female
condoms—needed to practice safer sex.
We therefore strongly support the
Protection Against the Transmission of HIV for Women and Youth Act of 2007
(PATHWAY Act), H.R. 1713, introduced to the U.S. Congress in March 2007 by U.S.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Christopher Shays. We support the
PATHWAY Act's efforts to establish a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy to
address the vulnerabilities of women and girls for each country for which the United States
provides assistance to combat HIV/AIDS. We also support eliminating the mandate
that requires a minimum of one-third of prevention funds to be spent on
abstinence-until-marriage programs. Removing this requirement would ensure that
U.S.
funds are used to support the most effective strategies to prevent the greatest
number of HIV infections among individuals at risk.
We applaud the generosity and leadership taken by the
United States
in allocating $15 billion towards HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care
through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). We are,
however, profoundly concerned about the devastating implications for the spread
of HIV infection in our countries of restrictions levied on prevention funding
under PEPFAR. These restrictions undermine basic public health and human rights
principles and local decision-making power and autonomy in crafting HIV
prevention strategies that respond to local needs by dictating solutions to
local problems from afar. The implications are clear: recent data already
suggest an upturn in HIV infections in Uganda,
a country in which U.S.
restrictions and U.S.
funding have had the greatest influence to date. The reversal of previous gains
cannot be condoned.
We believe passage of the PATHWAY Act is a critical
first step in correcting misguided prevention policies being imposed on
countries by the United
States in exchange for funding of prevention
activities.
-----Forwarded by Kim Thomas/CAS on 03/23/2007 02:18PM -----
To: undisclosed-recipients: ; From: Janet Madsen <janetm@...> Date: 03/23/2007 12:29PM Subject: FYI: substance use and pregnancy book launch
Hi Folks,
Please note this is not a Positive Women's Network event, so if you'd like more information, please contact the Centre for Addictions Research of BC | Communication and Resource Unit | University of Victoria | 909 - 510 Burrard Street | Vancouver, BC V6C 3A8 Telephone: 604.408.7753 | Fax: 604.408.7731 | email: info@... or visit www.silink.ca / www.carbc.ca / www.fernwoodpublishing.ca
The Centre for Addictions Research of BC and the BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Network together with Fernwood Publishing present..
*With Child: Substance Use During Pregnancy: A Woman-Centred Approach*
edited by Susan Boyd & Lenora Marcellus, with contributors Carolyn Schellenberg and Sydney Weaver
Book Launch
Where and when:
· Vancouver, Wednesday, March 28, 2007 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Segal School of Business, 500 Granville Street, Vancouver, Room 4400
· Victoria, Wednesday, April 11, 2007 from 4:30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. at 910 Government Street, Lower Level, University of Victoria, Downtown Campus
About the lecture
Drug use occurs throughout the social spectrum, yet problematic use is associated with poverty and social deprivation. In spite of this link, drug-using women are blamed for outcomes of their pregnancies. Although drug use is a risk, it is manageable. Still, many people believe drug-using women should not be allowed to have custody of their children. The editors and contributors to this new book on the controversial subject of substance use during pregnancy propose that women with social problems affecting pregnancy outcomes should be approached in the same way as those with medical complications. The book provides practitioners and researchers with valuable information about maternal drug use, harm reduction, best practices and policy. It also provides a groundbreaking critical and feminist template for organizations in fields such as nursing, social work medicine, public health, child development and addictions.
About the presenters
Susan Boyd, PhD, is an associate professor in Studies in Policy and Practice, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Addictions Research of BC, University of Victoria and author of From Witches to Crack Moms: Women, Drug Law, and Policy and Mothers and Illicit Drugs: Transcending the Myths. Lenora Marcellus, RN, MN, leads perinatal program development for the Vancouver Island Health Authority and teaches in the Safe Babies Program that educates and supports foster families caring for infants with prenatal substance exposure. She is also a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta. Carolyn Schellenberg is a PhD candidate in Studies in Policy and Practice at the University of Victoria and works as a nurse in Home and Community Care. Sydney Weaver, MSW, is a social worker at Fir Square, BC Women's Hospital, a harm-reduction model maternity unit.
To order the book - please click on this link and scroll down to page 2
The event is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by the BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Network and in conjunction with Fernwood Publishing. For more information please contact:
Centre for Addictions Research of BC | Communication and Resource Unit | University of Victoria | 909 - 510 Burrard Street | Vancouver, BC V6C 3A8 Telephone: 604.408.7753 | Fax: 604.408.7731 |
email: info@... or visit www.silink.ca / www.carbc.ca / www.fernwoodpublishing.ca
-- Janet Madsen, Communications Coordinator, Positive Women's Network: Action and Leadership on Women and HIV/AIDS Office Hours -- Wednesday to Friday p: 604.692.3009 f: 604.684.3126 e: janetm@... visit us: www.pwn.bc.ca find support & education: www.pwn-wave.ca
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?" ~Albert Einstein (attributed)
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Message: 1
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:15:23 -0400
From: "Richard Elliott" <relliott@...>
Subject: FW: Launch of Yogyakarta Principles on Sexual Orientation &
Gender
Identity!
To: <aidspolicylaw@...>
Message-ID: <20070320171601.18043170807@...>
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
(Feel free to forward this message to others)
We are excited to let you know about the upcoming launch of the Yogyakarta
Principles on the application of international human rights law in relation
to sexual orientation and gender identity.
These Principles were developed at a meeting of international human rights
experts in Yogyakarta, Indonesia last November, co-hosted by the
International Commission of Jurists and the International Service for Human
Rights, on behalf of a coalition of human rights organisations. The
Principles identify binding human rights standards with which governments
must comply, and have been adopted by judges, academics, a former UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Special Procedures, members of treaty
bodies, NGOs and others.
The Yogyakarta Principles address a broad range of human rights issues
relevant to sexual orientation and gender identity issues around the world
-
whether it's a challenge to colonial criminal laws in India, proposed
discriminatory legislation in Nigeria, the murder of a transgender activist
in Argentina, responding to police abuses in the US, addressing violence
against métis in Nepal, the banning of a Pride march in Russia, exclusion
of
sexual orientation and gender identity issues from European school
curricula, so-called "corrective" rape and punitive violence
directed
against lesbians in countries around the world, with impunity for the
perpetrators - the Principles make clear that these are human rights abuses
in violation of international law and that the international community
must
respond.
The Principles will be formally launched on Monday, March 26, immediately
following a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. In
addition, parallel events held during the Council will enable discussion
and
analysis of the Principles and their application to issues of sexual
orientation and gender identity around the world.
You may wish to consider organising a local or regional media event
highlighting the application of the Principles to issues of particular
concern in your country or region - either timed to coincide with the
launch, or in the weeks or months to come. We can provide a template
for a
press release that you can adapt to your local needs, and some material
resources may be available to assist groups interested in planning a local
or regional event.
If you are interested in issuing a local press release, organising a press
conference or otherwise raising awareness of the Principles in your region,
please feel free to contact us at mail@....
A full copy of the Principles will be available on-line within the next
few
days. In the meantime, you'll find below two backgrounders - one
provides
more information about how the Yogyakarta Principles came about; the other
provides a brief overview of the range of human rights issues addressed
by
the Principles.
Thanks, best wishes, and we greatly appreciate your support in raising
awareness of these important human rights concerns.
International Commission of Jurists & International Service for Human
Rights,
on behalf of the Yogyakarta Secretariat
mail@...
BACKGROUNDER #1:
About the Yogyakarta Principles
This document provides brief background information to the Yogyakarta
Principles.
Please refer to the Principles themselves for a detailed awareness of the
text.
Q. What are the Yogyakarta Principles?
The Yogyakarta Principles are a set of principles on the application of
international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation and gender
identity. The Principles affirm binding international legal standards with
which all States must comply. They promise a different future where all
people born free and equal in dignity and rights can fulfil that precious
birthright.
Q. Why are they needed?
Human rights violations targeted toward persons because of their actual
or
perceived sexual orientation or gender identity constitute an entrenched
global pattern of serious concern. They include extra-judicial killings,
torture and ill-treatment, sexual assault and rape, invasions of privacy,
arbitrary detention, denial of employment and education opportunities,
and
serious discrimination in relation to the enjoyment of other human rights.
Key human rights mechanisms of the United Nations have affirmed States'
obligation to ensure effective protection of all persons from discrimination
based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, the international
response has been fragmented and inconsistent, creating the need for a
consistent understanding of the comprehensive regime of international human
rights law and its application to issues of sexual orientation and gender
identity. The Yogyakarta Principles do this.
Q. How did the Principles come about?
The Principles were developed and unanimously adopted by a distinguished
group of human rights experts, from diverse regions and backgrounds,
including judges, academics, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,
UN Special Procedures, members of treaty bodies, NGOs and others. The
Rapporteur of the process, Professor Michael O'Flaherty, has made immense
contributions to the drafting and revision of the Yogyakarta Principles.
A key event in the development of the Principles was an international
seminar of many of these legal experts that took place in Yogyakarta,
Indonesia at Gadjah Mada University from 6 to 9 November 2006. That seminar
clarified the nature, scope and implementation of States' human rights
obligations in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity under
existing human rights treaties and law.
Q. What do they cover?
The Yogyakarta Principles address the broad range of human rights standards
and their application to issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.
These include extrajudicial executions, violence and torture, access to
justice, privacy, non-discrimination, rights to freedom of expression and
assembly, employment, health, education, immigration and refugee issues,
public participation, and a variety of other rights.
Q. How can these rights be implemented?
The Principles affirm the primary obligation of States to implement human
rights. Each Principle is accompanied by detailed recommendations
to
States. The Principles also emphasise, however, that all actors have
responsibilities to promote and protect human rights. Additional
recommendations are therefore addressed to the UN human rights system,
national human rights institutions, the media, non-governmental
organisations, and others.
BACKGROUNDER #2:
The Yogyakarta Principles - an Overview
The Yogyakarta Principles address a broad range of international human
rights standards and their application to issues of sexual orientation
and
gender identity. This Overview provides a short outline of the Principles,
and some examples of their application.
Preamble: The Preamble acknowledges human rights violations based on sexual
orientation and gender identity, establishes the relevant legal framework,
and provides definitions of key terms.
Rights to Universal Enjoyment of Human Rights, Non-Discrimination and
Recognition before the Law: Principles 1 to 3 set out the principles of
the
universality of human rights and their application to all persons without
discrimination, as well as the right of all people to recognition before
the
law.
Example:
* Laws criminalising homosexuality violate the international right to
non-discrimination (decision of the UN Human Rights Committee).
Rights to Human and Personal Security: Principles 4 to 11 address
fundamental rights to life, freedom from violence and torture, privacy,
access to justice and freedom from arbitrary detention.
Examples:
* The death penalty continues to be applied for consensual adult sexual
activity between persons of the same sex, despite UN resolutions emphasizing
that the death penalty may not be imposed for "sexual relations between
consenting adults."
* Eleven men were arrested in a gay bar and held in custody for over a
year.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that the men were
detained in violation of international law, noting with concern that "one
of
the prisoners died as a result of his arbitrary detention".
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Principles 12 to 18 set out the
importance of non-discrimination in the enjoyment of economic, social and
cultural rights, including employment, accommodation, social security,
education and health.
Examples:
* Lesbian and transgender women are at increased risk of discrimination,
homelessness and violence (report of UN Special Rapporteur on adequate
housing).
* Girls who display same-sex affection face discrimination and expulsion
from educational institutions (report of UN Special Rapporteur on the right
to education).
* The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern about
laws
which "prohibit gender reassignment surgery for transsexuals or require
intersex persons to undergo such surgery against their will".
Rights to Expression, Opinion and Association: Principles 19 to 21 emphasise
the importance of the freedom to express oneself, one's identity and one's
sexuality, without State interference based on sexual orientation or gender
identity, including the rights to participate peaceably in public assemblies
and events and otherwise associate in community with others.
Example:
* A peaceful gathering to promote equality on the grounds of sexual
orientation and gender identity was banned by authorities, and participants
were harassed and intimidated by police and extremist nationalists shouting
slogans such as "Let's get the fags" and "We'll do to you
what Hitler did
with Jews" (report of the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms
of
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia & related intolerance).
Freedom of Movement and Asylum: Principles 22 and 23 highlight the rights
of
persons to seek asylum from persecution based on sexual orientation or
gender identity.
Example:
* Refugee protection should be accorded to persons facing a well-founded
fear of persecution based on sexual orientation (Guidelines of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees).
Rights of Participation in Cultural and Family Life: Principles 24 to 26
address the rights of persons to participate in family life, public affairs
and the cultural life of their community, without discrimination based
on
sexual orientation or gender identity.
Example:
* States have an obligation not to discriminate between different-sex and
same-sex relationships in allocating partnership benefits such as survivors'
pensions (decision of the UN Human Rights Committee).
Rights of Human Rights Defenders: Principle 27 recognises the right to
defend and promote human rights without discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity, and the obligation of States to ensure
the
protection of human rights defenders working in these areas.
Examples:
* Human rights defenders working on sexual orientation and gender identity
issues in countries and regions around the world "have been threatened,
had
their houses and offices raided, they have been attacked, tortured, sexually
abused, tormented by regular death threats and even killed. A major
concern
in this regard is an almost complete lack of seriousness with which such
cases are treated by the concerned authorities." (report of the Special
Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders).
Rights of Redress and Accountability: Principles 28 and 29 affirm the
importance of holding rights violators accountable, and ensuring appropriate
redress for those who face rights violations.
Example:
* The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern about
"impunity for crimes of violence against LGBT persons" and "the
responsibility of the State to extend effective protection." The High
Commissioner notes that "excluding LGBT individuals from these protections
clearly violates international human rights law as well as the common
standards of humanity that define us all."
Additional Recommendations: The Principles set out 16 additional
recommendations to national human rights institutions, professional bodies,
funders, NGOs, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN agencies, treaty
bodies, Special Procedures, and others.
Example:
* The Principles conclude by recognising the responsibility of a range
of
actors to promote and protect human rights and to integrate these standards
into their work. A joint statement delivered at the UN Human Rights
Council
by 54 States from four of the five UN regions on 1 December 2006, for
example, urges the Human Rights Council to "pay due attention to human
rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity"
and
commends the work of civil society in this area, and calls upon "all
Special
Procedures and treaty bodies to continue to integrate consideration of
human
rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity within
their relevant mandates." As this statement recognises, and the Yogyakarta
Principles affirm, effective human rights protection truly is the
responsibility of all.
Do you think the
world is doing enough to stop AIDS?
Join a groundswell of civil society voices from
across the world during the week of 20-26 May to demand a stronger response,
greater accountability and more resources in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
WHY: Last year, activists from 30
countries took coordinated action during the first ever Global AIDS Week of
Action. It was the defining mobilisation before world leaders reported back to
the UN on the progress they had made to meet their 2001 commitment on HIV/AIDS.
So while in New York
our governments boasted of the small gains made, in cities from Abuja to Phnom Penh
and Delhi to Lilongwe
citizens reminded them of the big losses.
The losses are stark: AIDS kills 8000 people each day
and 3 out of 4 HIV positive people still lack access to treatment. While women
make up almost 50% of those living with HIV, current AIDS responses do not
tackle the violation of women¡Çs rights – a key driver of the
pandemic.
In 2005 the world leaders made another landmark
promise to ¡Èdeveloping and
implementing a package for HIV prevention, treatment and care with the aim of
coming as close as possible to the goal of universal access to treatment by
2010 for all those who need it¡É.
The world needs to honour this ambitious promise to
stop the needless deaths of women, men and children. Our governments have to
set and meet ambitious targets for access to treatment as well as
evidence-based prevention. Multinational drug companies must stop putting
profits before people. Rich nations such as the G8 must back their warm words
on AIDS with real funds.
WHEN: The Global AIDS Week of
Action from 20-26th May 2007 is an opportunity for activists around
the world to stand together, generate political pressure and demand action from
our leaders. The week starts with the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial
Day on 20 May – a Sunday when the world recognizes and remembers those
who have died of AIDS. The week of action is also just days before the club of
rich nations (G8) meet in Germany
and discuss the universal access goal – let them know that the world is
watching to see if they put money where their mouth is.
HOW: Between now and the end of
May, it¡Çs time for action. You bring together fellow activists in your
country to plan what action, how and where. And if you come up with bright
ideas that work, share them with friends and colleagues in other countries.
Communication of your ideas and plans is the glue that will bind our actions
together.
ACT NOW: If you are ready to take the
initiative in your country and plan activities for May, please send an email
with your organisation¡Çs details to globalaidsweek@... and
we will add you to the list of active countries and send you more information.
There is no global secretariat or chief organiser
– the groups listed below are joining forces to make this call, but the
rest is up to you. The success of the Global AIDS Week of Action depends
entirely on committed people and networks working together in a coalition.
During this one week we must show solidarity internationally while advocating
nationally.
AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA)
Asia Pacific Network of
People Living with HIV/AIDS (APN+)
Global Network of People
living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+)
International Treatment
Preparedness Coalition (ITPC)
MWENGO (MwelekeoWa Ngo)
Pan-African Treatment
Access Movement (PATAM)
Treatment Action
Campaign (TAC)
¡ü ACCESS TO TREATMENT ¡ü
END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ¡ü EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION ¡ü END HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS ¡ü FUNDING
FOR AIDS ¡ü END
DONOR CONDITIONALITY ¡ü HEALTH
FOR ALL ¡ü
One week
to make leaders keep their promises. Let¡Çs make a big noise
Below are a collection of resources about
gender, focused on youth reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. The items
in this collection appeared in Nos. 30 and 31 of Youth InfoNet for January
and February, respectively. This publication had been produced by
YouthNet, a five-year program (2001-06) coordinated by Family Health International
(FHI), which has ended. Youth InfoNet will continue under the sponsorship
of the newly formed Interagency Youth Working Group (IYWG), as part of
the Global Leadership Priority (GLP) on Youth supported by the U.S. Agency
for International Development. FHI will continue to compile and distribute
the publication.
Below are summaries and links to 2 program
resources and 3 research summaries that address some aspect of gender and
HIV/AIDS.
I. Program Resources
Change, Choice and Power: Young Women,
Livelihoods and HIV Prevention (2007, PDF, 402 KB) http://www.unfpa.org/upload/lib_pub_file/674_filename_change.pdf This paper explores the relationship between
economic independence, empowerment, and reproductive health for girls and
young women. With a focus on East and Southern Africa, it uses examples
of promising programs to highlight potential responses and lessons learned.
Organization: IPPF, UNFPA, Young Positives
Contact: martinez@...
Young Children, HIV/AIDS and Gender: A
Summary Review (2006, PDF,1.21 MB)
http://www.bernardvanleer.org/publication_store/publication_store_public ations/young_children_hivaids_and_gender_a_summary_review/file
Attitudes towards gender that are formed
in early childhood can play a significant role in creating adult behaviors
that lead to the spread of HIV/AIDS. This working paper explores how to
use the early years to lay the foundations for HIV/AIDS prevention.
II. Research Summaries
Factors inhibiting educated mothers in
Kenya from giving meaningful sex education to their daughters.
Mbugua N. Soc Sci Med 2007;64(5).
Educated mothers are highly likely to pass
on their education regarding infectious diseases such as influenza to their
children, as well as enforce in their homes healthy practices thereby protecting
entire families from disease. However, it is not usually the case when
it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV/AIDS. The
research is based on a survey focus group discussion with high-school students
(aged 17-19) and interviews with 10 high-school teachers in 1996. In 2003,
data were collected from a focus group with fourth-form students and interviews
with 4 teachers and 15 mothers whose daughters were in high school. The
findings indicate that most educated mothers in urban Kenya experience
socio-cultural and religious inhibitions that hinder them from providing
meaningful sex education to their pre-adolescent and adolescent daughters.
This paper discusses these inhibitions and the steps educated mothers can
take to ensure that their daughters receive some form of sex education.
Girls' schooling in Tanzania: the key
to HIV/AIDS prevention? Vavrus F. AIDS Care 2006;18(8).
This article explores the relationship between
schooling for girls and HIV/AIDS prevention in the United Republic of Tanzania.
It is based on a survey administered to upper-level primary school students
in rural Tanzania designed to ascertain their numeracy and literacy skills
as well as their knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The findings show that female students
generally have stronger literacy and numeracy skills but less knowledge
about HIV/AIDS than their male counterparts. This suggests that general
education may not be the best vaccine against HIV/AIDS for young women;
rather, AIDS-specific education and skills training may be required to
increase the likelihood of prevention because of gender differences in
how young people utilize knowledge acquired in school.
"Smart boys" and "sweet
girls"-sex education needs in Thai teenagers: a mixed-method study. Vuttanont U, Greenhalgh T, Griffin M, et
al. Lancet 2006;368(9552).
In Thailand, rapid increases in economic
prosperity have been accompanied by erosion of traditional cultural and
religious values and by negative effects on sexual health of young people.
An investigation assessed knowledge, attitudes, norms, and values of teenagers,
parents, teachers, and policymakers in relation to sex and sex education
in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with a view to informing sex education policy.
Six secondary schools were selected for maximum variation in socioeconomic
background, religious background, and location. Methods were: narrative
interviews with key stakeholders, and analysis of key policy documents;
questionnaire survey of 2301 teenagers; 20 focus groups of teenagers; questionnaire
survey of 351 parents; and two focus groups of parents.
Qualitative and quantitative data were assessed
separately with thematic and statistical analysis, respectively, then combined.
Five important influences on Thai teenagers' sexual attitudes and behavior
emerged:
ambiguous social roles leading to confused
identity; heightened sexual awareness and curiosity; key gaps in knowledge
and life skills; limited parental input; and impulsivity and risk-taking.
Male teenagers aspire to be "smart boys," whose status depends
on stories of sexual performance and conquests. Female teenagers, traditionally
constrained and protected as "sweet girls," are managing a new
concept of dating without their parents' support, and with few life skills
to enable them to manage their desires or negotiate in potentially coercive
situations.
School-based sex education is biologically
focused and inconsistently delivered. Results of this large exploratory
study suggest five approaches that could be developed to improve sex education:
targeted training and support for teachers; peer-led sex education by teenagers;
story-based scenarios to promote applied learning; local development of
educational materials; and use of trained sexual health professionals to
address learning needs of pupils, teachers, and parents.
The content posted in this message reflects
the views of the original author/s and does not necessarily reflect the
views of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health.
Jane Moloney
Gender and HIV/AIDS Program Officer
Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health
Dalhousie University
502 - 1465 Brenton St.
Halifax, NS B3J 3T4
Phone: 1(902) 494-7849 Fax:
1(902) 494-7852 www.acewh.dal.ca
From: Catherine Legge [mailto:LeggeC@...]
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 10:47 PM
Subject: CBC Documentary on Homeless
Hi there,
I hope you don't mind this note. I thought I would let you know that this
Wednesday, CBC: The National, is looking at the homeless…
In the popular new series 7, correspondent Mark Kelley spends 7 days in
another life or worldview. You might be interested to know that after
soliciting ideas from across the country, the most suggested topic was
that
Mark use his unique brand of experiential journalism to look at the issue
of
homelessness. On Wednesday night, that's exactly what he'll do.
For this episode of 7, Mark is focusing on his hometown of Montreal. In
this
emotional journey, he hits shelters and the streets to meet some of the
city’s homeless and the dedicated people who work with them. He sees
first-hand the pain, frustration and hope that's out there. We hope this
will be an eye-opener for many Canadians.
That’s a full edition documentary on Wednesday, March 21st on CBC: The
National at 10pm across the country.
Please pass this info onto anyone you think might be interested, or should
be. Canadians asked for it!
Please participate in an important
survey
on lubricants used for
anal sex. It takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Join the 1000 women
and men from 50 countries who have already participated!
WHY?
Right now, lubricants do not need to be tested for safety before being
sold. Research coming out soon --- pay attention to www.irmwg.org
--- shows that some lubes commonly used for anal sex are not as safe as
others. By filling out the short survey, you will help scientists prioritize
the next round of lubes that should be tested.
HOW? On the homepage of
the International Rectal Microbicide Working Group (www.irmwg.org)
there is a link to the survey in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese,
German and Turkish with other languages possibly added soon, including
Hindi and Tamil: check back regularly!
WHO ARE WE?
The International Rectal Microbicides Working Group (IRMWG) is a group
of community advocates and researchers from 35 countries who are working
to increase options for the prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted
infections for the men and women around the world who have anal sex.
Please complete the survey today! Post a link on your web site! Forward
this message to listservs!
Veuillez remplir le sondage dès aujourd’hui! Affichez un lien à partir
de votre site Web! Envoyez ce message à vos listes d’envoi!
Questionário sobre Lubrificantes
Participe num importante estudo
sobre lubrificantes para sexo anal. Demora apenas 10 minutos para completar.
Junte-se aos 1000 homens e mulheres de 50 paÃses que já participaram.
COMO? Na página principal
do International Rectal Micobicides Working Group (Grupo de Trabalho Internacional
de Microbicidas Rectais www.irmwg.org
) existe uma ligação para o questionário em Inglês, Francês, Espanhol e
Português com outras lÃnguas a constarem brevemente, tais como Alemão e
possivelmente Turco e Hindi: verifique regularmente!
"The condition is medical and the solution is political... AIDS denies
the future and if that isn’t political then I don’t know what is."
Bob Geldof
It is always very sad when we lose a loved one, but all we should know is that we are created by God, blessed by Him and Unto Him, we shall return.
May the Almighty God comfort Rhonda' daughters as they bid a final farewell to their beloved mother whom they will join later at the time God has planned and set for each of them to join her.
We also have to thank God for the time she has been with us and her children and for her tremendous contribution in the lives of those Living with HIV/AIDS.
May Rhonda' Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.
Mariam Akiror, DIP SW /
L.L.B STUDENT MUK,
SOCIAL WORKER,
HOSPICE AFRICA UGANDA.
shari margolese <sharfree1@...> wrote:
Dear Friends, the Funeral for Rhonda Stephen will be held
Friday March 16, 2007
Rosar Morrison Funeral Home
467 Sherburne (corner of Sherburne and Wellesley)
Viewing will be from 1pm -2pm
Service will follow at 2pm
A trust fund is being set up for Rhonda’s daughters and we will forward that information when it is available. Donations may also be made at the funeral.
What kind of emailer are you? Find out today - get a free analysis of your email personality. Take the quiz at the Yahoo! Mail Championship.
The Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) welcomes you to LIVE YOUR DREAMS
at the 2007 People
Living with HIV/AIDS Forum (Forum) and Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Come and share information, discuss new ideas, contribute to policy development,
renew
acquaintances and develop new friendships.
Visit our website for more information and for Leadership
Award nomination forms.
********************************************************************************************
VERSION FRANÇAISE
RAPPEL: LA DATE LIMITE POUR SOUMETTRE DES FORMULAIRES DE MISE EN
CANDIDATURE EST LE 30 MARS 2007.
La
Tribune des PVVIH/sida et l'a.g.a.
du 13 a 17 juin 2007
Hotel Delta
Ottawa, ON
RÉALISEZ VOS RÊVES à la Tribune des personnes vivant avec le VIH/sida
(la Tribune) et à l'Assemblée générale annuelle (l'a.g.a.) 2007 de la Société
canadienne du sida qui auront lieu du 13 au 17 juin 2007.
Venez échanger de l'information, discuter de nouvelles idées, contribuer
à l'élaboration des politiques, renouer des liens et développer de nouvelles
amitiés.
Visitez notre site web pour plus d'information et pour obtenir des formulaires
de mise en candidature au Prix du leadership.
Subject: Call for nominations to UNAIDS NGO Delegation:
Africa, Asia, Europe
Please distribute widely and forgive duplicates. Thank
you.
======
Application Deadline: 16
April, 2007
The NGO delegation to the Programme Coordinating Board
(PCB) of the Joint United
Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has vacancies for two-year terms
beginning 1 January 2008 and ending 31 December 2009,
for the following positions:
Africa Alternate Delegate
Asia/Pacific Alternate Delegate
Asia/Pacific Delegate
Europe Alternate Delegate
The position of NGO Delegates on the UNAIDS PCB is very
important for the effective
inclusion of community voices in the key global policy
forum for HIV and AIDS. NGO Delegates represent the
perspectives of civil
society, including people living with HIV,
within UNAIDS policies and
programming.
----- Forwarded by Kim
Thomas/CAS on 03/14/2007 11:51 AM -----
"Randy Jackson"
<randyj@...>
03/14/2007 09:46 AM
To
"'Randy Jackson'" <randyj@...>
cc
Subject
Job Posting ... Please Post/Disseminate
Two-Spirit Women’s Experience of Homophobia
in the Context of HIV/AIDS Service Provision
Research Coordinator – Job Description
Under the direction of two co-principal
investigators (Randy Jackson, CAAN and Janice Ristock, University of Manitoba)
and the research team, this Research Coordinator position will apply specialized
knowledge to initiate, develop, and coordinate/manage a national, community-based,
qualitative study of two-spirit women’s experience of homophobia in the
context of HIV/AIDS service provision. This Research Coordinator
position will also play a central role in liaising with local service agencies,
the community of two-spirit women, and in developing community capacity
to conduct research. The study involves conducting interviews in six sites:
Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Atlantic Region, Vancouver and Montreal. The
research project is funded by the Canadian Institute for Health Research
(CIHR)
Responsibilities
To implement the research study protocol
and data management activity of the project.
To liaise between the project research
team, study sites, government and community agencies. The research
coordinator will supervise the conduct of the study in the 6 sites and
will be responsible for the management of participant recruitment through
community agencies that refer participants including keeping track of intake
from various referral sites. The research coordinator will also train
and work with local researchers at each site who will then help to conduct
approximately 10 interviews with two spirit women per site.
Coordinate and manage the collection,
transcription, verification, entry, management, analysis and reporting
of data. The Research Coordinator will utilize computer software
to analyze the data (Atlas.ti) and will assist in interpretation (i.e.,
coding interview transcripts) and presentation of analysis;
Manage the day to day operation of the
study ensuring that all aspects of the study protocol are carried out in
an efficient, accurate and timely manner. This will involve assessment,
planning, implementation, and evaluation procedures. Ensures safety
and comfort of study participants in accordance with standards of ethics.
Completes documentation for study data. Files and maintains
documentation and records.
Responsible for producing a final report
that includes a literature review, description of project methodology,
data analysis, and findings.
Will assist the research team with the
creation and development of community dissemination strategies related
to the project and encourages community participation and support;
Accountability
The Research Coordinator receives direction
from the research team through the two co-principal investigators of the
project.
Qualifications
Graduate degree in a relevant social science
discipline;
Preference will be given to someone with
previous experience in research coordination; in working with Aboriginal
communities; with participatory, community-based, qualitative research
approaches, and with community dissemination strategies;
Knowledge of the Aboriginal HIV/AIDS epidemic
in Canada; knowledge of social and health concerns in Aboriginal communities,
and knowledge of issues facing two-spirit women (such as, homophobia, racism,
transphobia).
skilled in in-depth interviewing and data
analysis, and skilled in community capacity development
Excellent written and verbal communication
skills;
Highly organized and detail oriented and
able to prioritize and produce work of a consistently high standard;
Negotiating skills, demonstrated initiative
and comfortable with independent decision making and problem solving;
Thorough knowledge of research-related
office procedures, including the use data management qualitative software
(Atlas.ti)
Commitment to maintain confidentiality
of information and records;
Working Conditions
The research coordinator will work either
as an independent consultant or could be located in Ottawa at the offices
of the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network. The position will require
independence and considerable travel to the 6 research sites across the
country.
Terms: This is a two year project
beginning April 01, 2007 to March 31, 2009
Salary: Competitive (commensurate
with relevant experience/education).
If interested, please forward cover
letter and resume to:
Randy Jackson, MA
The Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network
602-251 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 1X3
Email: info@...
And to
Janice Ristock, PhD
Women’s Studies Program,
Faculty of Arts
University of Manitoba
ristock@...
Offline 
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