South Asian voices being heard at the International AIDS Conference

Deependra Joshi and Jaya Luintel of Equa Access recently received an award from Oneworld for their community radio programme Samajhdari

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NEW DELHI/VIENNA: Two UNIFEM partners from South Asia are participating in the International AIDS Conference, taking place in Vienna between July 18 and 23. Breakthrough Trust from India and Equal Access from Nepal, will present their work on addressing the intersection of VAW and HIV/AIDS with support from the United Nations Trust Fund to end violence against women and Johnson and Johnson at the poster exhibition.  

Breakthrough will present the lessons from it national multi‐media campaign titled the Bell Bajao Campaign (Ring the Bell) which was launched in 2008 and encouraged men to engage in preventing domestic violence. The campaign was supported by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, India and community‐based organizations. It ran for almost nine months across television, print and radio and has, till date, reached 130 million people. A public service announcement created as part of the campaign recently received a coveted award at the Cannes Films Festival.  

Equal Access, will present the results emerging from a radio programme called ‘Samajhdari’ (Mutual Understanding). The programme, deals with issues surrounding violence against women and girls and HIV, reached one million regular listeners. The national broadcast included voices from rural communities collected by twelve female 'community reporters' who are themselves living with HIV or are survivors of violence. 

The International AIDS Conference is the premier gathering for those working in the field of HIV, as well as policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the pandemic. It is a chance to assess where we are, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward.

Given the 2010 deadline for universal access set by world leaders, AIDS 2010 will coincide with a major push for expanded access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. With a global economic crisis threatening to undermine public investments, the conference will help keep HIV on the front burner, and is a chance to demonstrate the importance of continued HIV investments to broader health and development goals. AIDS 2010 is also an opportunity to highlight the critical connection between human rights and HIV; a dialogue begun in earnest in Mexico City in 2008.The selection of the AIDS 2010 host city is a reflection of the central role Vienna has played in bridging Eastern and Western Europe, and will allow for an examination of the epidemic’s impact in Eastern Europe.

The AIDS 2010 programme will present new scientific knowledge and offer many opportunities for structured dialogue on the major issues facing the global response to HIV. A variety of session types – from abstract-driven presentations to symposia, bridging sessions and plenaries – will meet the needs of various participants. Other related activities, including the Global Village, satellite meetings, exhibitions and affiliated events, will contribute to an exceptional opportunity for professional development and networking. Following the success of the pilot programme at AIDS 2008, the XVIII International AIDS Conference will provide or facilitate hubs (centres) where selected sessions of the conference will be screened, to increase the access to the conference programme.

 

Read more on the International AIDS Conference

Transforming the National AIDS Response: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Participation  

Posters submitted by South Asian Partners