The International AIDS Conference 2008 from 3-8 August in Mexico-City brought together 85 IPPF representatives from accross the Federation.
Prior to the Conference, delegates from IPPF Central Office, Regional Offices and 16 IPPF HIV focus Member Associations participated in a 4 day Workshop: Evidence for linking HIV & SRH to inform on latest developments on HIV, to plan for the future and to share experience.
The workshop focused on 4 important themes: Providing Prevention Services; Expanding Treatments, Care and Support; Reducing HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination; Linking HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health.
The XVII edition of the International AIDS Conference was attended by more than 23 000 participants from over 190 countries. For the first time, priority was given to the situation of the HIV positive children, Men Having Sex with Men (MSM) and also Sex Workers.
The Conference’s theme "Universal Action Now" served as a rallying call, reminding us that it is only through individual and collective action that we will reach the goals of ensuring universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010, and eliminating HIV stigma and discrimination.
The global Conference also highlighted the negative impact of stigma and discrimination of People Living with HIV/AIDS and the lack of sexual and reproductive health services as grave barriers for effective HIV treatment and prevention.
IPPF also held an information booth at the Conference including a 'Scribble Wall' where participants were inivted to answer the question: HIV and Sexual and reproductive health should be linked because... IPPF's activities during the Conference included the organisation of satellite sessions, concurrent session presentations, skill building sessions, the launch of IPPF new publication "Make it Matter".
Together in partnership with UNAIDS, the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) and the International Community of Women living with HIV (ICW), IPPF has developed an index that will be used worldwide to measure the stigma experienced by people living with HIV. The launching of 'For People Living with HIV Stigma Index' website www.stigmaindex.org took place during the Conference.
IPPF is engaged in reducing stigma and discrimination of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS but also more recently, from a human rights perspective, in fighting against the criminalization of HIV transmission.
The next IPPF Competencies Workshop will take place in India, July 2009 and the following International AIDS Conference 2010 will be organised in Austria, August 2010.
Workshop will take place in India, July 2009 followed by the International AIDS Conference 2010 and IPPF Competencies Workshop in Austria, August 2010.
For further information regarding the outcomes of the XVII International AIDS Conference 2008, please visit: http://www.aids2008.org/start.aspx