Equity and HIV/AIDS ******************* ICASA Satellite Session Tuesday 23 September, 6 - 8 pm. Equinet and Oxfam would like to invite participants at the ICASA conference to a satellite session on equity and HIV/AIDS. The session is designed to discuss the often misunderstood meaning of 'equity' and how this is relevant to developing countries and their HIV/AIDS crisis. It will discuss if there is a need to develop frames of reference that are equity-based and not just poverty-based; and it will bring to attention the inter-relationships between wealth and poverty; and between justice and aid. For the wealthy and powerful, equity may be considered an undesirable term because it implies redistribution. For some HIV/AIDS activists, equity is undesirable because it can be used as an excuse for inaction (e.g. because we cannot reach everybody with treatment, we can't implement a programme for anybody). Both views are understandable but threaten to undermine a proper and much needed understanding of equity. Without an informed understanding of equity in relation to HIV/AIDS, we run the risk of deepening the injustices that exist in the current distribution of the burden of HIV/AIDS; and ultimately failing to address the underlying social, economic and political determinants that leave millions with unacceptably poor health outcomes.=20 We need to know how we can build in equity into the current efforts to expand HIV/AIDS care and treatment that are both cost-effective as well as just and socially responsible. The satellite session will attempt to raise these issues through a presentation and discussion of several case studies from southern Africa. Come and join us. Further information about the venue and final agenda of the session will be posted on the 8th of September on the Equinet website: http://www.equinetafrica.org/ Dr David McCoy (david.mccoy@lshtm.ac.uk) UNICEF satellite sessions ************************* Dear All, The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) is proud to be a sponsor of the 13th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) Nairobi, Kenya, September 21- 26 September, 2003. UNICEF will sponsor the following activities: 1. Youth Forum for the duration of the Conference. The objectives of this forum are to: - share experiences, strategies, ideas and activities which will enable them to strengthen their own programmes - build a common purpose in relation to the role of young people in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic - provide space for the participants to discuss in advance all the key issues in the ICASA round tables and satellite meetings so that they can give substantive input from a youth perspective into all these issues and ensure that their perspective is included in the resolutions - prove to ICASA participants in the scientific round tables and presentations that youth participation in the broader struggle against HIV/AIDS is key to any successful response. - consolidate the network of young people (representing not just themselves but the organisations from which they come) which was formed during the regional peer educators' workshop held in Lusaka, July 2003 - participate in inter-generational dialogues with key adults attending ICASA - participate in the skills building workshops which form part of ICASA. 2. "Improving Global Guidance on Infant Feeding in the Context of HIV/AIDS" Satellite Session (KICC Conference Hall 5; 22 September 2003, 18:00 - 20:00) The satellite aims to disseminate the new UN framework on priority actions in implementing HIV and infant feeding activities and the revised WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF/UNFPA guidelines on HIV and infant feeding 3. "Voices & Views of Young People on Gender, Sexuality and HIV/AIDS in Education" Satellite Session (KICC Conference Room 6; 22 September 2003, 18:00 - 20:00). This session shall investigate ways girls, boys and male and female youth (6-18 years) constructed their gendered identities within the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It shall examine how gender is addressed in life skills education and explored how sexuality is dealt with by male and female children and youth in everyday practices both in school and out of school environments. It shall also identify good practices in the family, school and community that mitigate against HIV/AIDS. This includes identifying and developing appropriate life skills education materials and activities which address gender, sexuality and HIV/AIDS in education. 4. "Broadening HIV/AIDS Communication Strategies: Moving from messages to Dialogue" (KICC Conference Hall 5; 23 September 2003, 18:00 - 20:00) This Satellite will promote discussion of new approaches to communication between governments/development agencies and people who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Rather than focus on the design and delivery of messages, these techniques encourage dialogue and shared understanding, leading to social action based on an assessment conducted by community members themselves. 5. "From Rhetoric To Action: Turning UNGASS To Action" (KICC Conference Hall 5; 24 September 2003, 18:00 - 20:00) in partnership with USAID. The purpose of this satellite shall be to create a forum for discussion on some key areas of response in Africa for care and support of Children Orphaned and Made Vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. Central to the discussion will be the issue of how to fulfill the UNGASS goal for orphans by 2005. For more information on UNICEF supported activities, please send an e mail to nmaksud@unicef.org = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = AF-AIDS is supporting the 13th ICASA in Nairobi, Kenya (Sept 21-26 2003) http://www.icasanairobi2003.org/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A posting from AF-AIDS (af-aids@healthdev.net)