Declaration - International Conference of People Living with AIDS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 30th October 2003 Kampala, Uganda This declaration of the 11th International conference of people living with HIV/AIDS is made in Kampala Uganda on the 30th Oct 2003 The declaration represents the collective voice of the interna- tional community of women, men, children and young people living with HIV/AIDS. This conference is the largest ever international gathering of people with HIV, from all regions of the world, over 80 counties and more than 300 organizations representing the diversity and strength of people living with HIV/AIDS around the world. The conference has succeeded in bringing together the largest ever gathering of Africans living with HIV/AIDS. The conference is held in Uganda to express solidarity with the efforts of the Ugandan government and its people in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The aim of the conference is to consolidate leadership of people living with HIV/AIDS and to support the new leaders who will take our struggle forward. Since the early days of the epidemic people living with HIV/AIDS have worked courageously, tirelessly, and often at great cost to support each other, and as active partners in prevention, care and support. We as a global community call on our governments, the international community working in HIV, faith based organi- zations, private sector and all stakeholders, to listen and act on the voice of people living with HIV/AIDS as expressed at this conference. WE NOTE WITH CONCERN THAT: * 6 million people need HIV treatment immediately * Access to affordable HIV treatments remains beyond the reach of the vast majority of people with HIV/AIDS who need it ur- gently * International statements and commitments (e.g. GIPA 1994, Abuja 2001, UNGASS 2001) to increasing our involvement and lead- ership in the global response have not been translated into meaningful involvement * Stigma and discrimination remain the outstanding barriers to an effective response to the global epidemics. This is particu- larly evident in the provision of appropriate health services and in the workplace * HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately affect vulnerable and marginalized communities and sectors of society including sex workers, married women, injecting drug users, men who have sex with men and migrant workers * Women continue to bear the multiple burdens of providing care and support, lack of access to information and services, dispro- portionate stigma and emotional, economic, legal, sexual and physical abuse * The response is failing to ensure the safety and security of the millions orphaned by the epidemics * Young people lack the information, tools services and support necessary to empower and protect them against HIV * Our communities and organizations are still starved of the re- sources they need to effectively fulfill their potential and perform the role that is being demanded of us WE DEMAND THAT The international community and our governments take all neces- sary steps to immediately and urgently ensure the following: * That donor countries contribute 10 Billion dollars annually to fight HIV/AIDS in poor countries and fully fund the Global fund * That all governments and international agencies immediately collaborate with us to ensure the rapid expansion of access to ARV in line with the WHO goal of 3 million people in less eco- nomically developed countries by 2005 * That the World Trade Organization declarations regarding pat- ent rights be as flexible as possible and that our governments take full advantage of them to import and export affordable ge- neric treatment and ensure maximum coverage * That we are supported in our efforts to building capacity to effectively contribute as equal partners in the response * That people living with HIV/AIDS are meaningfully included in all national and international HIV/AIDS policy making bodies and structures, including the Global Fund, Country Co-ordinating Mechanisms and national AIDS programs, and that the Global Fund be more aggressive in seeking donations from rich countries * That community delegations have full voting rights on the Global fund Board WE MAKE THESE DEMANDS * In the knowledge that the epidemics of HIV are devastating our communities, families and societies, our survival and the well- being of millions of people are at stake. We as people living with HIV/AIDS are pledged to continue the fight, we are essen- tial to the solution and it is only through solidarity with us that the tide of the epidemic can be turned. Women's Declaration TO ALL WORLD LEADERS: * governments * businesses * the United Nations * pharmaceutical companies * religious groups and * civil society organizations AIDS is killing the world's workers and leaders - women, men and our children. Commitment statements are not enough. Take up your responsibilities as leaders. Now is the time for global united action. Our demands are affordable & must be resourced. We are ready - you just need to act. We women of the world want human rights upheld. TREATMENT FOR ALL NOW