XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012)

On July 25, 2012 World YWCA delegates presented a play at the Women’s Networking Zone (Athena Network). The Women’s Networking Zone played an important role in the Global Village during the AIDS Conference. The Global Village is a diverse and vibrant space where people from all over the world gathered to meet, share and learn from one another The space at the Global Village was used as a platform for various displays, discussions and performances. In the Women’s Networking Zone, many NGOs, like the World YWCA, ActionAid South Africa, Human Rights Watch, among others, joined side by side to make the voices of women heard. In this zone, a lot of discussions and workshops were giving by different speakers, focusing on women’s rights and the obstacles and difficulties they face in their daily lives. During the morning of the 25th, the World YWCA presented a play based on a true story.

On July 25^th, 2012, a special forum took place at the White House in Washington, DC between administration officials and faith leaders. Hendrica Okondo, World YWCA Global Manager on SRHR and HIV/AIDS and World YWCA Board Members Rebecca Phwitiko and Monica Manoni all participated in the White House session. The forum discussed the faith-based response to HIV and explored partnerships between faith communities and governments to uphold dignity and justice in the context of the HIV epidemic.

The XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) themed ‘Turning the Tide Together’ commenced on Sunday July 22nd, 2012, in Washington DC, USA. The opening ceremony brought together more than 23,000 delegates from over 195 countries. The World YWCA has been actively participating in AIDS 2012 with a delegation of 21 young women from across the globe. The Opening Session included remarks from a range of global leaders, including U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé.

On July 21^st 2012, two World YWCA delegates, Mukatimui Sitali Indopu from YWCA of Zambia and Marcie Martinez from the YWCA of Belize were involved in presenting a workshop at the Interfaith Pre-Conference on HIV taking place at Howard University in Washington, DC. The session was titled ‘Approaches to care, support, and stigma reduction for people living with and affected by HIV in faith communities’ and was moderated by Jenna Lodge from YWCA USA.

Over 400 people of faith attended the Interfaith Pre-Conference to AIDS 2012, titled "Taking Action for Health, Dignity, and Justice", which was held on 20-21 July at Howard University, Washington, DC. The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance is the lead international sponsor of the Interfaith Pre-Conference, working in partnership with The Balm in Gilead as the lead national sponsor. The World YWCA is actively participating in the AIDS 2012 and attended the Interfaith Pre-Conference with a delegation of 21 young women accompanied by Hendrica Okondo, World YWCA Global Programme Manager SRHR & HIV and AIDS and Nagham Nassar, World YWCA Programme Associate. At the Interfaith Pre-Conference all faith based associations gathered together to reflect, to share and to learn from each other. They gathered together to challenge the world and be challenged, as well as to strategise and network ahead of the 19th International Aids Conference.

World YWCA Statement on the XIX International AIDS Conference | Washington D.C. July 22 - 27, 2012

Faith communities have long been on the front line of many responses to the challenges of HIV. At an interfaith pre-conference leading up to the 19th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) in Washington D.C., people from many of the world’s major religions will be exploring how their communities can further contribute to building health, dignity and justice in the context of HIV, and how they can fight stigma, rather than contribute to it.

Seven powerful sessions not to be missed where the World YWCA will be active:

From July 18-28, 2012, the World YWCA will join women’s networks and the faith community to advocate for women’s human rights to be placed at the centre of the global HIV and AIDS response.

We wish to inform the YWCA Movement that the World YWCA will  be taking a delegation of representatives from the  movement, together with World YWCA staff, to the " Taking Action for Health, Dignity and Justice: The Interfaith Pre-Conference on HIV" Conference which will take place from July 20-21, 2012, at Howard University, as well as the  XIX  International AIDS 2012 Conference, July 22-27, 2012, in Washington DC, whose theme "Turning the Tide Together", reflects a unique moment in time, emphasizing that the HIV epidemic has reached a defining moment.