World YWCA participates at the civil society hearing on HIV and AIDS
Representatives of civil society organisations, including the World YWCA, addressed UN Member States and observers on April 8, 2011 in an interactive hearing in the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Chaired by General Assembly President , Joseph Deiss (Switzerland) , — and organised with the participation of people living with HIV — the day-long event brought together a diverse mix of non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations and the private sector, as well as Member States and other observers to weigh in on issues to be tackled at the Assembly’s High-Level Meeting on AIDS, which will be held from June 8 to 10, 2011 in New York.
The objective of the hearing was to create a space where civil society, NGOs and the private sector can interact with Member States and offer input to the comprehensive review process. A summary of the hearing will be prepared by the President of the General Assembly, which will be issued as a document of the General Assembly prior to the High Level Meeting.
The hearing consisted of opening and closing sessions, and three sequential informal interactive panels. The themes of the three panels were:
- Enhancing Community-Level Access: Opportunities for Healing Social and Systemic Ills
- A New Generation of National Partnerships: Diversity in Dialogue
- Synergies among Global Movements: Opportunities for Shared Action.
The World YWCA was one of the faith-based women’s rights organisations invited to attend the hearing. The list of invited participants was determined by the President of the General Assembly in consultation with representatives of civil society and the private sector. The World YWCA was represented by General Secretary, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Marjorie Herrera from the YWCA of Chile and Lissette Herrera, President of the YWCA of Peru.
Gumbonzvanda was one of the three speakers representing faith-based organisations. She spoke on the third panel, 'Synergies among Global Movements: Opportunities for Shared Action'. The hearing was open to the media and was broadcast by United Nations Television.
The High Level Meeting in June 2011 will have the objective of undertaking a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realising the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, as well as to promote the continued engagement of leaders in a comprehensive response to AIDS. The meeting will provide a critical opportunity to review the progress made in addressing the pandemic, and identify remaining gaps and challenges and map out a sustainable response. Most importantly the HLM will adopt a new declaration which will ensure Member States continue to deliver on HIV by 2015. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to firmly position AIDS in the broader global health and development context, including the Millennium Development Goals and issues of women’s rights and maternal health.
Resources:
For more information and advocacy materials, see the following attachments:
