YWCA News current

Canada's goal to make affordable medication available to the countries hardest-hit by the AIDS pandemic has not lived up to its promise, say activists preparing for the 13-18 August International AIDS Conference in Toronto.

Accountability is the recurring theme as thousands of policy makers, researchers, health care providers, activists and people living with HIV prepare for the 16th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2006), "Time to Deliver", 13-18 August, in Toronto, Canada. Faith-based participants intend to examine how they will help deliver on their promises - and challenge government and other players to keep their promises through ecumenical and inter-faith pre-conferences.

International AIDS Vaccine Initiative has published a new brochure focusing on the need for emphasis of vaccines and microbicides for women to ensure families and communities are sustained. IAVI’s mission is to ensure the development of safe, effective, accessible, preventive HIV vaccines for use throughout the world.

The most recent brief in this Global coalition on Women and AIDS series, "Support Women Caregivers, Fight AIDS," highlights the critical need to provide economic, technical and social support to caregivers.

The World YWCA and UNFPA announce the launch of a training manual: Empowering Young Women to Lead Change. The launch took place Monday, 14 August 2006, as a part of the XVI International AIDS Conference.

The World YWCA will participate actively in the XVI International AIDS Conference, "Time to Deliver", taking place in Toronto, Canada from 13-18 August, 2006, as well as in the Ecumenical and Interfaith pre-conference "Faith in Action: Keeping The Promise", 10-12- August, 2006.

The World YWCA, founding member of the EAA, will take part in the ecumenical and interfaith pre-conference with a delegation of 5 young women from Belarus, Zimbabwe, Argentina and Switzerland who will facilitate a workshop entitled "ABCs: What about women?". The workshop will be offered four times during the 3-day pre-conference. After the pre-conference, 3 other World YWCA staff members will join the delegation in Toronto for the international conference, as well as YWCA Canada members.

Dr Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under Secretary-General of the United Nations has visited the World YWCA for a working session. After the meeting he sent the following gracious letter.

The World YWCA has sent the following letter to National Associations of the organization.