The United Nations High- Level meeting on HIV&AIDS, which is one of the important high level political meetings on HIV&AIDS, is around the corner. The 2008 high-level meeting on AIDS will take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 10 - 11 June. It will review progress made in implementing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV&AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV&AIDS.
In the context of Asia, beside series of commitments, the entire Asia is facing an unprecedented challenge of HIV & AIDS, with possibly huge economic and social consequences. Despite series of claims and commitments of the governments, donors and civil society groups, a large number of people in the region continue to face a series of crisis. People are dying from AIDS related deaths because they have no access to food, care, support and medicine. Those who are struggling to escape the jaws of death are compelled to put up with stigma, discrimination and inhuman treatments: a mockery of democracy.
The debilitating human rights condition, increasing democratic deficit, unabated conflicts and increasing religious fundamentalism in most of the countries in Asia pose great challenges to address the causes and consequences of HIV & AIDS. To add, increasing inequalities, mass exodus and exacerbating violence, particularly against women make the issue of HIV & AIDS more complex. The fundamental question haunting us today is, are the key stakeholders sincere enough in fighting the epidemic?
What is GAWA?
Global AIDS Week of Action (GAWA) is an organized citizen's campaign that takes places from 18-24 May to demand urgency, accountability and more resources in the fight against HIV & AIDS. For the past two years during the Global AIDS Week of Action, activists have organized actions in over 30 countries to hold world leaders accountable on their landmark commitment to fight AIDS made at the United National General Assembly Special Session on AIDS (UNGASS) in 2001.
The Global AIDS Week of Action from 18-24 May 2008 is an opportunity for activists around the world to stand together, generate political pressure and demand action from our leaders. The week starts with the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day on 18 May “a Sunday when the world recognizes and remembers those who have died of AIDS. The week of action is just two weeks before a high level meeting at the UN discusses the progress made by each of our governments in the fight against AIDS.
The Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010 is still a distant dream. Thus, the Asian People's Alliance for Combating HIV&AIDS (APACHA) urges government, donors and civil society groups to meet their commitments to the Universal Access by 2010. As in the past APACHA encourages its partners, country chapters, alliance members, and all like minded actors to actively participate in the GAWA campaign to have our say and make the concerned agencies more accountable. APACHA is also part of global coalition on GAWA Campaign.
...we call...
- Governments to immediately introduce humanitarian relief programs for PLHA in poor families in Asia.
- To redefine and implement long term development programs that address the structural causes of the epidemic and to allocate enough resource.
- To strengthen public health care systems with special focus to HIV & AIDS treatment and care.
- To ensure just and democratic governance in HIV & AIDS related interventions from global to local levels.
- To ensure political and meaningful participation of PLHA and other communities in decision making processes.
- To ensure the governance mechanism of CCM through the transparent and democratic processes.
- To strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure the effectiveness of the ongoing programs, their transparency and accountability. Promote social audits.
- Governments and donors to promote development strategies based on the needs and experience of people and local realities. We call for strengthening of national policy making, based on nationally defined needs and priorities that are decided through the political participation of PLHA, vulnerable communities and civil society.
- Governments to fully recognize the centrality of gender equality and equity in over all HIV & AIDS planning, implementation and monitoring processes. We call for donors and governments to promote women’s rights and end violence against women.
- Governments for a commitment for the reduction in military spending, and give priority to public health and HIV & AIDS.
- To end stigma and discrimination and ensure legislative measures to protect the rights of PLHA and other marginalized communities to lead a dignified life.
- Provide responsible care and quality treatment to persons living with HIV & AIDS.
- International donors and governments to take immediate action for fair and transparent aid, and to meet the commitments of debt cancellation.
- For the increase in financial support for the Universal Access Target by 2010. In addition, sustained and predictable funding for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria must be assured.
- No TRIPS. Guarantee the free access of HIV & AIDS related medicines including ART for people living with HIV & AIDS. Ensure public health rights take precedence over pharmaceutical patents.
- Governments to take actions for the reform of the multilateral system of governance and the strengthening and democratization of the United Nations a reform of the World Bank, IMF and other International Financial Institutions, together with the WTO to adhere to these principles.
- Governments to ensure that engagement with civil society in the process of decision making - nationally, regionally and at the international level - is effectively facilitated.
- Governments to ensure the rights of migrant workers
- To promote multi-sectoral approach ensuring enough resource, capacity and coordination. As MDG provides a ground to systematically develop links among eight goals, it could be one of the best possible alternatives.
- Civil society, business sector, political parties, religious leaders, trade unions, student unions and all other networks and individuals to reflect, and realize the urgency of the epidemic and to take immediate actions to mobilize themselves and their respective constituencies to protect the rights of the people and to make a better Asia, a citizen’s Asia.
Please circulate for wider solidarity!
