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New Civil Society Partner for AIDS 2014 and AIDS 2016
- Positive Women's Network, South Africa -
16 May 2012 - On behalf of the International AIDS Conference permanent partners, the International AIDS
Society (IAS) would like to welcome Positive Women's Network, South Africa to be the new civil
society partner for AIDS 2014 and AIDS 2016. The Positive Women's Network will replace the
existing partner, the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC), who has held the
position for AIDS 2010 and AIDS 2012. Other civil society partners for AIDS 2014 are the Global
Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+), International Community of Women living with
HIV/AIDS (ICW), the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) and
Sidaction.
Positive Women's Network, South Africa, established in 1996, is a non-government organization
committed to create an environment in which people living with HIV/AIDS are free from
stigmatization and discrimination because of their HIV status. The network recognizes that
people living with and/or affected by HIV/AIDS should share the lead and the responsibility in
responding to the pandemic, while encouraging the society to create the space for them to play
this crucial role. The organization works to set up and manage care and support programmes,
harness and build resources, build capacity, support and monitor developmental initiatives to
improve the quality of life of women and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS throughout
Africa. The network won a Red Ribbon Award in Vienna (AIDS 2010) for its work. The
organization has nominated Ms. Prudence Mabele to represent them on the Conference
Coordinating Committees (CCCs). Ms. Mabele is the founder of the network in South Africa and
is a founding member of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), as well as the National
Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS of South Africa (NAPWA) and the South African
National AIDS Council. She has been living positively with HIV for 22 years and has been a
prominent South African activist and an expert in the field of HIV and AIDS since 1992.
Positive Women's Network, South Africa will fill a rotating seat on the CCCs which is occupied
by a civil society organization based in a resource-limited country that is working in several
countries or on a whole continent with HIV and AIDS as a major activity.
The call for interested organizations was distributed widely with eleven applications received.
The selection committee, made up of representatives of all the international permanent partners
of the International AIDS Conference, gave consideration to the regional, issue-based, and
constituency representation within the civil society members of the CCC. The set of criteria
included consideration of the organization's proven commitment to:
the Greater and Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS (GIPA/MIPA);
the full realization of human rights, including those related to the most marginalized
populations and PLHIV, in particular to the principle of non-discrimination;
gender equity, the empowerment of women and the protection and promotion of their human
rights and fundamental freedoms, including their sexual and reproductive rights;
evidence-based policies, programmes and interventions that support good practices and are
not contrary to scientific evidence of effective HIV/AIDS interventions; including those that
are based on cultural/religious beliefs and/or violate basic human rights principles.
The committee also considered the number of years' experience working on HIV/AIDS issues,
the organization's commitment to encourage and support enhanced community participation in
the conference, particularly of those representing and/or working with the most marginalized
and vulnerable and the organization's ability and commitment to represent and promote the
International AIDS Conference publicly.
The partners would like to heartily thank Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) for
their work and commitment during their representation on the conference organizing structures.
End
Contact details
Positive Women's Network, South Africa
Heerengcht Building
87 De Korte Street, 3rd floor 305
Braamfontein, 2017
South Africa
pmabele@pwn.org.za
+ 27 11 339 7679 or +27 78 383 9529
Reproduced with permission - "International AIDS Society (IAS)"
International AIDS Society (IAS)
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