Barcelona AIDS Conference Calls for Action

[Guest guest]

Media release

BARCELONA AIDS CONFERENCE CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION

HIV/AIDS remains a global emergency with far reaching effects, and immediate

action is necessary to prevent further catastrophe.

This is according to the organizers of the XIV International AIDS Conference,

which will be held in Barcelona, Spain in July this year (7 – 12 July 2002).

In recognition of this global emergency, the conference has prepared a list of

nine key elements for immediate action.

“These nine elements form the guiding principles upon which the conference

program is being developed. They reflect the reason we are holding this

conference, as well as the reason why people should attend,” said co-chair, Dr

Jordi Casabona.

“This is the world’s largest and most important HIV/AIDS conference, bringing

together more than 15 000 leading scientists, community leaders, people living

with HIV/AIDS, media representatives and policy experts from around the world.

It will help to translate the latest scientific advances into action. It will

address all aspects of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, from science to community

responses, and human rights to economics. It will present a renewed opportunity

for action.”

The conference’s key guiding principles are as follows:

1. HIV/AIDS is a global emergency with far-reaching effects: There is no country

that has been left unscathed by the epidemic. It affects all countries socially,

economically and culturally. It threatens development and human security.

2. Immediate action is necessary to prevent further catastrophe: Violence,

poverty, insecurity and war contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS. In today’s

uncertain climate, HIV/AIDS demands increased focus, commitment and effort.

HIV/AIDS is a worsening crisis, which will increase further in times of war and

instability.

3. Commitments of the United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS)

urgently require implementation: In June 2001, world leaders met at UNGASS in

New York City. The UNGASS Declaration sets out priorities and targets for

fighting the epidemic on a global and a national level.

4. With political commitment given at UNGASS, there is now renewed opportunity

for action: This action must be directed toward the creation of global, regional

and national responses to HIV/AIDS that are sustainable and based on sound

knowledge.

5. Knowledge must be used to translate commitment into action: The world has

gained a vast amount of knowledge about effective strategies against HIV/AIDS

from scientific inquiry and community mobilization. This knowledge must now be

used to increase the scale and effectiveness of our response to this epidemic.

6. A unified effort is needed: All aspects of HIV/AIDS must be addressed by a

unified body of scientists, politicians, people living with HIV/AIDS, community

groups, religious leaders, business and the media. All groups have valuable

experience and lessons to share, and these can accelerate this shared response.

7. Decreasing the impact of HIV/AIDS depends on effective prevention: Prevention

and care are complementary, not competing priorities. Effective prevention

efforts that combine education, information, services and structural change to

the social environment are needed on a massive scale around the world.

8. Access to care and treatment must be available to all people living with

HIV/AIDS: Maximizing access to comprehensive care and effective treatment

requires more support to communities, better health infrastructures, cheaper

drugs and more resources. Resources for new Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and

Malaria (GFATM) need to be increased along with boosts to direct national and

private sector spending on AIDS.

9. Social exclusion is at the root of HIV-vulnerability: Exclusion of people

from social support and networks because of their religion, social standing,

sexual orientation, HIV status, race or gender contributes to vulnerability to

HIV and worsens the impact of HIV. Extending dignity and respect to all people

is therefore key to responding to HIV.

The theme of the conference is KNOWLEDGE AND COMMITMENT FOR ACTION. This theme

was selected to reinforce the need that all involved sectors at all levels -

including scientists, the community, people working in the field, and the public

and private sectors - work together to review the knowledge gained through

science and experience, and use this knowledge to commit to action. This action

must be focused across all aspects of HIV and include all infected and affected

groups.

The conference is organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS) and the

Fundació Barcelona SIDA 2002. It is co-organized by the Joint United Nations

Project for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the International Community of Women Living with

HIV/AIDS (ICW), the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+), the

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) and Red 2002 (a

Spanish-based network of NGOs).

Issued by:

XIV International AIDS Conference

Calle Pomaret 21

08023 Barcelona (Spain)

Tel: +34 93 254 0555

Fax: +34 93 254 0575

Email: media@...

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