VSO's Campaign: Gendering AIDS

[Guest guest]

VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers.

http://www.vso.org.uk

VSO's new campaign, AIDS Agenda, aims to focus attention on the need for

more equality between women and men as part of an effective response to HIV

and AIDS.

Nearly 1 in 100 people worldwide is living with HIV and AIDS, rising to 1 in

3 in some parts of Southern Africa. The number of women contracting HIV is

surpassing that of men in some areas, and the impact that HIV and AIDS is

having on women and girls is equal to or greater than that of men.

Inequalities between women and men both directly contribute to the spread of

HIV and AIDS, and are exacerbated by the epidemic.

Strategically women must be at the centre of the response to HIV and AIDS -

tactically men have to be involved to address both HIV & AIDS and gender

inequalities. Rakhi Sarkar, VSO India Programme Officer

The publication of VSO's new position paper Gendering AIDS: Women, Men,

Mobilisation, Empowerment marks the beginning of the new campaign. Research

for Gendering AIDS was carried out in South Africa, India, Namibia and

Cambodia, and reflects the priorities of the organisations VSO works with in

those countries. In particular it examines how national and international

policies designed to protect women's rights can be put into practice, and

how men can be more constructively involved in HIV and AIDS work at the

grassroots.

To read the report, please visit

http://www.vso.org.uk/advocacy/gendering_aids.pdf

Nock

Advocacy Campaigns Officer

VSO

317 Putney Bridge Road

London, SW15 2PN, UK

Tel: 020 8780 7263

E-mail: stephen.nock@...