Invitation to the Open Forum on PEOPLE’s CHARTER ON HIV/ AIDS

[Guest guest]

PEOPLE's HEALTH MOVEMENT & ACTIONAID

Invites You for an Open Forum on PEOPLE's CHARTER ON HIV/ AIDS & The

International AIDS conference in Bangkok.

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Date: 16th of June 2004 (Wednesday)

Time: 10 am to 1 pm

Venue: Indian Social Institute (ISI), 24, Benson Road, Bangalore-

560046. Phone:23536960.

Chair: Dr. B Ekbal, Convenor, People's Health Movement, India and

Former Vice Chancellor, Kerala University.

Invitees: People-based movements, PHM network members, trade unionists, student

unionists, youth associations, positive people networks, legal activists,

positive people associates, NGOs, INGOs

DO JOIN US AND PARTICIPATE IN THE CONSULTATIONS.

For details, please contact:

People's Health Movement on email at secretariat@... ;

Phone- 080- 5128 0009 or ActionAid on email at

seetaram@... ; Ph:-080- 25586682.

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Some of the Issues for Discussion During the Open Forum:

Time is Running Out: HIV gains foothold, will destabilise societies,

economies

" HIV has gained a firm foothold in Asia, threatening millions of

lives in some of the world's most populous nations. The AIDS pandemic

is one of the greatest humanitarian crises of all times. It has

caused death and misery, destroyed families and communities and

ravaged entire populations. Two decades after it began its onslaught

in Sub-Saharan Africa, the disease has gained a firm foothold in

Asia, threatening millions of lives in some of the world's most

populous nations..... " (ActionAid's report-TIME TO ACT)

" Over the next decade, without effective treatment and care, they

will join the ranks of the more-than-20 million people who have died

of AIDS since the first clinical evidence was reported in 1981 "

United Nations Programme for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

The HIV/AIDS killer machine is now threatening Asia. Armed conflicts

and aggressive market reforms drain funds from weak public health

systems, making poor people more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other

epidemics, the ActionAid report titled `Time to Act: HIV/AIDS in

Asia' said.

" In Africa, a whole generation is disappearing in front of our eyes, "

noted a recent report brought out by ActionAid Asia. In 2004, there

are over 40 million people worldwide infected with HIV, 75 per cent

of them from Africa. In 16 worst affected countries in Africa, life

expectancy dropped by half " .

Peoples' Charter on HIV/ AIDS to Amplify People's Voices. " The

Charter is a rallying point. An Alliance of people is being called

for " .

" THE CHARTER IS A CALL FOR ACTION " .

Dr. Unnikrishanan - PHM

Christy Abraham - ActionAid