The 24th International AIDS Conference convened by the International AIDS Society took place in Montréal, Canada. This was a key moment for HIV activists, policy makers and the public health community to come together and STOPAIDS was delighted to participate both in person and virtually.
The 24th International AIDS Conference in Montréal has silenced key voices in the international HIV response.
STOPAIDS stands in solidarity with those who were denied entry into Canada to attend the 24th International AIDS Conference (IAC) in Montréal, Canada.
A month ago, we signed onto a letter calling for the Canadian Government to act urgently to ensure that all delegates would have their visa applications accepted. However, many partners did not receive visa approval, or had visas approved so late that the cost of attending was too high, and were therefore left to engage as best they could remotely.
The failure to ensure equitable access and representation at the conference re-embedded the power structures that many at the conference work to change. Voices were silenced and what resulted was a lack of meaningful involvement of many communities living with and affected by HIV.
We call on the Canadian Government to review this shocking grant visa process and for the International AIDS Society to undertake a detailed review of conference organising processes, and implement policies for future events to ensure access for delegates living in low-and lower-middle income countries.
Additional Resources: CSO Partners for AIDS 2022 – Joint Statement: Community Participation in AIDS2022; a report on visa issues experienced by IAC delegates
The timetable of STOPAIDS events at AIDS 2022:
Member Events:
Friday 29th July
UNAIDS, WHO, Frontline AIDS & ARASA Satellite: Anti-racism and Decolonising the AIDS Response: Moving from rhetoric to reformation.
WHO Satellite: Launching New WHO Guidelines for Key Populations: Focus for impact.
Unitaid and PSI Satellite: Self-testing to Enhance HIV, Hepatitis C and Covid-19 Diagnosis and Integrated, Differentiated Service Delivery
WHO, PATH, the Hepatitis Fund, CHAI Satellite: HIV and Viral Hepatitis: Integrating programmes and financing to accelerate achievement of twin goals to eliminate HIV and viral hepatitis by 2030.
Saturday 30th July
INPUD Community-led Research Meeting on Pandemic Preparedness & Responses Research Project
Frontline AIDS event: Effective COVID-19 Responses and Pandemic Preparedness Through HIV Community Systems- Strategies for Civil Society and National Governments
WHO Satellite: HIV and Integration: New WHO strategies for a sustainable health sector response for 2030 and beyond
Sunday 31st July
Mothers2Mothers Satellite session: Innovation In Integration: How people-powered services can end AIDS and deliver Universal Health Coverage
Coalition Plus Satellite: Drugs, HIV and Community Involvement: A 360 degree vision on how to approach harm reduction practices and policies
MPact, NSWP, INPUD Satellite: Communities Leading The Way: The importance of key population community-led responses in HIV 2022
ICAP, FHI360, EPIC, SSHLN and INPUD Satellite: Differentiated Service Delivery for People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in Africa: Priorities and lessons learned
Global Prevention Coalition Satellite: A New Global Roadmap for Combination HIV Prevention: Intensified actions towards achieving UNAIDS 2025 targets
Frontline AIDS Workshop: Community-Led Human Rights Data for Advocacy NOW: How marginalised communities are responding to rights violations impeding access to health and justice and implementing evidence-based advocacy
Frontline AIDS and the Platform for ACT-A Civil Society and Community Representatives, Global Village and Youth Programme: Financing Community Systems for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response: Lessons learnt from the HIV and COVID-19 response
Monday 1st August
Frontline AIDS event: What The HIV Movement Brings To Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response
Frontline AIDS event: Achieving an AIDS-Free Future: African leaders championing sexuality education and challenging misinformation
UNAIDS Symposium: The 2025 Targets: Powerful motivators or will we miss the mark?
Mothers2Mothers Led panel discussion & Q&A with Viiv HealthCare Positive Action Partner: When Women Lead, Communities Get What They Need
GCDP Symposium: Drug Use and HIV: A matter of world health
Y+ Global & Frontline AIDS event: READY Doing Development Differently - Meaningful engagement of AYPLHIV in the development agenda
Coalition Plus, Mpact and Frontline AIDS documentary film screening and panel discussion: Seeing Thousands
Tuesday 2nd August
Frontline AIDS Satellite: Report launch: Protectors or Perpetrators? Unlawful policing, HIV and justice
Frontline AIDS, WHO and UNAIDS Satellite: Strengthening Health Systems for Holistic HIV Prevention, Cervical Cancer and Female Genital Schistosomiasis Prevention and Control Services
Florence Eshalomi MP at AIDS22
Florence Eshalomi was elected MP for Vauxhall in 2019 and is the Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group HIV and AIDS. She is currently serving as Angela Rayner MP’s Parliamentary Private Secretary as well as being a member of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
Since being elected Florence has since campaigned on issues such as ending inequalities, better access to PrEP, funding to fight HIV across the world including UNAIDS, the Global Fund and Unitaid, and reforming blood donation rights in the UK.
Florence previously served as a London Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark between 2016 and 2021 and as a Lambeth councillor between 2006 and 2018, where she was a champion for better access to PrEP.
Florence spoke at the following events:
29th July at 17:00pm: Harnessing Political Leadership for the Fight to End AIDS. GFAN Meeting Space.
30th July at 12:00pm: How Race Can Affect the Experience Of and Access To Health Services for People Living with HIV in the Global North. Global Village room 1.
30th July at 17:00: Working Together to Increase Access to Innovations and Shift Latest Evidence to Actions: The importance of the partnership between the Global Fund and Unitaid from a Communities and Civil Society Perspective. GFAN Networking Zone.
Resources
People living with HIV
Global Health Governance
HIV, Universal Health Coverage and the future of the global health architecture
5 Ways the Global Fund and Unitaid are making a difference: why investment is critical:
Stepping up UK leadership to end epidemics through partnership with the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria: Briefing here
The case for investing in Unitaid, 2022 report here. Learn more about Unitaid's work on HIV and AIDS here.
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