Asia Pacific Conference on HIV/AIDS and Governance.

[Guest guest]

First announcement:

Asia Pacific Conference on HIV/AIDS and Governance.

Venue: Hamdard University, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi

Date: Dec 2 and 3, 2004

Organized by: Action Aid International- Asia & Asia Pacific People's

Alliance to Combat HIV/AIDS (APPACHA)

HIV/AIDS is creating and deepening poverty. The epidemic is turning

back the development clock, undermines achievements in health and

education and acts as a barrier in on economic progress.

This two-day conference is to explore the linkages between HIV/AIDS

and governance and develop an action strategy to translate the

governance approach to regional, sub-regional and grass root level

action in Asia pacific region.

Youth and labor force have emerged as a major vulnerable group apart

from stigmatized populations, migrants, women and poor. The epidemic

is fast taking a heavy toll on people who are at their most

productive age. The latest statistics about the rapid spread of the

epidemics in several pockets of Asia and Pacific sends alarming

signals. The situation calls for unprecedented political action to

combat the epidemic – a crisis that is increasingly being recognized

as the greatest political and humanitarian challenge of all times.

This conference is to understand and articulate the need for clear

vision and leadership at all levels of government to tackle the

crisis. A model leadership as a sign of proactive move to ensure

accountability at all levels; to champion the cause of more and

strategic resources is being called for. Mobilization of

institutions and actors well beyond the health sector is necessary

and being called for.

Among the key questions the conference attempts to consider are:

• Implications of HIV/AIDS for democracy

• Relevance and need of multi-sectoral alliances to combat HIV/AIDS

• Means and methods of developing and implementing accountability

frameworks

• Empowering communities to monitor, evaluate budgets.

• Public health system- its breakdown and rejuvenation to combat the

• International commitment- 'broken promises or recycled slogans'

epidemic.

This international conference will bring together people from

various walks of life- politicians, activists, UN officials,

campaigners, analysts, people affected and living with HIV/ AIDS,

government officials, people from the media in the Asia pacific

region.

This conference will address few of the following issues:

• What we know about the linkages between governance and HIV/AIDS

• What we have learned about AIDS and Governance

• Democracy and AIDS

• Accountability, Transparency and AIDS response

• Understanding and monitoring AIDS

• Bureaucracy

• Budgets, Taxes and Development

• Civil Society and Social Capital

• Citizenship, community Participation and Human Rights

• Regional and Personal Security

• Governance of the Creation and use of AIDS knowledge

• Research and Action plan

For Further details and expression of interest please contact:

Sneha Singh <sneha_del30@...>

Unni <unnikru@...>

Mukul <mukul@...>

Joe <joe_thomas123@...>

APPACHA <appacha@...>