CIVIL SOCIETY AND LOCAL PARTNERS FOR XIX INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE (AIDS 2012) ANNOUNCED

Geneva, Switzerland, July 13, 2010: The International AIDS Society (IAS), conveners of the International AIDS Conference, along with permanent partners, the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO), the International Community of Women with HIV/AIDS (ICW) and the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), are pleased to announce the new civil society and local partners for the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) which will be held in Washington, DC, in July 2012.

The Black AIDS Institute, the District of Columbia Department of Health (DOH), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society (IDSA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Office of National AIDS Policy(ONAP), the US Positive Women’s Network (USPWN) and Sidaction have all been selected and confirmed as partners for AIDS 2012. “With the announcement of these impressive and diverse civil society and local partnerships for AIDS 2012, we can look forward to ensuring that the conference further strengthens the U.S. role in global AIDS initiatives and re-energizes both the global and U.S domestic response to the epidemic,” said Elly Katabira, Chair of AIDS 2012 and IAS President Elect.

Sidaction, a diverse coalition of individuals and organizations in France and from developing countries, has been selected as the AIDS 2012 civil society partner. Dedicated to fundraising, advocacy, and technical assistance to fight HIV/AIDS in France and around the world, the organization raises private funds to promote cutting-edge scientific research and to improve access to prevention, care, treatment, and support programs.

The US Positive Women's Network (USPWN) and the Black AIDS Institute have been selected as the AIDS 2012 local community partners. The U.S. Positive Women's Network (USPWN) is a national membership body of HIV-positive women, including transgender women, and allies working to achieve policies and programs that meet the needs of affected communities.  The USPWN applies a gender equity and human rights lens to achieve U.S. domestic policies and programs grounded in the reality of lived experience.  

The Black AIDS Institute is the only national HIV/AIDS think tank focused exclusively on black people. The institute's mission is to stop the AIDS pandemic in black communities by engaging and mobilizing black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV. The institute interprets public and private sector HIV policies, conducts trainings, offers technical assistance, disseminates information and provides advocacy mobilization from a uniquely and unapologetically black point of view.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society (IDSA), have been selected as the AIDS 2012 local scientific partners. As part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the NIH is the nation’s medical research agency—making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives.  It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments and cures for both common and rare diseases.

The HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society (IDSA) represents more than 3,700 HIV medical providers and researchers working on the frontlines of the HIV pandemic. The association promotes quality in HIV care and advocates policies that ensure a comprehensive and humane response to the AIDS pandemic informed by science and social justice.

The local leadership partners for AIDS 2012 have been confirmed as the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) and the District of Columbia Department of Health (DOH). ONAP is part of the White House Domestic Policy Council and is tasked with coordinating the continuing efforts of the government to reduce the number of HIV infections across the United States. The Office emphasizes prevention through wide-ranging education initiatives and helps to coordinate the care and treatment of citizens with HIV/AIDS.

The District of Columbia Department of Health has both state and local responsibilities.  The Department works with federal and local agencies to help identify health risks, educate the public, promote effective community collaborations, and help optimize equitable access to community resources. DOH’s programs make use of strong data to best deliver services geared toward preventing and controlling diseases, injuries, and exposure to environmental hazards to help ensure our city is a safe place for those who live, work and play in the District.

 “Following the repeal of the 15-year-old ban on travel to the United States by HIV-positive foreign nationals, the International AIDS Conference is finally returning to the US,” said Mats Ahnlund, IAS Acting Executive Director.  “We are thrilled that our local partners will be now be able to highlight the leadership that the US has displayed in global efforts to combat AIDS.”