PHA-Exchange> SIGN-ON: Civil Society Recommendations for the Political Declaration on AIDS

[Claudio]

From: AIDS-Beyond-Borders at googlegroups.com

Dear Friends,  A number of us have worked the past several weeks on this
document, and while the full list of initial signatories did not get
captured below due i believe to time constraints, CHANGE and a range of
other organizations are signed on to this document as well and urge all
of those who can do to so in support of civil society at UNGASS.

*(PLEASE SEND YOUR ORGANISATION'S ENDORSEMENT/SIGN-ON TO THE EMAIL
universalaccess at icaso.org* *.**)*

*THIS IS A CALL TO SIGN-ON TO A SET OF CIVIL SOCIETY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
THE POLITICAL DECLARATION OF THE HIGH LEVEL MEETING ON AIDS*
(French and Spanish language versions will be available soon.)

The enclosed document includes proposed language for 60 priority issues
for the Political Declaration that reflects the work, discussions and
consultations of a broad and diverse group of thousands of civil society
organizations.  It has drawn on reports of civil society consultation
meetings and processes, reports from civil society country monitoring of
UNGASS implementation, specific language proposed by civil society for
the Universal Access consultations processes, and many more existing
recommendations coming from civil society groups around the world.  The
recommendations are therefore based on their priorities and commitment
of all these groups.

The document can be used by anyone in negotiations with governments over
the political declaration that  they will agree to at the forthcoming
High Level meeting on AIDS (sometimes referred to as the 2006 UNGASS
Review), to be held in New York in 31 May - 2 June 2006.

It is critically important that as many organisations around the world
support the enclosed recommendations so that we can together push our
governments to finally do what is need to halt the unprecedented human
catastrophe of AIDS.  Countries and international institutions need to
live up to their commitments and deliver the effective HIV/AIDS
prevention and treatment interventions that exist today.  Failure to
immediately provide these services will mean needless death for
millions, further devastation in communities around the globe, and an
end to any hope of accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals.

Political failings drive AIDS and stand in the way of effectively
addressing the epidemic: failure to commit adequate resources, disregard
for human rights and dignity, decades of inattention to health workers
and health care systems, refusal to base prevention interventions on the
evidence of what is effective, and financing and trade policies that
undermine access to lifesaving drugs.

Please participate in this joint effort to push for immediate change and
commitment by governments at this High Level meeting on AIDS.

To sign-on to these recommendations please send an email to*
universalaccess at icaso.org*

Copies of the recommendations can be found at www.icaso.org.  Please
distribute widely.

Prior to this call the following have already signed-on to these
recommendations:
1.        ActionAid International, USA
2.        Advocates for Youth, USA
3.        African Council of AIDS Service Organizations (AfriCASO), Senegal
4.        African Services Committee, USA
5.        Agua Buena Human Rights Association, Costa Rica
6.        Asia-Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations (APCASO),
Malaysia

7.        HelpAge International, UK
8.        International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, UK
9.        International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO),
Canada
10.        International Women's Health Coalition, USA
11.        Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO), Kenya
12.        Latin American Council of AIDS Service Organizations
(LACCASO), Venezuela
13.        Public Health Watch – Open Society Institute, USA
14.        Soropositividade, Comunicação e Gênero (GESTOS), Brazil
15.        Tearfund, UK
16.        Zambia National AIDS Network (ZNAN), Zambia

----------------
Kieran Daly
Director, Policy & Communications

International Council of AIDS Service Organisations - ICASO
International Secretariat
65 Wellesley Street E., Suite 403
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4Y 1G7
Email: kierand at icaso.org
Website: www.icaso.org

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