Dear friends and colleagues,
First of all we would like to thank those of you who have already endorsed the Human Rights and HIV/AIDS: Now More Than Ever declaration published by the Open Society Institute's Law and Health Initiative, which outlines why law and human rights should occupy the center of the global HIV/AIDS struggle and highlights that universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support will never be achieved without much greater action on HIV/AIDS and human rights.
Over 400 organizations have already endorsed the declaration, but we are hoping at least another 100 organizations will have endorsed the declaration by July 28, 2008. The endorsement campaign will culminate in a rally for human rights at the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico on August 7, 2008.
Human Rights and HIV/AIDS: Now More Than Ever Declaration
To allow us to reach this goal, we would like to ask you to circulate this message among other organizations you work with, encouraging them to take a couple of minutes to submit their organization's endorsement of the declaration "Human Rights and HIV/AIDS: Now More Than Ever". And if your organization has not yet endorsed the declaration, we are asking you to do so as soon as possible. Please note that at this time we welcome the endorsements on behalf of organizations rather than individuals.
Download the declaration:
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/health/focus/law/articles_publications/publications/human_20071017
Endorse the declaration: www.soros.org/endorsehumanrights (this page is in English only, but endorsing the declaration is very easy and requires only very little knowledge of English).
International Rally for Human Rights and HIV/AIDS
In addition to seeking additional organizational endorsements for the declaration, we invite all those who will attend the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City to participate in the first international rally for human rights and HIV/AIDS.
Participants will gather at 1:30 PM on Thursday, 7 August, in the space in front of the main stage in the conference's Global Village, to demand human rights for all people living with and at risk of HIV, as well as vastly greater attention to human rights in the response to HIV. Among those who will give keynote presentations and/or to receive a copy of the human rights declaration with the list of endorsements are: Mary Robinson (Executive Director of the Ethical Globalization Initiative and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland), Peter Piot (UNAIDS Executive Director), and Michel Kazatchkine (Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria).
More info about the rally: www.soros.org/marchforhumanrights
"Human Rights & HIV/AIDS: Now More than Ever" Networking Zone
Finally, during the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, exciting events (including hot topic debates, sessions during which rapporteurs will summarize the key human rights events of the day, human rights campaigns, and much more) will take place every day in the Human Rights Networking Zone, located in the conference's Global Village in networking zone 421, right beside the entrance to the food court.
The goal of the Networking Zone is to bring together HIV and human rights organizations to maximize visibility of the human rights concerns of people living with and at high risk of HIV, and to catalyze action on HIV and human rights.
Through this communication, we would like to extend a special invitation to you to participate in actions and events at the zone. We hope the zone will reflect the diversity and talents of the conference itself, recognizing that all those living with HIV and at most risk -- whether women, gay or bisexual men, prisoners, people who use drugs, or sex workers – share a history of human rights abuse and neglect.
Delegates Guide to Human Rights at AIDS 2008
The full program of the Human Rights Networking Zone will become available within the next weeks, together with the Delegates’ Guide to Law and Human Rights at AIDS 2008, providing detailed information about all events at the conference with a focus on law and human rights. Please check out our website at www.soros.org/networkforhumanrights for a copy.
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Many thanks in advance for your interest and support! Please circulate this note widely, encourage other organizations to also demand greater attention to human rights in the fight against HIV by endorsing the declaration and joining the rally, and participate in the events in the Human Rights Networking Zone (Global Village, #421).
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