Managua – One of the key meetings taking place in the framework of the V Central American Congress on AIDS (CONCASIDA) was the Second meeting of the Americas on AIDS, prisons and confinement which was held in Managua on 4th and 5th November.

Under discussion were the poor conditions many inmates are facing in prisons across Latin America, exacerbated by the lack of access to health services, dilapidated infrastructure, overcrowding and mistreatment.

The particularly negative effects these conditions are having on inmates who are living with HIV were outlined and participants described how the lack of access to adequate health services contributes to a rapid deterioration in health, affecting both the mental and physical wellbeing of people living with HIV. They also stressed that without proper health care and access to medicines the life expectancy for people living with HIV is often dramatically reduced.

Another important issue discussed at the meeting was how to address the rapid spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases which occur in prisons with inadequate infrastructure and services. 

Participants agreed that urgent action is needed to improve the living conditions of people living in prisons in order to reduce their vulnerability to HIV infection.

Regional Director for UNAIDS, Cesar Nunez highlighted the need to strengthen strategies and actions addressing HIV and prisons within the framework of the “Three Ones” principles. He said, “We need to elaborate an action plan that coordinates the efforts of all actors involved in the response to the epidemic in prison settings. We also need to create or strengthen a coordinating body on HIV on a national level and implement a common monitoring and evaluation system at country level, in order to achieve the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for all people living with HIV, wherever they are.

Participants were united in their support for joint efforts and agreed that the way forward was for all actors involved in this particular area of the AIDS response to work together to promote effective HIV prevention strategies and advocate for better conditions in prisons.

As part of these efforts the Latin American Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders (ILANUD) will act as facilitator in the process and will be advising governments in decision making processes concerning HIV and prisons on behalf of all the groups concerned. 

Jose Vila del Castillo, ILANUD Regional Advisor highlighted his commitment to take effective and sustainable action in responding to the AIDS epidemic in the region, particularly for people living in prison settings.

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Links:

Read more on HIV and Prisons
American Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders (ILANUD)

Several countries have recently introduced laws to criminalise HIV transmission, or exposing another person to the virus. A number of jurisdictions have used general laws against serious bodily harm in cases where someone is accused of knowingly transmitting HIV or willingly exposing others to HIV transmission.

Subject of controversy, these measures are sparking debate and concern among policymakers, legal and public health professionals, international organizations and civil society, on whether criminal law is applicable in such cases and if such application is accomplishing or damaging public health goals such as universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

Addressing these issues, UNAIDS brought together a range of stakeholders in Geneva for a three-day international consultation (31 October – 2 November) to discuss the apparent trend of criminalization of HIV transmission in the context of national responses to AIDS.

The purpose of the consultation, co-hosted by the UNAIDS Secretariat and UNDP, was to foster dialogue and provide an opportunity to reach an understanding of what constitutes appropriate application of criminal law to HIV transmission, if at all, given public health and human rights imperatives. Participants in the meeting included parliamentarians, members of the judiciary, criminal law experts, civil society representatives and people living with HIV, alongside representatives of WHO, ILO and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Consultation participants expressed concern about the apparent rise in the number of cases in which people living with HIV have been criminally charged for transmitting HIV, or engaging in acts that risk transmitting HIV. In some cases, criminal charges have been laid for conduct that is “perceived” as risking transmission, but where no real risk exists, and sometimes with very harsh penalties imposed. Participants also expressed concern that there are jurisdictions moving to enact or amend legislation specifically to criminalize transmission and exposure. While noting that many legislators may be acting out of good intentions, consultation participants stated clearly that such laws are not an effective way of dealing with the transmission of HIV.

“Like in the early years of the epidemic when I declared that we have now ‘HIL – Highly Inefficient Laws’, when there were the proposals for testing everyone in society, we now have a new wave of HIL. And it’s a wave that’s coming particularly in Africa, but also in other parts of the world,” stated Justice Michael Kirby, judge in the High Court of Australia, in the concluding session of the consultation.

While little is known about the impacts of criminalizing HIV transmission, many are concerned that it may have a negative impact on the uptake of HIV testing and access to HIV prevention, treatment and care services. Sensational media reports can exacerbate stigma and discrimination, and jeopardize HIV prevention strategies currently in place. “Applying criminal law to HIV transmission has a heightened role in stigmatizing HIV, it is ineffective and public health strategies are better used to advance HIV prevention,” said Justice Edwin Cameron, Supreme Court of Appeal, South Africa.

Furthermore, there is also concern that criminal proceedings may compromise basic civil rights such as the right to privacy, especially among the most vulnerable populations. Some legislators and women’s rights groups think such laws will protect women from HIV infection, but as Susan Timberlake, UNAIDS Human Rights and Law Advisor noted, “There is great concern that in fact these laws would hurt women most, as it is women who first find out their status and thus will be first subject to prosecution.  Laws to ensure women’s equality inside and outside marriage would protect them more than laws criminalizing HIV transmission.”

Recommendations from the meeting will inform the finalization of UNAIDS’ policy position and other guidance documents on the criminalization of HIV transmission. “A clear message from the meeting was that criminal law is a very blunt tool to deal with HIV,” said Seema Paul, UNAIDS Chief of Policy Coordination. “The real goal of policy makers is preventing new infections but, in fact, criminalizing HIV transmission – excepting in a very small sub-set of cases dealing with retributive justice – will create disincentives for learning about one’s HIV status and accessing health and other services,” she added.

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Links:

Read remarks by Edwin Cameron, Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa
Read more on HIV and the law

Audio:

Listen to Rama Valayden, Attorney General and Minister of Justice & Human Rights, Republic of Mauritius (mp3, 3.1 Mb)
Listen to Edwin Cameron, Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal, South Africa (mp3, 1.9 Mb)

Related documents:

International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights
Criminal Law, Public Health and HIV Transmission: a policy options paper
Handbook for Legislators on HIV/AIDS, Law and Human Rights
Report on the ARASA/OSISA Civil Society Consultative Meeting on the Criminalisation of the Wilful Transmission of HIV
Legal Aspects of HIV/AIDS - A Guide for Legal and Policy Reform

The impact of HIV in Central America: The United Nations Report
United Nations agencies and programs are committed to taking all the necessary measures to intensify Central America’s response to the HIV epidemic. This announcement was made by the Regional Directors for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNAIDS and UNICEF, participating in the 5th Central American Congress on HIV – CONCASIDA 2007.
Read press release ( en | es )

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UNAIDS Executive Director's opening speech

UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot gave one of the key note speeches at the official opening ceremony of CONCASIDA. During his speech he highlighted the need to deal with the tough issues that lie at the core of the AIDS epidemic in Central America and called for strong and exceptional leadership on AIDS.
Read UNAIDS Executive Director's opening speech ( en | es )
Listen to UNAIDS Executive Director's opening speech (mp3, 2.2 Mb, recorded on location)
View photo gallery

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Princess of Norway visits grassroots AIDS organization

As part of an official visit to Nicaragua to learn more about the impact AIDS is having on women, UNAIDS Special Representative, HRH the Crown Princess of Norway visited a grassroots AIDS organisation working on human rights and the sexual and reproductive rights of women and children.
Read more
View photo gallery

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Second meeting of the Americas on AIDS, prisons and confinement

One of the key meetings taking place in the framework of the V Central American Congress on AIDS (CONCASIDA) was the Second meeting of the Americas on AIDS, prisons and confinement which was held in Managua on 4th and 5th November. Read more

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CONCASIDA 2007

The 5th Central American Congress on HIV is being held in Managua, Nicaragua, from 4-9 November. Over 1,500 participants are expected to attend the Congress including representatives from governments, the United Nations, people living with HIV, women’s organizations, religious groups and the private sector. Read more

The 5th Central American Congress on HIV (CONCASIDA) is being held in Managua, Nicaragua, from 4-9 November.

The 1,500 participants attending the congress include Dr Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, UNAIDS Special Representative HRH the Crown Princess of Norway, people living with HIV, regional Health Ministers, representatives from civil society, women’s organizations, religious organizations and the private sector. Dr Piot will give a keynote speech during the official inauguration ceremony.

As well as a strong focus on scientific developments, sharing lessons learnt and best practices, one of the main aims of the Congress will be to evaluate the progress made on the ‘San Salvador declaration’—a commitment signed in November 2005 by seven Central American countries pledging to ensure that AIDS is included as a high priority on regional agendas. 

Other meetings taking place within the framework of CONCASIDA include the Council of Central American Health Ministers who will meet to discuss policies and strategies to strengthen the AIDS response in the region and the 5th Central American Meeting of People Living with HIV which is being held over two days and where participants will share experiences and debate on issues pertinent to the AIDS response including human rights, children, stigma and discrimination, gender, sexual diversity, nutrition, communication and ethics.

The CONCASIDA congress will provide an important platform for discussion on AIDS in the region ahead of the 2008 International AIDS Conference which will take place in Mexico City in August next year.

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Links:

Read press release ( en | es )
Read the San Salvador Declaration
Visit the conference's web site
Read more on Latin America

Preuve a été faite que les individus comprennent et retiennent mieux les informations lorsqu'elles sont rédigées dans leur propre langue. Ainsi, quand il s'agit d'atteindre le plus grand nombre de personnes possible avec des connaissances et des informations concernant le sida, il est impératif de mettre à disposition ces contenus dans un large choix de langues.

C'est la raison pour laquelle l'ONUSIDA fait traduire ses documents, rapports et autres formes de contenus dans ses quatre langues de travail officielles, à savoir l'anglais, le français, l'espagnol et le russe.

Afin de développer encore davantage sa communication multilingue et ses capacités de sensibilisation, l'ONUSIDA a conclu en 2005 un partenariat avec la Faculté de Traduction et de Documentation de l'Université de Salamanque, en Espagne, pour élaborer de nouveaux moyens de développement de la communication sur le sida en espagnol, cette langue employée par 370 millions de personnes sur la planète étant la troisième langue la plus parlée au monde.

D'abord ciblé sur la traduction du contenu du site web de l'ONUSIDA dont la version multilingue a été lancée en 2008, ce partenariat joue un double rôle : en plus de fournir à l'ONUSIDA des traductions de grande qualité, il offre aux étudiants de l'université une opportunité unique de travailler sur les documents des Nations Unies actuels « en temps réel » et de prendre mieux conscience en même temps de la problématique du sida. De cette façon, le partenariat joue un rôle de sensibilisation auprès des jeunes, en les aidant à comprendre la dynamique de l'épidémie dans les différentes régions du monde et en contribuant à réduire la stigmatisation et la discrimination.

Le Dr Jesús Torres del Rey, coordonnateur du projet de partenariat et Vice-doyen de la Faculté de Traduction et de Documentation de l'Université de Salamanque, évoque pour www.unaids.org les avancées réalisées à ce jour et les bénéfices d'un tel partenariat.

Q. Comment fonctionne le partenariat de traduction ?

R. Dans le cadre de leur cursus, les étudiants ont la possibilité de choisir parmi une large variété de véritables travaux pratiques de traduction (stages ou « prácticas »). Pour ce partenariat, nous avons décidé de faire de la traduction des contenus du site web de l'ONUSIDA l'un de ces « prácticas », qui est d'ailleurs devenu l'un des plus populaires. Nous recevons les documents de l'ONUSIDA en anglais puis les étudiants travaillent ensemble pour les traduire avant de se relire mutuellement. Les étudiants eux-mêmes sont désignés pour coordonner tout le projet. Une fois terminé, le travail des étudiants est encore une fois révisé et coordonné par le personnel de la faculté. En parallèle aux sessions pratiques, des séminaires spéciaux de 2 mois sont organisés, au cours desquels d'autres textes de l'ONUSIDA sont traduits sous la supervision directe d'un maître de conférences. Tout au long du projet, des délais stricts et des procédures de qualité doivent être respectés par les étudiants, ce qui rend leur tâche aussi semblable que possible aux conditions de travail réelles. L'an dernier, notre projet a bénéficié de fonds de l'AECI, l'Agence espagnole de Coopération internationale, qui fait partie du Ministère des Affaires étrangères. Ceci nous a permis d'acquérir une partie du matériel et des logiciels nécessaires et de fournir d'autres ressources aux étudiants qui travaillent sur ce projet.

Q. Quels sont les avantages pour les étudiants et comment cela peut-il contribuer à la préparation de leur carrière de traducteur professionnel ?

R. Les avantages sont nombreux. Les étudiants travaillent sur des documents authentiques « en temps réel » avec un objectif très clair et utilisent une méthodologie similaire à celle des environnements professionnels, tout en apprenant des choses sur le travail d'une organisation internationale. Non seulement ils effectuent une tâche professionnelle, mais ils contribuent également à la sensibilisation aux messages et aux activités de l'ONUSIDA. Ce partenariat est aussi une source de fierté et de prestige pour l'université et pour les étudiants eux-mêmes.

Q. Outre le travail de traduction réalisé au sein de la faculté, le partenariat implique également les étudiants dans un projet de recherche terminologique : comment fonctionne-t-il et pourquoi est-ce important ?

R. Un bon travail de terminologie en amont et en parallèle au travail de traduction est capital, car tous les traducteurs doivent utiliser des termes spécifiques qui ont été validés par des experts pour des concepts et des situations spécifiques. Pour l'ONUSIDA, il s'agit de mots et de termes en lien avec le sida, aussi bien sur le plan médical que dans un contexte social beaucoup plus large. Les mots peuvent avoir différentes significations selon les situations, de sorte qu'il est essentiel de les placer dans un contexte en plus d'en donner une définition. Nous devons également nous assurer que les idées derrière ces termes et les relations sémantiques entre eux sont clairement compréhensibles par l'ensemble des locuteurs hispanophones dans le monde.

Pour le projet de recherche terminologique, nous commençons par étudier les textes et les traductions, puis nous extrayons des termes spécifiques et nous les entrons dans le logiciel de terminologie. Dans le même temps, nous créons des schémas conceptuels qui nous permettent de gérer toutes les informations. Le point crucial ici est d'être capable d'échanger des informations avec les experts linguistiques de l'ONUSIDA et d'autres responsables concernant les concepts, leur usage, etc. et d'accéder aux documents et publications effectifs de l'ONUSIDA pour extraire le contexte dans lequel ces mots sont employés.

Q. Comment le partenariat entre l'ONUSIDA et l'Université de Salamanque va-t-il se poursuivre et s'étendre ?

R. Notre objectif est d'être en mesure de bâtir une solide plate-forme d'échange pour la communication, la terminologie et la traduction. Le but principal est de pouvoir rendre le flux d'information aussi automatique que possible pour permettre aux étudiants, au personnel de l'ONUSIDA et aux utilisateurs de ces informations d'accéder à des informations opportunes et précises générées par l'ONUSIDA.

 

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AIDS has become the “greatest leadership challenge to nations and regions” in the 26 years since its discovery, the UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director UNAIDS Michel Sidibe said in his keynote speech at the 7th Annual General Meeting of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP), held in Antigua and Barbuda (24 - 26 October).

Addressing some hundred participants, Sidibe said AIDS has become a defining issue of our time. “We are really in the turning point in my point of view. It is important for us to not to just deal with this pandemic like if it is just about managing a short term crisis, it is time for us to look at how we can really think about long term sustainable approach to deal with this pandemic,” he said.

In order to meet that challenge, Sidibe reinforced the urgent need for countries to turn commitments into action by setting and achieving targets for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for all those in need. Resonating strongly with the theme of the PANCAP meeting— Universal Access by 2010: Ensuring Success—the UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director maintained that the greatest legacy to future generations would be the attainment of this critical goal.

Taking into account new factors such as the increasing numbers of women becoming infected with HIV, growing stigma and discrimination, and the lack of capacity to get treatment to all those in need, Sidibe said action must be accelerated. “We need to quicken the pace of action,” he said.

Established in 2001, PANCAP is the regional mechanism responsible for coordinating the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic. It is based in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, in Georgetown, Guyana. The PANCAP Annual General Meeting is an important regional event in the Caribbean bringing together the principal leaders in the AIDS response in this Region.

Mr Sidibe, on his first trip to the Caribbean in his capacity as UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director and Under Secretary General of the UN, also met with various leaders and UNAIDS partners in the Caribbean region. These included: Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Honorable Winston Baldwin Spencer, Antigua’s Minister of Health, John Maginley, Assistant Secretary General of CARICOM, Dr Edward Greene, Chairman of the Barbados National HIV/AIDS Commission and former Chair of the Global Fund, Dr Carol Jacobs, Belize AIDS Ambassador, Dolores Balderamos Garcia and Dr James St Catherine of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. Commending all for their exemplary leadership shown in working to expand the AIDS response and achieve universal access both nationally and regionally, Sidibe pledged increased UNAIDS technical support and assistance to further strengthen efforts.

The Caribbean region is the second most affected by AIDS after sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 250,000 people are living with HIV in the region, more and more of them women. In 2006 there were 27,000 reported new HIV infections.

 

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Links:

Visit the PANCAP web site
Visit the CARICOM web site

HIV strategies work best when there is a clear understanding of the relationship between AIDS, poverty and human development. In an article published in leading scientific magazine PLoS, UNAIDS examines this relationship and the often called ‘vicious circle’ within which the impacts of AIDS increase poverty and social deprivation, while socio-economic inequalities increase vulnerability to HIV infection.

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Links:

Read article - Squaring the Circle: AIDS, Poverty, and Human Development
Read presentation - HIV and development challenges for Africa

The Indian President, Pratibha Patil met representatives from UNAIDS, UNICEF, HIV positive networks and government officials in New Delhi to mark the second anniversary of the UNICEF/UNAIDS Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS campaign. The President of India pledged her full support to the campaign and to addressing myths and misconceptions around HIV that are driving stigma and discrimination.

“Raising awareness is the key to fight the stigma and discrimination faced by the HIV positive people especially women and children,” President Patil said.

As part of the event, children and their mothers living with HIV shared their life experiences with The President. President Patil also met with peer educators who presented her with artwork of their messages on stigma and discrimination.

Anand*, a child living with HIV presented Suraksha Bandhan (a blue and red band in which the blue colour represents children and red represents AIDS) to President Patil as a sign of solidarity in the response to AIDS.

Unite for Children Unite Against AIDS is the largest campaign mounted to bring the world’s attention to the global impact of AIDS on children and young people. It also recognizes and addresses the needs of their caregivers. It offers urgent and specific interventions and calls to action. Launched in October 2005, UNICEF and UNAIDS are leading the initiative along with partners from all sectors of society, including governments, NGOs, academic institutions, faith-based groups, community groups and youth and sporting organizations.

Speaking on the occasion of the meeting with the President of India, Dr Dennis Broun, UNAIDS Country Coordinator for India, said that “since its launch two years ago, the campaign has transformed the lives of thousands of children and their families.”

“Great progress has been achieved on prevention and early detection of HIV infection in children, access to care and treatment and the fight against discrimination, notably in schools. Many famous personalities have supported this fight and their engagement has been crucial. There is more to be done and the whole UN family will continue to respond to AIDS in India,” he said.

The number of people living with HIV in India is estimated to be 2.0- 3.1 million. Some 70,000 children below the age of 15 are estimated to be living with HIV in the country.

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Links:

Visit the Unite for Children Unite Against AIDS web site

Visit the UNAIDS India web site

The Coalition of First Ladies and Women Leaders of Latin America on HIV held its third meeting in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on Friday 26 October to discuss the growing rates of HIV infection among women in Latin America and the impact of AIDS on women in the region.

Participants included the First Ladies of Honduras, Mexico, Dominican Republic and El Salvador, the First Ladies’ representative of Suriname, representatives from Ministries of Health, parliamentarians, representatives from the International Coalition of Women and civil society organizations including women living with HIV.

They expressed their firm commitment to take action in response to the AIDS epidemic. This commitment was reaffirmed by Deborah Landey, Deputy Executive Director UNAIDS, who gave a keynote speech at the meeting. “We must demonstrate and promote strong and sustained leadership, throughout the region, to place women at the centre of the agenda. Not mainstreamed. Not sidelined. At the centre,” she said.

Participants discussed ways of implementing the “action platform” which was approved at the last meeting of the Coalition held in Buenos Aires in April 2007. The “action platform” is a strategy designed to mitigate the impact of AIDS in the region, particularly in the context of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, and which promotes women rights in a supportive environment, free of stigma and discrimination. 

Also present at the meeting was the President of the Republic of Honduras, His Excellency Manuel Zelaya Rosales, who delivered a strong message to the participants emphasising the urgent need to address gender inequalities for an effective response to AIDS.

The Coalition of First Ladies and Women Leaders of Latin America, chaired by the First Lady of Honduras Her Excellency Xiomara Castro de Zelaya and supported by UNAIDS and UNFPA, was established in New York on June 2nd 2006, in the context of a parallel meeting of the 26th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Coalition is the first initiative of its kind in the region. It involves First Ladies and women leaders in an alliance committed to advocating for stronger political leadership and resource mobilization to make universal access a reality, and reduce the vulnerability of women to AIDS in Latin American countries.

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Links:

View photo-gallery
Read the speech by the UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Deborah Landey
Watch the video of The Coalition of Latin American First Ladies and Women Leaders
Visit the web site of the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS
More on women and AIDS
More on AIDS in Latin America
Read other feature stories about AIDS in Latin America

The 11th European AIDS Conference runs from 24-27 October in Madrid, Spain. The conference, held every other year and attended by several thousand delegates, focuses on issues related to HIV clinical research and care in Europe.

In a special session titled “What’s New in HIV Prevention”, UNAIDS Chief Scientific Advisor Catherine Hankins will address the conference on Friday 26 with a presentation about ethical issues related to research into biomedical HIV prevention methods, which include pre-exposure prophylaxis (the use of HIV medicines to prevent infection), male circumcision and microbicides. Dr. Hankins’ presentation will emphasize the ethical considerations facing stakeholders in HIV prevention trials – communities, researchers, sponsors and trial participants – as treatment and prevention standards evolve.

UNAIDS has been a leader in developing and updating standards for international HIV prevention trials. UNAIDS, in partnership with the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, recently released best practices for conducting HIV prevention research, outlining core principles for ethical HIV prevention research. UNAIDS and the World Health Organization also this year released guidance on ethical considerations on HIV prevention trials. Among other things, the document calls for studies to be designed in such a way that, should new HIV prevention methods be proven effective while other trials are ongoing, stakeholders in the ongoing trial can negotiate whether or not to introduce the new intervention, which could affect the trial’s outcome.

“This conference gives us an opportunity to share with Europe’s HIV specialists crucial information about updated guidance on the ethical conduct of biomedical HIV prevention trials,” said Dr. Hankins. “Access to treatment and standards of prevention are evolving, and all stakeholders need to know how to ensure that trials of novel HIV prevention methods are carried out to the highest ethical standards."

Other sessions will focus on topics such as the impact and complications of HIV treatment, issues facing older patients, Hepatitis co-infection, HIV drug resistance and implementation of the European HIV treatment guidelines. A number of pharmaceutical research and development companies who are sponsoring the conference will conduct satellite symposia throughout the event to discuss their companies’ treatment advances.

The conference is organized by the European AIDS Clinical Society, which published the first common European treatment guidelines in 2001 in recognition of the need for standard treatment protocols across the continent. The guidelines were updated in 2005, and another update will be made available on the final day of the Madrid conference.

Previous conferences have been held in cities across Europe since 1989, most recently taking place in Dublin in 2005. The 12th European AIDS Conference is planned for Cologne, Germany in November 2009.

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Links:

Visit the 11th European AIDS Conference / EACS website

Visit the European AIDS Clinical Society website