At a time when HIV is still spreading steadily across the globe, we are also witnessing progress in controlling this deadly disease. Responses to the AIDS epidemic have grown and improved considerably over the last few years. The objective of this E-bulletin is to circulate AIDS-related news, publications, literature and research to affiliated unions and others working in this field. It is a part of our new Global HIV/AIDS project, which is targeting ITF affiliates all over the globe. Get involved! For further information and queries please contact Dr. Syed Asif Altaf, Global HIV/AIDS Project Coordinator, Altaf_Asif@itf.org.uk or the Regional Education Coordinator in your ITF region, ITF Education Department: education@itf.org.uk .

This issue of the E-bulletin will look at the High-Level Meeting (HLM) in New York on 10-11 June 2008 to undertake a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realizing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS; a report from Rwanda where religious leaders went for HIV test to fight stigma and discrimination. The issue will also focus on HIV/AIDS situation in Finland where new infection rate is increasing in recent years.  
 

UN high level meeting on HIV/AIDS and civil society participation: call for speakers in opening session and civil society hearing  

The 2001 UNGASS, the first-ever special General Assembly session on a health issue, resulted in the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, which for the first time identified globally agreed benchmarks in the global AIDS response. Unanimously adopted by Members states, the Declaration of Commitment provided for annual review by the General Assembly of progress in implementing the Declaration’s provisions. Then on June 2006, a high level meeting on HIV/AIDS produced the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. In accordance with the resolution adopted by the General Assembly, another High-Level Meeting (HLM) will be convened in New York on 10-11 June 2008 to undertake a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realizing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. Civil society will play an important role in this high level meeting.

United Nations Office of the President of the General Assembly (PGA) has requested the UNAIDS Secretariat to convene a Civil Society Task Force (CSTF) to support effective and meaningful participation of civil society organizations and the private sector in the UNGASS Review Meeting to be held from 10 to 11 June 2008. The Task Force will provide a link for and to civil society groups and coalitions interested in participating in the High Level Meeting. Task Force representatives will work with UNAIDS and the Office of the President of the General Assembly to advise on key aspects of the High Level Meeting.  

A Task Force of 12 individuals have been appointed and includes a broad range of civil society representatives, who are from geographically diverse countries, and is comprised of: Claudia Ahumada, Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights/World AIDS Campaign; Elina Azaryan, East European and Central Asian Union of PLHIV/ICW;  Robert Carr, Global Forum on MSM and HIV/ Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition;  Syed Asif Altaf Chowdhury, International Transport Worker’s Federation; Vince Cristomo, Seven Sisters (Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS); Stijn Gossens, International Network of People Who Use Drugs; Linda Hartke, Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance; Laxmi Tripathi, Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers; Zonnibel Woods, International Women’s Health Coalition; Rolake Odetoyinbo, Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS; Liilian Mworkeo, International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS; and Co-chairs Kate Thomson, UNAIDS; and Kieran Daly, ICASO

Speaker for the Opening Plenary: In accordance with the resolution adopted by the General Assembly that sets out the organizational arrangements for this meeting, one person from civil society who is openly living with HIV will be invited to speak at the opening plenary session of the High Level Meeting. The other plenary speakers will be the Secretary General of the United Nations, the President of the UN General Assembly, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, and an eminent person (to be selected). The application form is attached with this e-mail. If anyone from your union who is HIV positive is interested to be the speaker in the opening plenary session, please fill up the form and send it by March 30, 2008 to the following e-mail address: hlmspeakers@icaso.org The CSTF will screen and recommend a speaker, with the final decision on who the speaker will be to be taken by the PGA in discussion with Member States.

Civil Society Hearing (CSH): CSH is part of the official programme of the HLM and is expected to happen immediately after the opening ceremony. It is currently scheduled to last for 2 hours.  If anyone from your unions is interested (in fact trade union leaders are strongly encouraged to apply who need not to be HIV positive), please fill in the attached application form and send it to the following e-mail address: hlmspeakers@icaso.org.
   

Rwandan religious leaders receive HIV tests to help fight stigma associated with HIV/AIDS

HIV prevalence rate among adult population in Rwanda is 3.1% with around 190,000 people are living with the virus. The antenatal surveillance in 2005 showed that 4.1% of pregnant women were HIV positive, with prevalence rate varying in different regions of the country. In late 1990s Rwanda observed the highest decline in HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women and infection levels appeared to have stabilized subsequently. Religious leaders can play an important role in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Recently fifty religious leaders from across the country received HIV tests publicly in an effort to fight the stigma associated with the virus and to highlight the role of faith leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS and develop strategies to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma. According to Agnes Binagwaho, executive secretary of Rwanda's National AIDS Control Commission, the participation of religious leaders in HIV/AIDS advocacy is essential because of the impact they have on the general population. Andrew Butare, the country representative of Christian Aid, said the testing event was a sign of leading by example. He also said, "if found positive, treatment will be guaranteed, and they will be advised how to handle themselves in the society, as well as spread the campaign of living positively".

New HIV cases in Finland remain high for second consecutive year  

The number of new HIV cases recorded in Finland in 2007 remained at a record high for the second consecutive year. According to Finland's National Public Health Institute, 190 new HIV cases were recorded in 2007.  In 2006, 195 new HIV cases and 43 new AIDS cases were reported, the highest figures since the beginning of registration in 1986. A distinct increase in number of newly diagnosed HIV cases is evident from the total number of 138 cases in 2005 to 195 cases in 2006.

Most of the HIV positive people in Finland are male. By the end of 2006, of the cases with a known mode of transmission, the majority are heterosexual (44%) or MSM cases (36%), while 18% are IDUs. The majority of heterosexual cases (60%) are individuals from countries with generalized HIV epidemics, with an additional 7% people who have sexual partners from this group.

But the number of new cases transmitted sexually has increased by about 33% since 2006. In addition, the number of new cases that occurred among men who have sex with men increased rapidly in the country. A large proportion of new cases also were recorded among heterosexual men who contracted the disease during foreign travel. According to Kirsi Liitsola, a researcher at NPHI's HIV unit said that HIV awareness among MSM is high but that the repetition of prevention messages for more than 20 years has resulted in desensitization. According to Liitsola, another problem is that younger generations do not remember the events in the 1980s and early 1990s, when the country recorded the largest number of AIDS-related deaths.