Day One of the PCB

Today, 6th December the actual PCB kicked off at the CICG, the Centre for International conferences of Geneva. Michel Sidibe opened the session with his Executive report and spoke about universal access, treatment care and support and prevention revolution.
The Twenty sixth PCB meeting minutes were shared and highlighted a strong link to the current strategy on sexual and reproductive health and HIV. In addition the meeting taught me three components, universal access, care and support and human right .There was also an extensive discussion on the UNAIDS strategy regarding care and support and universal access of treatment for people living with HIV , especially for woman and girls and vulnerable groups. Dr Françoise, who discovered the HIV virus presented a good session on treatment. The discussion was very useful as she talked about treatment for when the cd4 count is very high. She also indicated the importance of adherence and the effects it has on the body. Furthermore, there is research under way to look the African monkey who has a similar virus (SIV) to discover why they don’t get sick, and what that means to people living with HIV as well as treatment options. Furthermore UNAIDS shared their strategy for the next five years and stressed the importance of country commitment to roll this out. The UNAIDS vision of zero new infections, zero AIDS related deaths, zero discrimination was reiterated. The importance of comprehensive prevention work was also discussed as the Prevention revolution presents considerable cost cutting for HIV treatment, because less people will then be infected. All the countries shared their commitment to the UNAIDS strategy and agreed to develop an operational plan as a means of implementation. After the meeting we had a debriefing with the NGO delegation as well as the WAC observers team.

The PCB begins!

6th Dec

Finally we're off to the meeting. This was the opening ceremony, discussion of the last PCB meeting items and a tabling of the UNAIDS strategy 2011-2015. It was also to get the views and interventions of the delegates. The Executive Directors speech moved me to tears when he spoke about the eleven year old Nigerian girl who said that mothers should not be without treatment. This really touched me. The keynote speech by Dr Francoise Barre-Sinoussi was very enlightening. I had really been looking forward to hearing it. Not disappointed at all. She is absolutely brilliant and so knowledgeable. She spoke on HIV research and I was amazed at the progress that has been made from the time the virus was discovered. It’s just amazing enough that she played a role in the discovery of the virus. This I have to say has been a longer day than I expected it to be. The new strategy was passed though to my relief because I think going back to the working table would be a great drawback. It’s nice though that every delegate was able to express themselves on what they felt about it. There's still a de-briefing about the day’s meeting and a reception. Am beat but strangely still ready to go. I think it's all new and exciting. Glad to be a part of this because I am in a forum where I have a voice in the sense that I can actually put in an intervention through an NGO Delegate or even make an intervention on the floor. It’s all very important stuff. The UNAIDS Strategy for the period 2011-2015 is a very exciting especially because of the emphasis it lays on prevention and also because it takes into account the promotion of human rights and gender equality. Am sure my constituents will be happy to know that the world had time to discuss their needs. It'll really boost their self-esteem.

Introduction to Talent

My name is Talent Jumo and I work with the Young Women's Leadership Initiative (now Katswe Sistahood) based in Zimbabwe. Attending the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating meeting has been challenging and informative at the same time. Firstly, i am coming from a space where I have been asked so many questions if a young, black African woman from Southern Africa can really make an impact at the global level. I have been discouraged by those closest, but I believe that this struggle on HIV & AIDS is about me, my sister, my daughter and my mother, and hence when opportunities to sit at the table present, they should be embraced.

If I speak, my voice will be heard, better still, if I write, those that shall come after me shall read and sharpen their weapon to prepare further for this battle against women's oppression, HIV & AIDS, poverty, and other countless pathogies (both man-made and natural disasters).

I am not going to write about snow, which I am certainly experiencing for the first time, because that may not help my sisters that much (but maybe it may, if I inspire them enough to want to attend the next meeting). But I will dwell more on the deliberations of the day, as I experience them. The struggle continues for women and other marginalised groups. We surely will have to fight for our rights, for 'only the oppressed can free themselves from oppression, and in turn free their oppressors' {Paulo Freire- The Pedagogy of the Oppressed}

Talent Jumo
www.pepeta.org

Introducing Esther

5th Dec, 2010

Hi my name is Esther Gitau from Nairobi, Kenya. I work with Nairobi Outreach Services as an Addiction counselor. My organisation works with injecting drug users in the prevention of HIV.

Though I'm still trying to adjust to the time difference, the day started well with a briefing meeting from the World AIDS Campaign. I finally met everyone Talent Jumo, Shukria Gull, Juliana Davids and of course Natalie Siniora who I'd met shortly yesterday. I find all of them easy going people and am sure we'll all get along just fine. After having some lunch and an opportunity to exchange expectations for the meeting, we headed to the NGO Delegation’s pre meeting at UNAIDS.

The meeting was set up to discuss the agenda of the PCB Meeting for the next 3 days, do introductions and get us all to be on one footing on the agenda. I was very confused at the beginning about exactly what my role was meant to be in all of this though was glad when a few other returning observers said they also were struggling with some of the issues and processes. I will learn though and am already beginning to enjoy the whole meeting concept. It was nice meeting lots of other people. We took lots of pictures in the snow and I am kind of sad that I can't charge my phone so I don't have a camera. After the meeting I had dinner with Talent. Later I explored some more of the city with a friend. I am still amazed by the quiet seeing as Nairobi is noisy especially at rush hour. Going to sleep very eager about tomorrow and can't wait. I was very keen to listen to the Executive Directors speech, and see the outcome on the UNAIDS strategy decision. Oh got a camera form my pal so tomorrow can take pictures. Yipee!

Introducing Shukria

My name is Shukria Gull and I was invited by the World AIDS Campaign to attend the 27th UNAIDS program coordinating board as an observer. I am from Pakistan and work for PakPlus Society, which focuses on care and support for PLHIV as well as prevention and advocacy. I have been working with positive women for the last 15 years working on stigma and discrimination at family level, service delivery agencies, specifically in the health care sector as well as community level. I started my journey on Thursday 2nd of December and reached Geneva on Friday 2.30pm. On Sunday I attended a pre- meeting convened by the PCB NGO delegation. This meeting was held at the WHO offices. The meeting was in preparation for the PCB and looked at Agenda touching on issues around criminalization of key populations, to engage with the women and girl’s agenda around Sexual and Reproductive health as well as the NGO intervention on decision points.