Securing women’s rights is critical to the response to HIV and AIDS, and social norms that undermine these rights must be challenged. This session looks at global advocacy efforts to promote the human rights of women and girls, and the links between human rights and HIV and AIDS, particularly in ethnically and culturally diverse societies. It will outline the steps currently being taken to ensure women’s rights are respected at all levels and assess the leadership currently being provided. This session examines how to make laws work for women, particularly in the areas of gender-based violence, property and inheritance rights. It will also highlight ways that ‘mainstream’ humanitarian organisations are addressing women’s rights and gender equality in their programmes and services so that women and girls are better protected from HIV infection.

Speakers :

Susan Brennan : Former President of YWCA Australia

Mukesh Kapila : Director for Policy and Planning and Special Representative of the Secretary General for HIV and AIDS at IFRC and RC

Deborah Thomas : President of YWCA of Trinidad and Tobago

Beatrice Were : Social Scientist and Developpment worker in HIV and AIDS

Zonny Woods :Senior adviser for International Policy at IWHC