XVII International AIDS Conference - 2008

Highlighted as the world's premier gathering on HIV and AIDS, the International AIDS Conference (IAC or AIDS 2008) offers an opportunity for all those involved in the fight against the pandemic to strengthen their collective voice and demand that stakeholders fulfill their political, financial and programmatic commitments on HIV and AIDS. Additionally, the conference is an unparalleled opportunity for organizations like Oxfam to showcase programs and partners, while also creating a unique space for cross-organizational linkages and learning.

It is expected that Oxfam will be represented by three categories of conference delegates, including our core delegation, OIYP youth action partners, as well as other partners and allies whose participation is being supported (financially) by external sources. These partners include participants from Puntos de Encuentro of Nicaragua, the Southern Africa AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) of Zimbabwe, and 15 youth between the ages of 15-25 who are members of the Oxfam International Youth Partnership.

The Issues

In accordance with the theme—Universal Action Now—Oxfam's presence at the conference will focus on the following key areas:

• Access to health care and strengthened health care systems
• Access to medicines
• Access to and research on female condoms

In addition, Oxfam Canada partners will unveil three new report cards, grading their national governments on their responses to women and girls affected by HIV and AIDS.

Access to Health Care and Strengthened Health Care Systems

Millions of people in poor countries get low-quality health care, or are forced to go without it altogether. Fees are too high, hospitals and clinics are too few, and lack of medical staff means people struggle to get treated. These problems have particularly acute implications when a country is simultaneously struggling to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Oxfam is lobbying for change. The International AIDS Conference provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of supporting and strengthening health care systems globally. Oxfam presses governments and other donors to provide the $10 billion a year needed for universal HIV and AIDS prevention work, treatment and care.

Access to Medicines

Millions of poor people around the world fall sick and die because they cannot afford the medicines they need to prevent, treat, or cure debilitating diseases. A major obstacle is the attempt by some pharmaceutical companies to interfere with the right of developing countries to legally introduce generic versions of their medicines.

Oxfam is working to inform people about how intellectual property rules are being used to deny developing countries the right to use public safeguards to ensure that poor people have access to affordable, life-saving medicines.

Female Condoms

It is a reality of the HIV/AIDS pandemic that women are as, if not more, affected than men. A vital element of fighting the pandemic lies with prevention methods that may be controlled and administered by women themselves. Financial support is necessary for domestic and international research and development of prevention technologies such as microbicides. However, governments must also, support prevention tools that already exist, are safe for women to use and proven effective.

Female condoms provide an immediate and effective method of preventing the spread of HIV, and are the only prevention tool that can be directly employed by women, reducing negotiation with their partner, which can often lead to conflict. Oxfam is calling on all policy makers and those in positions of power to invest in female condom programs to ensure they are affordable and accessible to women around the globe.

Report Cards

Oxfam Canada in coalition with partners in Canada, Zimbabwe and Nicaragua has been developing Report Cards to hold governments accountable for their domestic policies addressing HIV and AIDS. The Report Cards analyze six components:

• legal, ethical and human rights issues
• research
• stigma and discrimination
• diagnosis and treatment
• prevention and education
• care and support

The International AIDS Conference will provide Oxfam and its partners with a platform from which to launch the report cards and garner international attention for domestic accountability on HIV/AIDS policy.