Linking HIV/AIDS to women’s peace advocacy: AWCPD'S contribution to the international partnership against HIV/AIDS in Africa

Abstract

Femmes Africa Solidarite (FAS) organized a workshop on the theme "Linking AIDS to Women's Peace Advocacy." The objectives of the Workshop were as follows: to enable participants to address issues relating to HIV/AIDS in its work on conflict resolution and peace process; to enable participants to disseminate this knowledge in their work and in their respective organizations and countries; to assist FAS to advocate for the inclusion of issues related to gender and HIV/AIDS into the policies of sub-regional and regional bodies; to sensitize the African Women's Committee on Peace and Development (AWCPD) on issues of HIV/AIDS and through its members, disseminate the knowledge to their home countries at the highest level, as well as regional institutions such as the OAU, ECA,ADB,ECOWAS,IGAD; to sensitize women's organizations who will channel the knowledge to the local and national levels; to develop a module for training on HIV and other related issues as an advocacy tool for women's NGOs. The strategy adopted was to review FAS advocacy work in peace at the national, subregional, regional, and international levels and together with UNAIDS, find entry points to address HIV issues. This publication highlights the discussions and outcome of the meeting in Addis Ababa and provides the basic elements for women's groups to develop their strategies on the issue of HIV/AIDS and peace HIV/AIDS and peace.