On July 5th, China convened the first meeting of the Red Ribbon Forum,
a gathering of government officials, NGOs and experts to discuss AIDS and human
rights concerns. Mark Heywood, the chair of the UNAIDS Theme Group on HIV/AIDS
and Human Rights, delivered a speech calling for more space for civil society. During
an intense – and in China, unprecedented – discussion period, civil society
representatives raised frank concerns about a range of human rights issues,
including ongoing restrictions on civil society, and demands for compensation
for the blood scandal that transmitted HIV to thousands of villagers. The full
text of Heywood’s speech follows.
[NEWS] End the War on Drug Users
We’re proud to sign onto the Vienna Declaration, which calls on governments and the UN to end the criminalization of drug users and the disastrous international “war on drugs”. To understand why, read the declaration below — and please add your name to ours.
In English: https://www.viennadeclaration.com/the-declaration.html
[RESOURCE] 10 Mistakes to Avoid in a Conference Talk
By Meg Davis
Next month, Asia Catalyst is supporting a delegation of Chinese AIDS activists to go to Vienna for the International AIDS Conference. Like (no doubt) many of you, we’ve spent a fair amount of time sitting through boring conference presentations around the world. But making a conference presentation valuable and memorable is possible. Here are ten tips we came up with:
[RESOURCE] 5 Tips for Grassroots AIDS Advocacy
By Loretta Wong
When it comes to grassroots AIDS advocacy at the local level, I used to be a fierce lion and fearless tiger in the old days. But I rarely got what I wanted from others, and government stakeholders tried their best to avoid me.
Now that I am getting old(er), I realize that elements of advocacy such as inter-personal relationship, trust and communication are important, too. These may be Chinese, but I do not think these elements exist solely in Chinese culture. I am pragmatic – I really want to see change and improvement as soon as possible. Here are five things I try to keep in mind about grassroots AIDS advocacy.
[UPDATE] Asia Catalyst and Friends at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna
Asia Catalyst and friends from China and Thailand are going to Vienna in July for the International AIDS Conference. Here’s where we will be, hope to see you.
GLOBAL VILLAGE
Stop by our “Crossing Borders” booth
for a packet on how to plan your own human rights research mission,
mini-trainings on human rights research, and cool gear from China &
Thailand!
