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.
[COMMENTARY] UN MDG hearings: When NGOs Speak, Are States Listening?
By Meg Davis
On June 14-15, the United Nations convened informal
hearings in the General Assembly for NGOs on the Millennium Development Goals.
The hearings were to prepare states for the more high-profile summit on the
MDGs scheduled for September 20-22. Unfortunately, while the NGO presentations
were diverse and international, turnout by member states was relatively low.
[REPORT] Restrictions on AIDS NGOs in Asia (2009)
Despite pledges by world leaders and the UN to support civil society, AIDS nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) face heavy restrictions in Cambodia, China, Myanmar and Vietnam, Asia Catalyst said in a report released for World AIDS Day. “Heads of state have learned to pay lip service to the role of NGOs in order to gain international support, but the reality on the ground can be quite different,” said Sara Davis, executive director of Asia Catalyst. “Restricting civil society has slowed Asia’s response to the AIDS crisis.”
[REPORT] Restrictions on AIDS NGOs in Asia (2009)
Despite pledges by world leaders and the UN to support
civil society, AIDS nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) face heavy
restrictions in Cambodia, China, Myanmar and Vietnam, Asia Catalyst
said in a report released for World AIDS Day. English press release (pdf) Download the report in English (pdf)
[NEWS] UNAIDS Chief Spotlights Civil Society in China
UNAIDS Executive Secretary Michel Sidibe’s trip to China got off to a strong start today with a round of meetings with Chinese NGOs. He began with
an awards ceremony given by International Treatment Preparedness Coalition in Shanghai. Over lunch, he heard from representatives of NGOs, including sex workers and drug users, about the challenges they face doing their work, and the need for more government cooperation with civil society.
In an open letter in August, Asia Catalyst and over 30 international AIDS and human rights organizations called on UNAIDS to speak out against restrictions on civil society. NGOs in China are growing despite burdensome restrictions on registration, censorship, and on individual AIDS activists.
