Csw Efforts By Canadian Organizations To Help Reduce The Social Impact Of Hiv Aids

53rd Commission on the Status of Women The National Council of Women Canada, Richard Ivey School of Business and Western Law New York City, March 2-13, 2009 Efforts by Canadian Organizations to help reduce the Social Impact of HIV/AIDS

“Like the effects of … the new system of global financial markets, the AIDS crisis is evidence of a world in which nothing important is regional, local, limited; … and every problem is, or destined to become, worldwide.” Susan Sontag AIDS and its Metaphors - 1983

The UNites… • Omar HA-REDEYE • Tarun AGARWAL • JD Candidate, 2010 • MBA Candidate, 2009 • Rashmi BHAT • Pooja SHARMA • JD & MBA • MBA Candidate, 2009 Candidate, 2009 • Imad HARB • MBA Candidate, 2009 3

AGENDA • Need • Canadian Efforts • Takeaways • Questions 4

AGENDA • Need Statistics on HIV/AIDS Global • Canadian Efforts • Takeaways • Questions 5

What is needed? Protection from and elimination of socio-economic factors that increase HIV risks particularly among women, by increased global partnerships in research, innovation and reach in order to: 1. Prevent spread of infections 2. Increase the amount of Care given to women infected by HIV 3. Provide Leadership to Women to address social discrimination 6

Prevention Care Leadership 7

… with the goal of blowing away those clouds completely… Prevention Care Leadership 8

AGENDA • Need • Canadian Efforts Canadian Efforts • UNAIDS and Federal Initiatives • CDNAIDS • Grassroots • Takeaways • Questions 9

Address social factors Increase Step-up awareness prevention End of Epidemic in sight Act early Step-up and stay Care the course Provide leadership 10 Adopted from LeadingTogether: Canada Takes Action on HIV/AIDS (2005-2010)

Federal Initiatives and UNAIDS 1. Three agencies under the UNAIDS umbrella work in Canada • UNESCO • UNICEF • UNHCR 2. UNESCO is the information distributor and networking body 3. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS with Federal Government of Canada 11

Federal Initiatives and UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS with Federal Government of Canada comprises many agencies: 1. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) 2. Health Canada (HC) 3. Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) 4. Correctional Services Canada (CSC) 5. Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) 6. Canadian Access to Medicines Regimes (CAMR) 7. Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (CHVI) 8. International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) 13

Canada’s role Canada has committed to providing funds, research, manufacturing, and innovative leadership in order to: 1. Establish tailored strategies that consider ‘cultural approach’ to mobilize communities 2. Reduce the production cost of generic drugs to increase and facilitate care for victims of HIV/AIDS 3. Research and develop vaccines and microbicides 4. Provide sharing of best practices and knowledge across all communities 14

Reduce production cost of generic drugs to increase and facilitate care for victims of HIV/AIDS Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) – before 2003 could be interpreted to deny export of generic drugs to developing countries. TRIPS Key Provisions as of 2005: 1. Exclusive patent rights 2. Minimum 20 year term (from date of patent filing) 3. Limited exceptions to exclusive patent rights 4. “Other use” (compulsory licensing) 5. Parallel importing permissible 6. Objectives and Principles 15 TRIPS Articles: 28, 33, 30, 31, 6, 7, 8

… continued… 1. August 2003 WTO decision and 2005 commitment: a. Manufacturing Capacity – WTO member countries b. Licenses - developing countries 2. CAMR co-operation of Industry Canada, Health Canada, Canadian International Development Agency, Canadian Intellectual Property Office, International Trade Canada and Foreign Affairs Canada to balance a. Canada's trade and intellectual property obligations b. Humanitarian objectives of WTO decision and TRIPS 16

Research and develop vaccines and microbicides 1. Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) laboratories are being set up in Canada to start clinical trials of the HIV vaccine being developed in Canada such as by UWO in partnership with a private company 2. Microbicides are topical products to prevent HIV transmission during intercourse and mother-to-child HIV transmission 3. Thus far no HIV vaccines or microbicides have been brought to market 17

Effectiveness of Prevention Products Limited by gender inequalities in sexual decision-making roles, gender violence, stigma, discrimination, and lack of access to healthcare Microbicides Total $30 M to IPM research from Canada Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative 2% Discovery and Social Research Total: $139M 6% Clinical Trials Capacity Building and Networks 44% 12% 64% Policy and Regulatory Issues, Community and Social Dimensions 20% Planning, Coordination and 16% Evaluation Pilot Scale Manufacturing for Clinical Trials - Canada 18 http:///www.IPM-microbicides.org http://www.CHVI-ICVV.gc.ca/

Canadian AIDS Society • National coalition of over 125 community-based AIDS organizations • Dedicated to strengthening the response to HIV/AIDS across all sectors of society • Facilitates development of programs • Provides a national framework • Monitors and analyzes federal programs • Works on priority issues such as international partnerships, income security 20 http://www.CDNAIDS.ca

CDNAIDS Some of the unique organizations being discussed today are: 1. Interagency Coalition on AIDS 2. Africans in Partnership against AIDS 3. Positive Women’s Network 4. HALCO 5. Mainline Needle Exchange 21

Interagency Coalition on AIDS • 147 Canadian international development non- governmental organizations (NGOs), AIDS service organizations and individuals • Workshops, seminars to build capacities and skills • Research on policy and programming issues • Newsletter, fact-sheet, resources. 22 http://www.

Ways of Sharing Information Communication • Individuals, members, government departments and UN organizations Forum for organizations and individuals • Addressing international dimensions of the AIDS pandemic 2005 Gender Workshop AGM • Integrating Gender-Based Analysis into Strategy “Addressing HIV/AIDS from a gender perspective” 23 http://www.icad-cisd.com/content/agm05_wkshp.cfm?lang=e’

Africans in Partnership Against AIDS Project M! Muslim Girls Project: Goal: to self-empower, protect and cultivate awareness and compassion in young African Muslim women in light of this local, global and at times very personal epidemic Where: Greater Toronto Area What: Educate on issues of HIV/AIDS How: Through workshops, 2-tier approach Tier 1: Infiltrate and dismantle structural barriers in the community Tier 2: Disseminating knowledge 24 http://www.APAA.ca

Positive Women’s Network Support programs & services • Aboriginal-specific activities • Weekend wellness retreats • Drop-in centre • Outreach visits • Phone counseling … Education and prevention programs • Springboard conferences • Women’s Initiatives for Support and Education (WISE ) • Health fairs & special events … 25 http://www.PWN.BC.ca

HIV/AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO) • Charitable not-for-profit community-based legal clinic • 4 lawyers donors + 3 staff + law students • Provides free advice, representation, public legal education, law reform 26 http://www.halco.org/home.html

HALCO Principles • HIV/AIDS clients have unique legal problems • Create and foster a climate of understanding, mutual respect • Empowerment in respect to: • Medical treatment • Socio-economic decisions • Due process • Consent 27 http://www.halco.org/principles.html

HALCO Legal Advice • Powers of Attorney, Living Wills & Planning • Disability, Life & For Incapacity Sickness Insurance • Immigration & • Landlord and Tenant HIV/AIDS • Employment & • Prisons & HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS • Human Rights & HIV/AIDS 28 http://www.halco.org/whatwedo.html

Mainline Needle Exchange • Offers clean needles and equipment • Peer support • Accessing Detox • Treatment • Methadone • Legal • Social services • Employment and housing issues • Daily over the counter nutrition and coffee 29 http://www.mainlineneedleexchange.ca/

IV Drugs and Women • Family and Partner Abuse • Over half experienced physical and mental abuse • 1/5 experienced sexual abuse • Partner Abuse • ~40% economic abuse • Almost all experienced emotional abuse Safer and Unsafe Injection Drug Use and Sex Practices Among Injection Drug Users in Halifax, Nova Scotia http://journal.cpha.ca/index.php/cjph/article/view/296/296 Thom Grandy (1995). New Occupational Hazards of Career Addicts. Mainline Intravenous Needs Assessment (MINA). Jackson, L., Bailey, D., Currie, A., Fraser, J. & Johnson, K. (2002). Safer and unsafe injection drug use and sex practices among injection drug users in Halifax, Nova Scotia: An exploratory look at community and interpersonal influences. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 93(3), 219-222. 30 Jackson, L., Parker, J., Dykeman, M., Gahagan, J., & Karabanow, J. Injection drug users and the power of relationships. Drugs: Education, Prevention &Policy. Accepted June 2008.

Step By Step Africa Step By Step Africa was founded in 2006 with the following mission: “Help fight HIV/AIDS in Africa by providing funding for HIV testing and treatment to local partners” 32 http://www.StepByStepAfrica.com

Focus on Women Step By Step Africa helps HIV+ women care for their families by: • Providing baby formula removing the need to breastfeed as an option • Given out over 100 free malaria bed nets, many to women and children • Provided food aid during regional flooding 33

Stephen Lewis Foundation • Provides care to women who are infected and struggling to survive • Assists orphans and other AIDS affected children • Sustains associations for people living with HIV/AIDS • Supports grandmothers who are caring for orphaned children 34 www.StephenLewisFoundation.org

Story to date • Founded in 2003 • Since foundation, more than 250 grassroots projects in 15 sub-Saharan African countries have been supported • Distributed more than $28 million since inception • Launched Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign in March 2006 – over 200 granny groups in Canada are working to raise awareness and funds for grannies in Africa. Over $4 million has been raised. 35

AGENDA • Need • Canadian Efforts • Takeaways Steps • Questions 36

Care Prevention Leadership UNAIDS Federal/ UNESCO CAMR Vaccines Microbicides CDNAIDS PWN HALCO APAA MNE IACA Grass- roots SBSA SLF 37

AGENDA • Need • Canadian Efforts • Next Steps • Questions Questions 38

Thank you Help us build blockades against HIV! HTTP://BLOG.HIV-BLOGAIDS.ORG Tarun Agarwal Rashmi Bhat Imad Harb Omar Ha-Redeye Pooja Sharma 39

Csw Efforts By Canadian Organizations To Help Reduce The Social Impact Of Hiv Aids

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