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Co-Chairs
Terje Anderson
National
Association of People With AIDS
Javier Salazar
National
Minority AIDS Council
Executive Committee
Kristin Braun
AIDS
Alliance for Children, Youth & Families
Christopher Labonte
Human
Rights Campaign
Matthew McClain
CAEAR
Coalition
Myla Moss
American
Dental Education Association
Julie Rocchio
National
Association of Public Hospitals & Health Systems
Alexis Schuler
AIDS
Action
Jane Silver
American
Foundation for AIDS Research
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Mr. President:
We, the
undersigned members of the National Organizations Responding to AIDS
(NORA) coalition, are writing in regard to the upcoming Special Session
of the United Nations on the HIV/AIDS pandemic that will be held June 25-27,
2001. NORA is a coalition composed of over 175 faith-based, labor,
professional and advocacy groups that represent a broad consensus on HIV-
and AIDS-related policy, legislation and funding.
Alarmed
by the accelerating epidemic and its global impact, the United Nations
General Assembly decided to convene a Special Session on HIV/AIDS at the
highest political level. The session will aim to intensify international
action to fight the epidemic and to mobilize the resources needed. At the
Special Session, high-level national delegations will discuss what action
plans have proven most effective in addressing the AIDS situation in their
own countries and what next steps are needed.
The
major outcome of the session will be a Declaration of Commitment that will
outline priority areas where stronger actions must be taken. These areas
include prevention, improved access to care and treatment, care of
children orphaned by AIDS, expanded public/private sector partnerships,
and the need for an accelerated multisectoral response to the epidemic.
Mr.
President, the United States has two decades of experience in fighting
the epidemic and continues to be a proven leader both domestically and
internationally. Through the efforts of our own Government agencies, the
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Health Resources and
Services Administration (HRSA) and Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) the U.S. has developed model prevention, care and
treatment programs for persons living with HIV both in urban and rural
settings.
Internationally,
the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has been a proven
leader in the development and implementation of prevention and care
programs around the world. The agency has become the global and U.S.
Government leader in this international fight. USAID is known for its
strong field presence, technical leadership, and long-term relationships
with host country institutions.
This
Special Session of the UN General Assembly is of great importance to
millions of Americans who have been impacted by AIDS. We see this as a
unique opportunity for the world to craft a united response to the
pandemic. However, for this effort to succeed, the United States must take
a leadership role. Strong U.S. leadership on the AIDS pandemic and in the
UN Special Session is in the best interest of the people of the world and
the people of the United States.
To this
end, we urge you to take action on the following:
We call
on you personally to represent our nation in addressing the Special
Session. Your presence would speak volumes, to millions of Americans and
to the world, regarding the commitment of your administration to ending
the AIDS pandemic.
Second,
the need for strong leadership within the delegation is critical. We
request your careful consideration of persons to serve on the delegation
who represent the profile of the epidemic in the U.S. and have knowledge
and experience regarding HIV/AIDS domestically and internationally. The
delegation should include members of civil society and at least two
persons living with HIV/AIDS. In addition, members of the delegation
should represent a balance of gender, ethnicity, and age.
Third,
it is crucial that the voices of civil society around the world be heard
during the Special Session. Unfortunately those with the experience and
expertise from communities most heavily impacted are least able to have
access to the meeting due to costs for travel and accommodations. The
United Nations Joint Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) has established a fund
to support participation at the session and auxiliary meetings by individuals
from developing countries. The U.S. has long supported the idea that
people living with HIV and AIDS should be included in designing and
developing programs to respond to this pandemic. To that end we ask you
to
ensure that the U.S. will contribute to this fund, as well as leverage
funds from other donors.
Finally,
during the Special Session we know that a series of issues will be
addressed. We urge you to consider the following when responding to the
Declaration of Commitment:
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The interaction of
social and economic conditions with the impact of the AIDS epidemic
must be acknowledged and addressed with renewed commitment.
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Efforts to reduce
the vulnerability of women and children through education must
remain a part of our strategy.
-
Ongoing prevention
efforts must be continued, and expanded to include new strategies
and technologies.
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Programs that
provide care and support for those infected and affected must
grow.
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The United States is
a leader in the field of research and development of HIV prevention
and treatment, and our contribution to this field should reflect
our considerable capacity.
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The U.S. also has a
vital role to play in mobilizing the resources necessary to make
a respectable stand against this devastating epidemic, and
should set a
proud example to other nations.
We hope
that the U.S. delegation to the UN General Assembly will be able to
reflect the current expertise in the struggle against HIV/AIDS, as well
as the compassion of the American people and the commitment of our
leadership, to bring a message of hope to this important event.
Sincerely,
Advocates
for Youth
AIDS Action
AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families
AIDS Nutrition Services Alliance
AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition
American Association for World Health
American Dental Education Association
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
American Social Health Association
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
Association of Nurses in AIDS Care
Center for Health and Gender Equity
Center for Women Policy Studies
Committee of Ten Thousand
Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief (CAEAR) Coalition
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Gay Men's Health Crisis
Global AIDS Action Network
Global Campaign for Microbicides
Global Health Council
HIV/AIDS Dietetic Practice Group, American Dietetic Association
Mothers' Voices
National AIDS Fund
National AIDS Housing Coalition
National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
National Association for Victims of Transfusion-Acquired AIDS, Inc.
National Association of Protection & Advocacy Systems
National Association of Social Workers
National Catholic AIDS Network
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
National Minority AIDS Council
National Network for Youth
Plan International
Project Inform
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Sexuality Information & Education Council of the United States
The Alan Guttmacher Institute
Therapeutic Communities of America
Title II Community AIDS National Network
The following groups
are not members of NORA, but they also support the content of this letter.
Family
Health International
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
The Futures Group
International
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