Rezol 1 nat w forum hiv aids ua eng

Resolution The First National Women's Forum on HIV and AIDS with international participation Lviv, 8-10 July 2015

We, the participants of the Forum ACKNOWLEDGE that HIV and AIDS remain a serious challenge in Ukraine. The route of transmission of HIV via sexual intercourse is increasing and has already reached 70%. Due to a greater vulnerability, there is a growing number of HIV-positive women and children.

In Ukraine, almost half of the people living with HIV are women, the majority of whom are in reproductive age. According to one research, women more often report about violation of their rights (67%) than men (5%)1. At present, there has been a significant increase in newly registered cases of HIV infection in women infected through sexual contacts. In almost all regions of Ukraine, there is a negative tendency of the increase in late presenters of HIV infection among pregnant women. In Ukraine, this figure is 16.9% among newly registered HIV cases.

CONSIDERING that the aim of the Forum is to intensify the role of women in shaping national policies and strategies in the response to HIV and AIDS; DETERMINING the importance of strengthening women's leadership and mobilization in response to HIV and AIDS; STRESSING that, at the moment, women living with and vulnerable to HIV are not sufficiently involved in the formation of national HIV and AIDS response; CONCLUDING on clear interrelation between HIV and AIDS, gender inequality and human rights; WE URGE the decision-makers and partners: 1. To ensure meaningful involvement of women living with and vulnerable to HIV: 1.1. in preparation of national plans for the implementation of Sustainable Development Programs after 2015 (Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals); 1.2. in preparation of national reports to the Commission on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; 1.3. in coordination mechanisms that form a regional Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), national and country policies on gender equality, HIV and AIDS;

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«Gender and HIV», AUCO «All-Ukrainian Network PLWH», 2010

1 AUCO «Positive Women», the First National Women's Forum on HIV / AIDS with international participation, Lviv, Ukraine, 8-10 July 2015

2. To ensure the fullest inclusion of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, 3. To comprehensively promote respect, protect, and fulfill women’s right to health, dignity and bodily integrity.

4. In course of SDGs national plan development, to support integrated approach to women's health, considering SRHR, special needs in medical and psychosocial services (for example, preventive examinations for cervical cancer, mammograms, etc.), the rights of women living with and vulnerable to HIV, access to modern methods of contraception; 5. To recognize that institutional violence remains without proper attention: women are denied their right to health and are unable to access to sexual and reproductive health services. This form of violence, particularly experienced by women and girls if they are: young, drug users, the poor, infected with HIV, live in rural areas, with different sexual orientation or gender identity, living in different vulnerable situations, being in prison.

The examples are: 5.1. The absence of mechanisms and practices of in vitro fertilization for women living with HIV in Ukraine; 5.2. Psychological, physical, economic and sexual violence against women who use drugs and sex workers, by the law enforcement bodies and police; 5.3. Stigma and discrimination (insulation, divulging diagnosis, insults) against women living with HIV in facilities of pre- and post-natal care, especially in small towns and rural areas; 5.4. Lack of general practice in organization of quality health and social support for pregnant drug dependent women on opioid substitution therapy; 5.5. Lack of systematic awareness and coordination on intersection issues - SRHR, HIV and violence; 5.6. Low availability of services in crisis and/or rehabilitation centers for women, especially the one with child/children; 5.7. Barriers to the right to have a family in HIV-positive women who want to adopt a child; 5.8. Burden of care, treatment and social protection for children living with HIV in the conditions of absence of infant formulas of ARVs, including new forms that are used together with diet and combined forms with fixed dosage, especially in rural areas.

6. In the development and implementation of national policies and programs, to work towards a comprehensive and rights-based approach to women’s and girls’ health through: 6.1. Reaffirming sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as human rights, integral to achieving transformative sustainable development across social, economic, and societal dimensions.

2 AUCO «Positive Women», the First National Women's Forum on HIV / AIDS with international participation, Lviv, Ukraine, 8-10 July 2015

6.2. Incorporating the Programme of Action from the International Conference on Population and Development, the Beijing Platform for Action, and the outcome documents of their 20 year review processes into the Post-2015 Agenda as well as into national policies and programmes.

6.3. Thorough integrating human rights into the Post-2015 Agenda, so as to ensure that the human rights and empowerment of women, girls and young people are incorporated as a cross-cutting priority of the post-2015 framework and its monitoring.

6.4. Retaining of target indicators for sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights within the health system, including access to contraception for women living with and vulnerable to HIV; 6.5. Ensuring that the Post-2015 development goals and targets include global, regional, and national indicators that are: both quantitative and qualitative, including policy, legal, and structural changes indicators; developed in an inclusive, open and transparent process, in order to better capture information on SRHR, gender equality, violence and discrimination.

6.7. Prioritizing the systematic and coordinated data collection, analysis and use of data disaggregated by sex, age, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability, place of residence, income and other factors to effectively monitor progress and ensure accountability.

7. Support and strengthen the organizational and advocacy capacity of networks, groups, unions of women living with and/or vulnerable to HIV.

3 AUCO ÂŤPositive WomenÂť, the First National Women's Forum on HIV / AIDS with international participation, Lviv, Ukraine, 8-10 July 2015