PANCAP Holds Stigma and Discrimination Consultations
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) On Wednesday, 20 November 2013, at the Princess Hotel, Providence, Guyana, a cross–section of stakeholders, including: parliamentarians; the judiciary, faith-based organisations; the private sector; civil society organisations; and youth will come together for a national consultation under the PANCAP Justice for All Programme. The consultation is being spearheaded by the PANCAP Coordinating Unit in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
The consultation provides a forum for the community conversations around establishing and sustaining equal opportunities regardless of race, religion, class, gender, among others and is expected to take forward the process to eliminate stigma and discrimination in the Caribbean‘s HIV response by 2015 – the deadline for the achievement of the millennium development goals.
In this context, the Guyana consultation will contribute to the development of a Caribbean roadmap. The roadmap will outline a menu of measures to be taken by national governments in collaboration with regional entities, as it relates to: increasing access to treatment, including affordable medicines; reducing gender inequalities, including violence against women, girls and children; promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights; achieving legislative reforms for modifying and repealing discriminatory laws which infringe human rights. The measures are also aimed at enhancing the family spirit through national and regional solidarity to support and care for those in need as well as establishing targets for tracking progress.
The consultation in Guyana is the first in a series of similar conversations which are being held in the Caribbean, including in Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis later this month.
Under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV and AIDS in the Caribbean, Dr. Edward Greene, the Justice for All Programme build on initiatives and a number of outcomes from activities undertaken by the UN agencies, the Futures Group, Caribbean HIV and AIDS Alliance, among others.
The Guyana consultation begins at 8:30 a.m. with a brief opening which the media are invited to cover.
PANCAP is a regional partnership established by CARICOM Heads of Government in 2001 to respond to the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean.
Volderine Hackett, Head Strategic Information and Communication
Contact Details
Email:vhackett@caricom.org;
pancap@caricom.org;
piu@caricom.org
Website: www.pancap.org;www.caricom.org
WHAT IS PANCAP?
PANCAP is a Caribbean regional partnership of governments, regional civil society organisations, regional institutions and organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies and contributing donor partners established on 14 February 2001. PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, and coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilise resources and build the capacity of partners.
What are the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 targets and commitments?
If targets and commitments in the strategy are achieved:
- The number of people who newly acquire HIV will decrease from 1.7 million in 2019 to less than 370 000 by 2025
- The number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses will decrease from 690 000 in 2019 to less than 250 000 in 2025.
- The goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children will see the number of new HIV infections drop from 150,000 in 2019 to less than 22,000 in 2025.
What are the 95-95-95 Targets for ending AIDS?
- 95% of People Living with HIV know their HIV status;
- 95% of people who know their status on treatment; and
- 95% of people on treatment with suppressed viral loads.
HELPFUL LINKS:
Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, End Inequalities, End AIDS
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/global-aids-strategy-2021-2026-end-inequalities-end-aids/
Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS (CRSF) 2019-2025
https://pancap.org/pancap-documents/caribbean-regional-strategic-framework-2019-2025/