July 20, 2010
PWN is at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna! We are presenting posters, workshops, and the fabulous Waheedah Shabazz-El (pictured to the left) will be on the closing plenary to welcome folks to Washington, DC’s International AIDS Conference in 2012. We’re also covering the conference with updates on key issues and perspectives relevant to women, girls, human rights and gender justice. Check out our coverage and let us know what you think!
June 28, 2010
PWN launches National AIDS Strategy Gender Monitoring Tool with national partners
Any minute now, President Barack Obama will release the first ever National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS). This is an historic moment, as the White House takes unprecedented leadership in addressing the domestic HIV epidemic. Along with a number of women and gender-focused HIV advocates from around the country, we helped create a Gender Monitoring Toolkit and report card to evaluate and monitor the NHAS from a human rights and gender perspective. The purpose of the tool is to analyze the extent to which the NHAS identifies and prioritizes ways to improve all women’s access to HIV prevention, care and treatment programs consistent with the rights to nondiscrimination, dignity, bodily integrity, and ethical treatment. Organizations creating the toolkit included: AIDS Alabama; ATHENA Network; Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE); Center for HIV Law and Policy; Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP), HIV Law Project; International Community of Women living with HIV – North America, National AIDS Fund, National Women and AIDS Collective (NWAC); Sisterlove, Inc.; Women of Color United; Women Organized to Respond to Life-threatening Disease (WORLD); and the U.S. Positive Women’s Network (PWN). Read all about the toolkit here and please share it widely!
June 27, 2010
This National HIV Testing Day, the U.S. Positive Women’s Network asked folks to submit blogs on a variety of topics related to women and HIV testing. 
The response was tremendous! We got some very informative and introspective pieces on subjects ranging from HIV criminalization to engaging Black-American churches and sororities in HIV outreach efforts. Check ‘em out here…
PWN launches Human Rights Survey for HIV-positive women:
This survey is the first in a series, and focuses on testing and disclosure, reproductive justice for women with HIV, and the criminalization of HIV. Please take the survey and spread the word!
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PWNHRSurvey1
Two PWN leaders Appointed to PACHA (Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS)
Today the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) released the list of appointees to the prestigious Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. Among them are Naina Khanna, and Dawn Averitt Bridge, two representatives from the U.S. Positive Women’s Network, the only organized national membership body of HIV-positive women, including transgender women. Read the full article here
Fourteen Organizations Submit Recommendations on Women and HIV: Health Reform and the development of a National HIV/AIDS Strategy. Download the recommendations here.
About the U.S. Positive Women’s Network:
Did you know over 300,000 women are living with HIV in the United States today? More than 80% are women of color. Women make up nearly 1/3 of the U.S. epidemic. Yet HIV-positive women are rarely involved in policy and decision-making that impacts our lives.
The U.S. Positive Women’s Network is a national membership body of HIV-positive women, including transgender women, working for federal policy change.
The PWN prepares and involves HIV-positive women including transwomen in all levels of policy and decision-making to improve the quality of women’s lives by:
- Combating HIV-related stigma
- Training and supporting HIV-positive women and allies as leaders
- Creating and sharing tools for women and HIV advocates
- Mobilizing for strategic campaigns to change policies
The PWN applies a gender equity and human rights lens to the HIV epidemic to achieve federal policies grounded in the reality of women’s lived experiences.
What can you do?
If you are an HIV+ woman or support the rights of HIV+ women, CLICK to join the U.S. Positive Women’s Network (PWN) as a member or ally today!
pwn@womenhiv.org
+1 510 986 0340 extension 316
Policy Working Group Co-chairs:
Loren Jones and Kathleen Griffith
To join this group send an email to pwn(at)womenhiv.org or call 510-986-0340 ext 316
Read the PWN’s first policy paper, Women Speaking Up and Standing for Change: The U.S. Positive Women’s Network and HIV/AIDS Policy in the Next Admininstration and Congress – released December 2008.