HIV Positive United Nations Employees Urge political negotiations to listen to the voices of People Living With HIV

1 June - HIV positive United Nations employees attending the High Level Meeting on AIDS are urging those engaged in political negotiations today to further involve and listen to the voices of people living with HIV in their work towards agreeing a strong political declaration.

Members of UN+, the UN organization of HIV positive employees, are calling for strong and urgent application of the GIPA Principle as political negotiations to take the world's AIDS response forward to 2010 reach their climax.

The GIPA principle, agreed by governments in 1994, calls for the full involvement of people living with HIV in all decisions affecting their lives.

Seven members of UN+ have been included in the delegations of United Nations organizations attending the Review and High Level Meeting this week. A large number of HIV positive people are also attending the High Level Meeting as civil society groups and as part of government delegations.

"Members of UN+ are asking those involved in negotiations to remember the importance of ensuring the voices of people living with HIV are heard during the last stages of talks," said Kate Thomson GIPA focal point for UNAIDS.

"All too often HIV positive voices are ignored even though people living with HIV frequently have the answers to many of the complex challenges posed by AIDS," said Mrs. Thomson. "People living with HIV can strengthen AIDS policy and programme delivery through bringing skills, passion and experience to the table.?

Many people living with HIV have suggested text for the political declaration as negotiations hit difficulties this week.

For more information please contact UN+ spokes person Andy Seale at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it