August 14th - Gareth Thomas, International Development Minister of the United Kingdom, today announced 1.75 Million GBP in new funding to strengthen the voices of people living with HIV and AIDS.

The Department for International Development (DFID) will fund three global networks run by, and providing support for, people living with HIV and AIDS that are actively engaged in fluencing, developing and creating policies that affect the lives of vulnerable groups such as women and chlidren, sex worker, injecting drug users.

Gareth Thomas, International Development Minister said:

"If we are to tackle the AIDS epidemic, we have to make sure the voice of those living with HIV and AIDS is heard. Networks of people living with HIV and AIDS are in a unique position to represent the interests of those who are HIV positive and giving them a voice where policies and decisions are being made that affect their lives.

"We have to address the stigma and discrimination they face, which all too often prevents them making this vital contribution. The new funding we are announcing today will support 3 networks of people living with AIDS so they can actively engage in building better AIDS policies and programmes.

"These international networks have encouraged work on improving access to treatment, led the way on innovations such as home based care and have played a vital role in holding governments to account on effective implementation of their policies.

"We are committed to making sure the networks play an active and invaluable role in improving treatment, care and support of those living with HIV and AIDS."

The new funding will give:

• GBP 1 million to the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITCP)
• GBP 375,000 to the Global Network of People living with HIV and AIDS (GNP+) and
• GBP 375,000 to the UK based International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW).

ITCP, as a global network, brings a high level of technical expertise on HIV treatment and care; and the grant will help the network strengthen its communication and dissemination of this expertise at its grass roots level.

GNP+ has played a strong international advocacy role and the new grant will help strengthen their existing networks and increase the involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS in the development and implementation of policy.

Deloris Dockrey , Chair of GNP+ Network's Board, said:

"People living with HIV and AIDS need strong support networks. All three networks strive to provide platforms for the diverse voices of people living with the disease at a global, regional and local level in order to fight stigma and discrimination, and increase access to prevention, care and treatment services.

"Universal access will only be achieved with significant investment from the people most affected by HIV and AIDS and the networks that serve them."

The ICW, the third network recipient of DFID funding is the only international network run by and for HIV positive women.

This additional funding will help ICW maintain contact with women living with HIV all over the world, share life-saving information about their health and rights, influence policies and attitudes and dispel myths about women and HIV/AIDS.