The first global consultation led by people living with HIV to address their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights took place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 5-7 December 2007. The international group of 65 HIV-positive women, men, young people, and transgender people articulated a vision statement to guide advocacy, policy, legal, programmatic and funding priorities that respect SRH and rights, and that underscores the need for health systems to do the same.

Opening the consultation, Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS, stated  “The discussion of sexual and reproductive health rights is often not a priority for development work yet serious violations of the sexual and reproductive health rights of people living with HIV mean that it is a subject that deserves serious input and discussion.”

Efforts to improve the SRH and rights of HIV-positive people have been largely led by public health experts and ignored by policy makers, and little progress has been made to date.  

“Under the GIPA principle – greater involvement of people living with HIV – HIV policy and program development must include our voices. Our vision statement describes what we mean by sexual and reproductive health and rights and how we think people living with HIV should be further involved in developing policies and programmes and taking responsibility for our own bodies and lives,” said Deloris Dockrey, chair of GNP+.

Currently, the stigma and discrimination facing people living with HIV is compounded by SRH and HIV policies, programmes and services that ignore their basic needs and wishes. Inequitable gender relations also increase the vulnerability of HIV-positive women and adolescent girls to a range of SRH concerns. As increased access to antiretroviral therapy enables HIV to be treated as a chronic disease, quality of life improvements for people living with HIV—including their sexual and reproductive health— must be a priority focus of the HIV response. This includes fostering a satisfying sexual life by meeting SRH needs that protect sexual health as well as allow people living with HIV to plan their families and/or prevent unwanted pregnancies.

The landmark consultation, organized by the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) and YoungPositives with support from EngenderHealth, IPPF, UNAIDS, UNFPA and WHO, will be followed by LIVING 2008: The Positive Leadership Summit for people living with HIV, on 31 July and 1 August in Mexico City. Continued collaboration between the networks and supportive organizations will lead to a comprehensive advocacy, policy and programmatic guidance package for international, regional, and national stakeholders.

You can download the Amsterdam Statement here.