<p>Bangkok, Thailand June 24th, 2011 &ndash; Over 100 harm reduction advocates including members of the civil society network, &ldquo;12-D,&rdquo; which works on Drugs and HIV issues, will present an open letter to the Minister of Public Health, H.E. Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit addressing the need for improved leadership on harm reduction in Thailand.</p>

<p>(Geneva, Switzerland) - A report issued on 28 Oct by the International AIDS Society, <a href="http://www.iasociety.org/Web/WebContent/File/102080_IASY_UniversalAccessReport.pdf"><em>Universal Access: Right Here, Right Now&nbsp;</em></a> documents the principal debates around universal access during the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010). The report also takes stock of progress to date and reveals the scale of the future challenge for HIV treatment and prevention at a time when new infections are outstripping those receiving treatment by five to two.</p>

<p>AIDS 2010 Delegates, Speakers and Organizers Call for an End to the Passive Neglect and Active Denial that Thwart Access to Lifesaving Health Services, Information and Tools That Fuel the HIV Epidemic</p>

<p>On Tuesday 20th July, a morning session on &ldquo;Integrating Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and HIV: Lesson Learned from the Field&rdquo;, brought to the audiences a description on how linkages between SRHR and HIV are identified in each individual setting, main challenges face in services integration effort, matters whether perspectives on generalized or concentrated pandemic impacting an approach to integrative services, and recommendations on how to strengthen SRHR and HIV services integration. </p>

<p>&ldquo;We were born curious young women, and blossomed to decision-making women, give us our answers from our jump start!&rdquo;, asserted one African young woman living with HIV during the skill building session titled Our Bodies, Our Rights: Young Women&rsquo;s Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) held on Monday 19th July 2010. </p> <p>This participatory morning workshop had once again provided platform for young women worldwide to voice out their SRHR needs, and helps make the issues they confront visible at this international event. </p>

<p><em>Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Philanthropist Bill Gates Address Conference</em></p> <p>19 July 2010 [Vienna, Austria]&ndash;Scientists, practitioners and advocates from around the world today made a united call for global leaders to commit at least $US20 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at its upcoming replenishment meeting in October. Because the level of replenishment committed at the meeting will determine the Global Fund&rsquo;s grant levels for 2011-2013, the meeting is widely viewed as the critical next step towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.</p>

<p>18 July 2010 [Vienna, Austria]&ndash;Encouraged by recent progress but wary of signs of possible retrenchment, an estimated 20,000 participants from more than 185 countries have assembled in Vienna for the start of the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) today. Under the theme of Rights Here, Right Now, experts described the state of the epidemic, noting the central role of human right protections to success, and outlined the critical choices facing world leaders in the year ahead.<br /> &nbsp;</p>

<p>Former Leaders Urge Alternatives to &ldquo;War on Drugs&rdquo; in Lead Up to XVIII International AIDS Conference</p> <p>13 July 2010 [Vienna, Austria]&ndash; Former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso (Brazil), Ernesto Zedillo (M&eacute;xico) and C&eacute;sar Gaviria (Colombia) today announced their endorsement of the Vienna Declaration, the official declaration of the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010, www.aids2010.org) taking place from 18 to 23 July 2010.</p>