Women, HIV/AIDS and Human Rights

Skills Building Workshop Series

August 14-17, 2006

Toronto

Faculty of Law, University of Toronto
and
Metro Toronto Convention Centre

coordinated by
International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Programme, University of Toronto,
and Partner Organizations, for the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto

The purpose of the Workshop is skills building on Women, HIV/AIDS, and Human Rights, with a view to creating curriculum, especially in law schools, for this purpose.

The workshop is chaired by: Prof. Rebecca Cook and Joanna Erdman, Co-Directors, International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Programme, University of Toronto

Speakers include:

Anand Grover (Lawyers' Collective HIV/AIDS)
Prof. Jillian Clare Cohen (Univ. of Toronto, Faculty of Pharmacy) 
Dr. Dorothy Shaw (Univ. of British Columbia, President-Elect of FIGO)
Sylvanus Babafemi (Femi) Odunsi (BONELA, Botswana) | Maria de Bruyn (Ipas)
Prof. Brook Baker (Northeastern Univ., Faculty of Law, Health Global Access Project [GAP])
Jonathan Berger (AIDS Law Project, Univ. of Witwatersrand)  | Annet Biryetega (NACWOLA)
Prof Sofia Gruskin (Program on International Health & Human Rights, Harvard School of Public Health)
Jonathan Cohen (Open Society Institute) | Alana Klein (Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network)
Anna Forbes (Global Campaign for Microbicides) | Janet Walsh (Human Rights Watch)
Lisa Kelly,  Dr. Deborah Robertson, Lisa Forman (Univ. of Toronto, Faculty of Law)
Elisa Slattery (Center for Reproductive Rights) | E. Tyler Crone (ATHENA)
Prof. Kiaran Honderich (Williams College, Center for Popular Economics)

Programme of Speakers 

Materials with relevant reports, articles, and case law will be distributed at the following three sessions:

August 14, 15, & 16: Workshop Sessions at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto

Program:

August 14: Gender, Sexuality and HIV/AIDS

This panel will address: the need for greater attention to questions of sex and desire in the design of HIV prevention programmes; a health and human rights perspective on concurrent sexual networks; and the development of model legislation on HIV/AIDS consistent with and protective of women's human rights.

August 15: Access to Treatment and Care

This panel will address the recognition and protection of women's human rights in ensuring their reasonable access to effective HIV treatment and care in both the clinical and health system contexts, with an emphasis on free and informed decision-making, discrimination in access to reproductive and other health services, and threat of disclosure.

August 16: Human Rights Advocacy and Accountability

This panel will address how human rights violations can be documented and legal claims developed to hold state and non-state actors accountable, to ensure that women's needs are served in the context of HIV/AIDS.

5:00 - 9:00 p.m.  (Speakers, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.; Light Dinner/Reception, 7:00 - 9:00pm)

Flavelle House
Faculty of Law, University of Toronto
78 Queen's Park
Toronto (Canada)
(At the Museum subway station. Click here for directions.)

New Shuttle from the Convention Centre

A free shuttle service from the Toronto AIDS Conference to the workshop location will be available on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, August 14, 15 & 16, at 4:15 p.m. for participants who are coming from the Toronto AIDS Conference.
 
To take advantage of this offer, please meet our guide at the Women's Networking Zone of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.   Our guide will hold a sign that reads:  "Women, HIV AIDS and Human Rights workshops."

Aug. 17: Official Conference Sessions*

Metro Toronto Convention Centre
SBR 7

11:00-12:30 Gender, HIV/AIDS and Human Rights - Exploring the Connections

This panel will explore neglected issues regarding Women, HIV/AIDS and Human Rights and consider ways to better promote understanding, strategic advocacy networks, and training curriculum for law schools and advocacy groups working on human rights.

New Spanish skills-building workshop at Metro Convention Centre:
16:00-17:30 Mujeres, VIH-SIDA y derechos humanos: explorando las intersecciones
Program    Abstract

Este taller permitirá a los participantes examinar cómo los derechos humanos pueden ser aplicados para remediar la marginalización de las necesidades de las mujeres que viven con VIH-SIDA en el contexto de la atención médica, los sistemas y políticas de salud y en el contexto  socioeconómico que subyace a dicha marginalización.

*Attendance at official conference sessions on August 17th is limited to participants registered for the XVI International AIDS Conference

Registration

Workshops on August 14, 15, 16 are free of charge , but space may be limited, so please register. Click here to download the registration form (English).

The completed registration form should be sent to Jennifer Tam:
Fax: 416-978-7899
Email: conferences.law@utoronto.ca