Dear Mr. Ehmer,

I just received distressing news about the alienation of civil society from the crucial final meeting in Brussels December 13-14. Without access to key decisionmakers during this critical time, people living with HIV/AIDS will be deprived of their right to be, as the UNGASS Declaration exhorts, true partners in strategizing to end the epidemic. People with HIV/AIDS from Thailand, Brazil, Kenya, South Africa, Morrocco, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and many other countries are spending their precious time and resources to attend this important meeting because they know they will die without treatment, without appropriate care, without meaningful support. They want entry to the building to hold meetings with delegates during breaks and scheduled invited meetings. It is your job to ensure that their stories are heard up until the last minute of negotiations.

As Peter Piot said,"People living with HIV are part of the solution, not part of the problem - they are the world's greatest untapped resource in responding to the epidemic." Lobbying for appropriate resources for AIDS treatment, care and support at this moment, by providing delegates with the information and personal testimony that can influence their decisions, is a life or death matter for many.

A handful of civil society actors at the table, most probably HIV-negative, are certainly not enough nor representative. In November, activists were sidelined to coffee- and cigarette-break lobbying conversations - are they now relegated to the sidewalk? I hope you can appreciate the urgency and importance of true transparency and meaningful participation by civil society and will facilitate, not impede, the active participation of people directly affected by the outcome of this entire meeting. Some of the TWG delegates can not name three AIDS drugs or opportunistic infections - they need to hear from people in resource poor settings that AIDS treatment is feasible and necessary.

In November, the efforts of activists in Brussels were applauded by people with AIDS around the world. I doubt they will be happy to know what happened in the final hour. As a member of the Health GAP Coalition I implore you to show leadership and not repeat mistakes made at UNGASS; promote dialogue, do not shut people out. Be transparent; do not make the most important decisions behind closed doors. The fund belongs to everyone, and as many of the potential beneficiaries as possible should have access to participating in the finalization of the design of it.

Sincerely,
Karyn Kaplan
HIV/AIDS Program Officer,
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission;
Health GAP Coalition

Karyn Kaplan
HIV Program Coordinator
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
c/o Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10118 USA
PH +1-(212) 216-1256
FAX +1-(212) 216-1876
karyn@iglhrc.org
www.iglhrc.org

La misión de IGLHRC es proteger y hacer avanzar los derechos humanos de todas las personas y comunidades sujetas a discriminación o abuso por su orientación sexual, identidad de género o estatus frente al VIH. IGLHRC es una organización sin fines de lucro, no gubernamental (ONG) y con sede en los EEUU, que responde a las mencionadas violaciones a los derechos humanos que suceden en todo el mundo mediante la documentación, la búsqueda de reformas legales, la formación de coaliciones, la educación del público y la asistencia técnica. Nuestro compromiso fundamental es defender en todo el mundo el derecho de las personas a definir su propia sexualidad y su identidad de género. Apoyamos los esfuerzos de individuos y grupos por organizarse y construir sociedades libres del heterosexismo y la homofobia.

IGLHRC's mission is to protect and advance the human rights of all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. A US based non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), IGLHRC responds to such human rights violations around the world through documentation, advocacy, coalition building, public education, and technical assistance. Our overarching commitment is to defend the rights of people worldwide to define their own sexualities and gender identities. We support the efforts of individuals and groups to organize to create societies free from heterosexism and homophobia.

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