UNAIDS INVITATION LETTER

The United Nations General Assembly President’s Office has requested UNAIDS Secretariat to convene a ‘Task Force’ of civil society representatives to help in key decisions relating to attendance and participation of civil society organizations in the UNGASS Review Meeting to be held in New York from 31 Mayto 2 June 2006.

The Task Force will report to the General Assembly President’s Office and seek to provide a key link into the UN for some of the key civil society grouping and coalitions being set up to support the Review. Task Force representatives will be asked to work with the UN on developing key aspects of the Review. The role of representatives will be unpaid but expenses and travel will be met by UNAIDS.

Now, UNAIDS, on behalf of the Office of the General Assembly President, is inviting 12 individuals from civil society to join the Task Force. Individuals were identified for invitation following a short consultation process involving UNAIDS, the Office of the General Assembly President, PCB NGOs, the UNGASS Civil Society Steering Committee and the Civil Society representatives of the Universal Access Steering Committee.

Task Force Invitees

Two representatives of people living with HIV

Beri Hull
International Community of Women Living with HIV (the only global network run by and for HIV positive women operating in 90 countries)
USA/International

Lucy Chesire
ICW, Stop TB Partnership Community Representative TB/HIV Working Group Community Representative
Kenya

Two representatives of the UNGASS Civil Society Steering Committee/Coalition

Marcel Van Soest
The World AIDS Campaign (A global AIDS advocacy and campaign coalition supported by UNAIDS)
The Netherlands/International

Zonny Woods
International Women’s Health Coalition (Active with local organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America)
USA/International

Two UNAIDS PCB NGO delegates

Mary Balikungeri
Rwanda Women’s Network
Rwanda

Rachel Ong
Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV
China/Asia Pacific

A Civil Society representative from the UNAIDS Universal Access Global Steering Committee

Raminta Stuikyte
Central and Eastern European Harm Reduction Network
Eastern Europe

A representative of the Labour sector

Alan Leather
Public Services International (Global federation of 600 trade unions)
France/International

A representative of the private/business sector

Georgia Arnold
MTV Networks International (Global youth media with HIV prevention programmes - member of Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS)
UK/International

A representative from a women’s organization

Mabel Bianco
Foundation for Studies and Research on Women
Argentina/South America

A representative from a youth organization

Prateek Suman
Youth Coalition, India
India/Asia

A representative from a faith-based organization

Linda Hartke
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (A network of more than 90 churches and church-based organizations working on AIDS advocacy)
Switzerland/International

The General Assembly President’s Office has asked UNAIDS to chair the Task Force. Representatives from NGLS, DPI and the PGA Office will also be invited to participate.

A number of tasks will need to take place before the first Task Force meeting which is now scheduled to take place on 20-21 March in New York.

Members will be asked to input into shaping the design for the Civil Society Hearings session on the first day of the Review including format, topics, messages and key speakers and provide suggestions for themes for the roundtables.

A tentative timetable of activities is listed below:

Invitations to Task Force 6 March

Initial Conference Call 9 March

Meeting in New York 20-21 March

Meeting in New York 19-20 April

Meeting in New York 24-25 May

Pre-Review Briefings for speakers at hearings and roundtables 29-30 May

Post Review Debrief in New York 5 June

The agenda of the three Task Force meetings will be designed so as to help ensure the Task Force is able to:

• Advise on the civil society participation of the roundtables
• Work with broader civil society groupings to help identify key civil society speakers for all formal the sessions including the Plenary session
• Communicate key issues to broader civil society to keep them informed of pertinent developments
• Prepare and brief for the civil society participants and speakers

And advise on:

• Input on the panels and aspects of the High Level event on 1 June
• Input on recommendations to the chairs of the round tables taking into account the previous year’s experiences
• Input into the development of key messages for the Review Meeting to be used by UNAIDS at key media and communications opportunities
• Logistical issues and needs for civil society attending the Review
• Post Review Debriefing

Further information: Andy Seale at sealea@unaids.org or Caroline Manlan at manlanc@unaids.org