Rights Here, Right Now Women Countdown to AIDS 2010

Vienna, Austria will host the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010), the largest international meeting on HIV and AIDS from July 18 – 23, 2010.

Theme of AIDS 2010

The AIDS 2010 conference theme, Rights Here, Right Now emphasises the central importance of protecting and promoting human rights as a prerequisite to a successful response to HIV. The right to dignity and self-determination for key affected populations, to equal access to health care and life-saving prevention and treatment programmes, and the right to interventions based on evidence rather than ideology, are all incorporated in this urgent demand for action.

Rights Here, Right Now emphasises that concrete human rights measures need to be in place to protect those most vulnerable to and affected by HIV, especially women and girls, people who use drugs, migrants, prisoners, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and transgender persons.

Rights Here, Right Now also emphasises the location of the conference in Vienna, chosen in part for its proximity to Eastern Europe and Central Asia – a region experiencing one of the fastest growing epidemics that is fuelled primarily by injecting drug use. It also underscores this critical moment in time for the global epidemic – with the 2010 deadline that world leaders set for providing universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support on the immediate horizon. Rights Here, Right Now is a call for leadership, accountability and action.

The AIDS 2010 programme will present new scientific knowledge and offer many opportunities for structured dialogue on the major issues facing the global response to HIV. A variety of session types – from abstract-driven presentations to symposia, bridging sessions and plenaries – will meet the needs of various participants. Other related activities, including the Global Village, satellite meetings, exhibitions and affiliated events, will contribute to an exceptional opportunity for professional development and networking.

The AIDS 2010 website