So the 18th International AIDS Conference - which was held in Vienna - came to an end on Friday July 23, 2010. Although I wasn’t there for the full week, the few days that I was there gave me a real insight into what HIV actually is; how people affected with HIV are dealing with their lives, the stigma they have faced in the past, and how organisations all over the world are finding different ways to tackle this disease.

Key highlights of the week came from the International AIDS Society’s acting Executive Director Mats Ahnlund, who humbly admitted that they weren’t going to meet their targets of providing around 15 million people suffering from HIV with access to treatment and medication. Also, former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s keynote address was a memorable session, in which he stressed that there is still more that needs to be done in the battle for universal access for Anti-retroviral drugs, going hand in hand with the demand for governments to do more. UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Annie Lennox also attended the conference, giving a voice to women and children from developing countries in particular – many of whom don’t have a platform to speak up and be heard.  She then led the AIDS 2010 Human Rights March in the centre of Vienna on the July 20.

There were a lot of home truths on both sides; the Western world not doing enough to reach the Millennium Development Goals, but also the need for governments in developing countries (and also in eastern European countries) to start making HIV and AIDS a priority on their agendas.

Among the protests and marches, speeches and lectures, it was so encouraging to see so many young people volunteering with a variety of youth-based organisations at the conference. Yes, there’s still a long way to go in terms of eradicating HIV stigma, but I have a feeling that our generation is on the right track in doing this…  Speaking of young people who are passionate about eradicating HIV stigma and fighting against AIDS injustice, I spoke to a fair few of them to get their views and opinions on the matter, and in turn, what they thought about this year’s conference…

Jeanette Schaffer
Age: 26
Occupation: Student / drug rehabilitation worker
Rolling down from: Vienna

“I’m here as a volunteer at the International AIDS Conference for the whole week.  I’ve worked in most parts of Africa, so I have a keen interest in international development. While in South Africa, I witnessed a lot of stigmatisation, but in general I think Africa still has a lot of stigma to overcome. Drug abuse (especially in the slums) is a real interest to me, and I’m currently writing my thesis about the relationship between drug use and different locations in Africa. But I think the best way for young people to get more involved in HIV/AIDS is through creativity; whether it is theatre, singing, dancing etc. Education about these issues needs to start from a young age so it becomes an open topic with no stigmatisation.”

Virginia Cutler Thomas
Age: 20
Occupation: Student (American Studies)
Location: North Carolina, USA

“Vienna was the first stop on my travelling tour of Europe and I found out that the International AIDS Conference was going to be held here at the exact time I was due to arrive; so I decided to volunteer as I have an interest in public health. It’s a fantastic chance for me to help out in something I believe in. I’m in a stage in my life where I know a lot about HIV, but don’t have the skills to contribute in any other way that’s so tangible, so it’s great to be here. I think India has the worst kind of HIV stigma because it’s such a prevalent issue that never gets openly discussed, and also because of the caste system, it makes it even harder for women living with HIV to be socially accepted. I’m really looking forward to the summit sessions because they spark interest, debate and are so inspiring. It’s so exciting to be in an environment where I’m hearing the latest issues and discussions concerning HIV.” 

Thuy Vu Xuan
Age: 23
Occupation: Dance 4 Life representative
Location: Vietnam

“I’m here in Vienna as a representative from the Dance 4 Life organisation. In Vietnam, HIV is invisible. Young people think it’s so far away from them. There is a lot of stigma and discrimination, as children and young people with HIV are excluded from school; which means they have no education. I’m really looking forward to the commitment that people in power are going to make here. Let’s see if they stick to their promises.”

Dynka Amorin Dos Santos
Age: 26
Occupation: Student (Political Science)
Location: Lisbon, Portugal

“I’m a delegate and also a member of the Vienna YouthForce here at the conference. I work with young deprived minority ethnic groups in Lisbon, and also run a Youth In Action Programme which is in collaboration with MTV’s Staying Alive initiative. We’ve been very lucky to have MTV as a sponsor, because it means that we can really reach out to young people through media to destroy HIV and AIDS injustice. I work with a lot of African immigrants in particular, and I think Africa needs to change its mentality before AIDS can be really tackled. There is a lot of stigma mainly due to lack of education and cultural beliefs. It’s very challenging to get young people more aware of the risks of HIV and AIDS - and for them to raise awareness to their peers. A part of me feels like the change and determination to change people’s perception needs to come from something inside of them personally. They can’t be forced - they need to decide and take action.”

Karika Kundra
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Location: Vienna

“I think most developing countries face a lot of HIV stigma. For example, India; which is where I’m originally from. Women and girls are excluded and disowned by their families and they are most likely to get the blame for contracting the disease, when it is a well known fact that the majority of the time - it is the man who infects the women (whether it is his wife or sexual partner). I’m really looking forward to getting to know other volunteers here because we are young and have the same interests, so we’ll have a lot to discuss and learn from each other. I’m also at this year’s conference to find out more about AIDS and how countries are fighting against it. Oh - and hearing from Bill Clinton! There’s lots of ways young people can get involved about raising awareness. I’m a big fan of Facebook, so sending out messages through this and other social networking sites would be a great start.”

Franco Wandabwa
Age: 25
Occupation: Healthcare worker
Location: Uganda

“I decided to volunteer here at the International AIDS Conference because I want to be part of a good cause. I have been attending sessions outside my volunteer schedule which I have also found very useful and relevant. In addition, I went to a great pre-event which was a children’s symposium in Vienna a week before the conference. When it comes to HIV/AIDS, my main interest is in paediatrics. Young people should get more involved with voluntary work because it’s good to be a part of your own destiny. As a young man living and working in Uganda, I feel about 80% - 90% of my peers are aware of HIV and are trying to do more to raise awareness.”

Andy
Age: 23
Occupation: Student
Location: Germany

“I came especially to Vienna for the conference, but I also recently finished an internship at the United Nations here in Vienna. My role at the UN was mainly dealing with statistics and surveys, observing the relationship between drugs and crime. Volunteering in general is great and more young people should do it. NGOs always need people! In terms of HIV and AIDS, it’s really important that young people are aware of the stigma (I think the worst HIV stigma is in Sub-Saharan Africa) and how to prevent contracting the disease. We need to protect ourselves actively and passively by influencing others to think twice. It’s great to be here at the AIDS conference. It’s such a friendly open-minded environment to be in. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness as there is lots of media coverage and celebrities who are involved.”

Words and photos: Carissa Yeboah

For more information on the International AIDS Conference and it's outcomes please visit: www.aids2010.org