Women against AIDS tour was conceived in the midst of a growing concern that women are increasingly at risk of HIV infection in many parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The percentage of adults living with HIV who are women has risen from 11% in 1990 to 28% in 2006.
The tour was sponsored by the AIDS Infoshare organization, UNAIDS, the Global Coalition of Women on AIDS and the United Nations Development Program. Ten AIDS advocates from the region with special guests joining at various points travelled together to learn about the realities of women and AIDS in different parts of the region and also to mobilize local policy makers to act on these issues.
Moscow, 27 May - The team is at Sheremetievo Airport. Could not wait to look at the posters and unpacked them right before flying to Almaty (Kazakhstan).
Kazakhstan, 27-28 May - Elnara Kurmangalieva (State Centre for Healthy Life Style) informing about HIV prevention programmes among youth.
Kazakhstan, 27-28 May - Group photograph.
Armenia, 29-30 May - Oganes Madoyan (Real World - real People) opens the discussions. None of the HIV positive women from Armenia was ready to talk openly and express the needs of the community.
Moldova, 30 May-1 June - Aleksander Shishkin (actor and DJ) first on the right side, joined the round table discussions to support implementation of gender specific programmes in Moldova. He also reiterated the need to carry out information campaigns on HIV prevention for young people.
Moldova, 30 May-1 June - Igor Kilchevski (Credinta) offers to discuss the recommendations of the project participants. High stigma and discrimination is perceived by women living with HIV in Moldova.
Ukraine, 2-5 June - Welcoming remarks by Anna Grekova (All-Ukrainian Network of PLHIV) at a press event.
Ukraine, 2-5 June - A cameraman filming for the national TV channel. The media can play a critical role in reducing stigma and discrimination towards women living with HIV.
Moscow, 6 June - UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Debbie Landey plays a key role in addressing gender dimension to the response to HIV. She actively participated in the Tour.
Moscow, 6 June - Round table participants: (from left) Natalia Ladnaya (Federal AIDS Centre), Sergei Golovach (Photographer), Anna Dubrovskaya ('Golos Anti-SPID' NGO, Ufa, Russia), Elena Tamazova (UNAIDS, Russia), Anna Grekova (All-Ukrainian Network of PLHIV), Debbie Landey (DExD, UNAIDS), Vladimir Pozner (President of the Russian TV Academy), Lyudmila Untura ('Childhood for All' NGO, Moldova), Maria Ivannikova (AIDS Infoshare, Russia), Tatiana Stupak ('Victoria' NGO, Kazakhstan), Larisa Dementieva (Federal Service for Protection of Consumer Rights and Human Wellbeing)
All photo credit: UNAIDS/Serge Golovach
Links:
Read full story
Visit the website of the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS 
