News
Global
31 July 2008

Migration and HIV at the International AIDS Conference

IOM and ILO will organize two sessions on Day One of the XVII
International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008), which begins in Mexico
City on Sunday.

"International Labour Migration and HIV: Emerging Issues" and
"Sex by the Side of the Road: HIV Vulnerability along Road
Transport Corridors in Africa" will take place on Sunday in the
Centro Banamex, the main venue of AIDS 2008.

The discussion on labour migration and HIV will begin at 9.00 am
and will be co-chaired by Mrs. Ndioro Ndiaye, Deputy Director
General of IOM, and Dr. Sophia Kisting, Director of the ILO
Programme on HIV/AIDS in the World of Work.

Ms. Ndiaye explains: "This event presents a key opportunity to
bring together governments, international organizations, the
private sector, and other stakeholders to review best practices and
the way forward in addressing the HIV service needs of
international labour migrants."

A joint policy brief developed by IOM, ILO and UNAIDS on HIV and
international labour migration will be launched during the
meeting.  This document focuses on the HIV-related rights and
needs of international labour migrants, irrespective of their legal
status and whether their stay in the destination country is short
or long term.

The policy brief recommends specific actions to be carried out
by each actor in the migration process in order to effectively
address the HIV-related risks encountered by mobile populations,
including poverty, gender inequality and human rights
violations.

The second session on HIV vulnerability along road transport
corridors in Africa will take place at 3.45 pm.  It will
feature a presentation of outcomes and successful responses
resulting from the workshop on the same subject held in Swaziland
in 2007 organized by IOM, WFP and the North Star Foundation.

Although the conclusions to be presented in this session stem
from experiences gained in Southern and Eastern Africa, the
methodologies in terms of policies, programmes and research are
valid for HIV vulnerability patterns along many transport corridors
elsewhere in the world.

AIDS 2008 will take place at the Centro Banamex from August
3-8.  The theme of the conference, Universal Action Now,
emphasizes the need to accelerate the international response to
HIV/AIDS and encourages the participation of all.

For more information, please contact:

Jorge Andrés Gallo

Tel. +57.311.561.9495

IOM Mexico City

E-mail: "mailto:jgallo@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">jgallo@iom.int

or

Zoe Stopak-Behr

Tel. +1.410.458.3621

E-mail: "mailto:zstopak-behr@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">zstopak-behr@iom.int

Conference Documents

Key Publications on HIV/AIDS and Migration

Studies on Migration and HIV/AIDS by Region



America



Africa



Asia



Key Publications on Migration Health