ASIA PACIFIC NETWORK OF PEOPLE

WITH HIV/AIDS

                                             Women of APN+ (WAPN+)

Women of APN+ (WAPN+) is a newly formed women’s working group of APN+. Its vision is the ”empowerment of women living with HIV and AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region to provide a united voice, improve the quality of our lives and ensure our leaders protect our rights”.

WAPN+ was formed in 2006 in recognition of the unmet needs of women living with HIV in the region, in particular:

• Women Income generation
• Women accessibility on HIV medication and treatment literacy
• Information on positive women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights

WAPN+’s mission is to increase solidarity and communication among women living with HIV in the Asia Pacific region and improve our skills, knowledge and opportunities to fully participate in an effective response to HIV and AIDS, and to advocate for the needs of women living with HIV at a regional level.

WAPN+ aims to:

• Share information on a range of issues to HIV-positive women throughout the region
• Increase the capacity of HIV-positive women to take on leadership roles
• Strengthen and help establish national networks of women living with HIV.

A core group of four women, one from each of four sub-regions, South Asia, South-East Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, volunteered to guide WAPN+ Coordinator to carry forward its strategic plan.

Thanks to the support received to date, HIV-positive women in the Asia-Pacific region have developed into a cohesive network within APN+. Women have inspired each other with their commitment to change the status quo. Women’s confidence as the new leaders of the region and as agents of change is growing. Some of the major activities that WAPN+ hopes to run over the next three years will  be carried out during 2007-2009. This include treatment research report in five countries, developing catalogue on best income generation projects, training of trainers on treatment literacy and advocacy, training on basic reaseach skills. At the beginning of October 2007, a woman has been recruited to coordinate all WAPN+ activities. Thanks to Ford Foundation for their generous support.

WAPN+ Objectives and Proposed Activities, 2007 -2009

1. Assist women in the region to identify access to sustainable incomes:

• Lobby government and NGOs to provide employment opportunities to HIV-positive women, as counsellors, educators. 
• Find out women's needs and available income generation resources in each country (NGOs, government, local companies)  
• Link women with and facilitate exposure visits to model projects
• Link women's income generating projects with potential buyers
• Train women to obtain funds to provide life skills

2. Increase women’s access to HIV medication, improve health services for HIV-positive women, increase their knowledge of treatment and develop their capacity to address HIV treatment issues.

• Source training of trainers to positive women on ARV treatment literacy 
• Conduct research to determine: 

- How many positive women and children in the region are on ARVs
- Do governments comply with international and regional policies regarding ARVs 

3. Reduce stigma and discrimination and uphold the human rights of women and children living with HIV.

• Provide training of trainers to women to educate families, communities and influential leaders about discrimination and international human rights treaties
• Document in-country compliance with international human rights treaties
• Work with media (television, radio, print.) to reduce discrimination via regional spokeswomen 

4. Strengthen the capacity of positive women’s groups in the region, including fundraising skills.

• Develop communication strategy 
• Identify key women/organisations willing to network in each country 
• Develop a "how to network" module, with case studies
• Mobilise resources to provide training workshop on how to do networking

5. Increase positive women’s involvement in national and regional and international policy-making.

• Train women in developing and implementing policy 
• Document best practice of involvement of positive women in policy making 

6. Provide up-to-date accessible information to women, particularly on sexual and reproductive health and rights

• Adapt available information on sexual and reproductive health and rights into accessible format/local languages
• Training of trainers for women on how to use manual at country level 
• Strengthen partnerships with organisations working with women 

For more information about WAPN+, please contact:

Ms. Frika Chia Iskandar
Coordinator, WAPN+
Tel: +66 2 2591908  and +66 2 2591909
Fax: +66 2 2591906
Email: frika@apnplus.org

'Women's confidence as new leaders of the region and as agents of change is growing'