International indigenous AIDS group announces speakers for pre-conference

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Deputy executive director of UNAIDS, Dr Luiz Loures; International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS (IIWGHA) is the host of the pre-conference and will lead daily interactive sessions on:

• Traditional medicine, care, treatment, support and prevention

• Indigenous identities, world views and HIV - discussions around “Indigeneity” in the South African context

• Meaningful engagement of women and girls working in HIV

• Leadership, advocacy and policy: social and structural drivers of HIV that create barriers for key affected populations most at risk of HIV.

  The keynote speakers are Dr Ebenezer Durojaye, African Commission of Human Rights; Dr Earl Nowgesic, Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health: Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto; Marama Pala, International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS; Delme Cupido, Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), Zodwa Masinga, University of KwaZulu-Natal and John Meletse, hearing-impaired HIV activist.

  Ken Clement, IIWGHA co-chair: Canada says: "The pre-conference on AIDS is an opportunity for indigenous peoples from all over the world to share wise and promising practices, learn from each other and build relationships across continents, cultures, traditions, and languages."

  The pre-conference runs prior to the International AIDS Conference at Umhlanga Ridge, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on July 16-17, 2016.