Were AIDS vaccines or microbicides high on the agenda? Was there discussion on the pressing needs of women?
I sat in on the “so-called” session on gender and AIDS and there was no meaning to that meeting, and I don’t care who is offended by that. I would say it ranged from fatuous to nondescript. There was nothing in that meeting that would galvanize a response by governments to what is happening to women. There was a lot of rhetoric, which is symptomatic of what’s happening—we’re not responding. The Secretary General opened UNGASS by saying that although we have made some progress, most countries have failed to meet their promises. This isn’t just Stephen Lewis being Cassandra; I’m just mirroring what others are saying. In the materials on prevention produced for the meeting there was absolutely no mention about AIDS vaccines or microbicides. How is it humanly possible that the people who are responsible for setting out the details on prevention forget these important technologies? It just isn’t rooted in the minds of those who have to respond. You have become such a strong voice for women’
