International Indigenous Strategy for HIV/AIDS
The International Indigenous Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS for Indigenous Peoples and Communities from 2011 to 2017, is meant to facilitate an international voice and structure that links Indigenous peoples with their governments, AIDS service organizations, cooperatives, and others in a global collective action to lower the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS experienced by Indigenous peoples.
There are six key objectives to the strategy, which are based on the input of the IIWGHA members during the Indigenous Satellite gatherings at the International Conference on AIDS, July 2010 in Vienna, Austria.
- Increase the visibility of the impact of HIV and AIDS in Indigenous communities at the international level;
- Improve meaningful inclusion of Indigenous Peoples, and Indigenous people living with HIV and AIDS, in research, policy and program
- development at the national, regional and international level;
- Work towards the accurate representation of Indigenous peoples in HIV and AIDS epidemiological data within their own countries or
- Provide capacity building and development to raise HIV and AIDS and Indigenous Peoples as a health priority;
- Promote Indigenous specific approaches to the social determinants of health; and,
- Conduct sustainability planning.
This strategic plan encourages the sharing of wise practices between countries with Indigenous populations. Further, it is strongly encouraged that Indigenous people are supported, through the leveraging of international instruments on human rights and indigenous health, to be meaningfully involved in data collected and reported about them. In particular, the meaningful involvement of Indigenous peoples living with HIV and AIDS. This strategic plan will guide the work of the IIWGHA. A next step is ongoing governance and sustainability planning for the IIWGHA.