A division of WORLD (Women Organized to Respond to Life threatening Disease) U.S. POSITIVE WOMEN’S NETWORK

 The U.S. Positive Women’s Network is a national membership body of HIV positive women, including transgender women, working for federal policy change. The PWN prepares and involves HIV positive women in all levels of policy and decision-making to improve the quality of women’s lives by: - Combating HIV related stigma - Training and supporting HIV positive women and allies as leaders - Creating and sharing tools for women and HIV advocates - Mobilizing for strategic campaigns to change policies The PWN applies a gender equity and human rights lens to the HIV epidemic to achieve federal policies grounded in the reality of women’s lived experiences.

 Approximately 300,000 women are living with HIV in the U.S.  AIDS is the number one killer of women worldwide (U.N.)  African American women make up 12% of the U.S. population and 66% of new AIDS diagnosis (2006)  AIDS is the leading cause of death for African American women age in the U.S.  Women comprise nearly one third of the AIDS diagnosis in America, up from 8% in the 80’s.  Women make up 50% of AIDS cases worldwide, and higher in the deep South

 A group of 28 HIV+ women were convened in San Francisco from all over the U.S. Diversity matched the Epidemic…  50% African descent  17 % Latina  17 % Caucasian/ European  10% multi-racial  3% Native American  4 born outside the U.S.  2 monolingual spanish speaking  Age range 18-73

 National AIDS Strategy (NAS)  Ryan White Reauthorization  2008 Presidential Election

 Naina Khanna, PWN’s Director, became the Policy CoChair for NAS calls.  This led to her being nominated for the Coordinating Committee (Our first National Contact for PWN)

 Worked with CHAMP (Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project) to create a toolkit for testifying at NAS Town Hall Meetings

 Created a toolkit around voter registration, educating voters about laws, protecting themselves from voter discrimination, how to vote, etc.  1 st piece of Policy Work …  Created and released a document of recommendations for Obama Transition Team concerning women and HIV.  Document presented to FAPP (Federal Aids Policy Partnership), who then included the document in the complete recommendation to the Obama Administration.

 Result was a 2 nd document on Human rights and Prevention (July 2009)  Jeff Crowley, Director Of the Office of National Aids Policy (ONAP) contacted Naina Khanna  A meeting of HIV + Women at the White House for the National Aids Strategy Dec 2009

 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference in Atlanta Ga.  With no mention of women in the opening plenary by the Director of CDC, an emergency meeting was convened by PWN members and allies.  A public protest was performed by numerous PWN, complete with banners, and a chant of “Make women a priority!” “Make ____ a priority” filling in the blanks with all marginalized communities.

This accomplished the goal of silencing and overpowering the conference, taking the stage, and receiving an ovation from both Jeff Crowley and the audience. Make Women a Priority!

 Convened a Steering Committee for the PWN  Consists of diverse HIV+ women from around the U.S.  The SC sets the strategic direction and priorities for the U.S. PWN and ensures that activities of PWN remain accountable to operating values, mission, and vision. They also set and evaluate the PWN organizational structure.

 First convening of PWN Steering Committee  Set the direction and priorities for PWN and ensures that activities of PWN remain accountable to operating values, misssion and vision.  Made up of diverse Hiv+ women.

 They have created Working Groups, and each group has 2 co chairs.  The Working Groups include:  Policy  Membership  Governance  Communications  Operations and fund development

 Over 1000 members and allies  Released 2008 World AIDS Day Statement  Trained over 150 women in advocacy skills  Developed a roster of 12 HIV+ women who mentor and build leadership in their regions  Two founding members of the U.S. PWN have been nominated to PACHA (Presidents Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS)  Several members are on local and regional advisory councils

 International AIDS Conference-Mexico 2008  U.S. Conference on AIDS-Miami FL Sept 2008  South Carolina HIV Conference- Oct 2008  CHAMP Strategy call on election-Nov 2008  FAPP Mtng. Washington DC–Nov 2008  NAPWA’s Women’s Institute–Raleigh, NC Dec 2008  Phone call with Obama transition team-Jan 2009  State Consumer Advisory Committee-S. Carolina Jan 2009

 San Diego Women and HIV Conference-Jan 2009  Lobbied at AIDSWATCH-April 2009  Voices: A National AIDS Strategy that works for Women-Arlington Va. May 2009

 2 PWN members appointed to PACHA  1 PWN member appointed to Colorado state HIV Advisory Council  Contributed writings in 3 Human Rights reports on health disparities, reproductive rights, and housing to be submitted to U.N. in march  Assisting with planning of several forums and conferences  Have several speaking engagement, presentations at conferences and numerous documents have been submitted

 HIV+ women must be involved with every level of policy and decision making that affects our lives.  We are committed to focusing on social determinants, aside from risk factors, such as access to healthcare, poverty, housing, mental health, domestic abuse (to name a few).  We will continue to push for systems of care and support that are culturally and gender appropriate for keeping women and families in care.  We will continue to focus on expansion through our Steering and Advisory committee members who will start satellite PWN chapters, such as the ones in California, Texas, North Carolina…

 “At this point in time, it is crucial that the estimated 300,000 women living with HIV/AIDS in the United States have a robust national voice”  Naina Khanna, Director of the U.S. PWN