The 22nd International AIDS Conference and the Joint OFID/IAS Workshop on HIV in Conservative Social Settings

The grant supported the participation of 100 young scientists, researchers and delegates from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at the 22nd International AIDS Conference to be held between July 23 and 27, 2018 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, as well as a two-day workshop on HIV in Conservative Social Settings, in Lebanon. A. High-Level Consultation Meeting on HIV in Conservative Social Settings The Third High-Level Consultation on HIV in Conservative Social Settings, “HIV, Human Rights, and Sustainability: From Analysis to Action”, was held in Beirut, Lebanon, on 25-26 January 2018. The Global Institute for Health and Human Rights (GIHHR) and the International AIDS Society (IAS) organized the consultation with support from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). It was hosted by the American University of Beirut (AUB), and brought together government officials, healthcare professionals, scholars, faith-based leaders and civil society representatives from 15 Islamic-majority countries, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tunisia and Turkey. The consultation in Beirut reviewed successes and learning opportunities that followed a series of previous meetings on HIV in conservative social settings which had been held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2013, in Vienna, Austria, in 2014, and in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2016. The 2018 consultation explored ways to more effectively engage key and priority populations and community groups, civil society, faith-based leaders and service providers. It also looked at ways to increase education, awareness of scientific progress and respect for diversity. Discussions centred on strategies to create sustainable HIV programmes that address the political and social aspects of HIV work in socially conservative regions. The participants prioritized the strategies that were discussed in the meeting to formulate a call to action. The full meeting report including the list of participants and the details of the call to action is available online. B. Satellite session on “HIV, human rights, and sustainability: From analysis to action” at the 22nd International AIDS Conference A satellite session was organized during the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018), which took place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from 23-27 July 2018, bringing together scholars and experts from the MENA region, including a selected number of participants from the high-level meeting on HIV in Conservative Settings in Beirut, with other AIDS 2018 delegates to discuss topics related to HIV in conservative social settings. Presenters provided an overview of the legal, social and political barriers to HIV and AIDS care in conservative social settings, showcased model programmes and best practices that effectively addressed these issues around the world and discussed adaptation and replication in countries of the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which was followed by a moderated discussion with panelists from among key populations and health service providers from Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Malawi, South Africa and Uganda on patientcentred services. The Beirut call to action was circulated among the session attendees. The session was attended by over 100 delegates. In total, 17 individuals from Afghanistan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, United States, were supported with OFID funding. Support of scientists and delegates low-income countries to attend the 22nd International AIDS Conference A total of 80 AIDS 2018 conference delegates between the age of 19 and 36 received a partial or full scholarship support from OFID. They came from 17 countries in Africa and Asia and represented a wide spectrum of organizations. 45% of the grantees identified as female, 50% male, and 5% transgender.