AIDS22, August 2022
The 24th International AIDS Conference convened by the International AIDS Society took place in Montréal, Canada. This was a key moment for HIV activists, policy makers and the public health community to come together and STOPAIDS was delighted to participate both in person and virtually. To revisit the timetable of STOPAIDS and member events:
STOPAIDS stands in solidarity with those who were denied entry into Canada for the conference; a silencing of key voices in the international HIV response. The failure to ensure equitable access to and representation at the conference re-embeds the power structures that many at the conference work to change. What resulted was a lack of meaningful involvement of many communities living with and affected by HIV.
We call on the Canadian Government to review the shocking grant visa process and the International AIDS Society to undertake a detailed review of conference organising processes, and to implement policies for future events to ensure access for delegates living in low-and lower-middle income countries.