Canadian-African week of action on HIV-AIDS

National Union of Public and General Employees supporting campaign activities that will target Canadian embassies and Prime Minister Harper.

Ottawa (24 Feb. 2010) – Trade unions throughout Canada and Africa will join forces in a March 21-27 Week of Action to lobby the G8 and G20 for provision of Universal Access to HIV-AIDS prevention, treatment and care. The action is timed to precede a meeting of foreign ministers of the G20 countries in Ottawa on March 29-30.

The lobby will target Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Canadian embassies in Africa. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Global Union AIDS Program (GUAP) have also been asked to call on their members to engage in similar actions aimed at Canadian embassies around the world.

The objective is to win a commitment on Universal Access from leaders meeting at the G8 and G20 summits in Canada in June 2010.

“Prime Minister Harper should play a leading role in convincing his fellow leaders to take quick and decisive action on HIV-AIDS,” says Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress.

Canada is the host country and will preside over the G8 summit, June 25-26 near Huntsville, Ontario and will co-host the G20 summit with South Korea on June 26-27 in Toronto.

The CLC and its affiliate unions, including the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), in solidarity with civil society groups, are planning a Canada-wide action during the week of March 21-27 in support of the HIV-AIDS goals.

The activities will include an e-postcard campaign, a national conference, and plans for a breakfast meeting with Members of Parliament.

Georgetti says Prime Minister Harper’s focus on maternal and child health must be linked to a commitment to Universal Access for AIDS services, thus strengthening sexual and reproductive rights, which are at the heart of the Universal Access concept.

In a message sent to African trade unions, Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, general secretary of the African Regional Organization of the ITUC-Africa, has called on his members to organize rallies at Canadian embassies — and write letters – during the March week of action.

“Canada’s embassies are well placed to deliver a clear message to the Canadian prime minister from Africans who expect action from world leaders on universal access for HIV and AIDS,” he says.

He adds that sub-Saharan Africa remains the most heavily affected region, accounting for 67% of all people living with HIV and 72% of deaths due to AIDS globally.

Adu-Amankwah and Georgetti are combining their call for Universal Access on HIV-AIDS with a demand that governments support the ILO Decent Work programme and its Jobs Pact.

“This is the only means through which the cycle of HIV-AIDS and poverty can be broken,” says Adu-Amankwah.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE