The Social and Economic Dimensions of HIV/AIDS in Africa
The third symposium of the UNU-Cornell Africa Series
9 September 2008 - The United Nations University (UNU) and Cornell University are organizing the third symposium of the UNU-Cornell Africa Series, entitled “The Social and Economic Dimensions of HIV/AIDS in Africa”. The event will be held on 9 September 2008, from 8:30 am – 7.00 pm, at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The symposium is sponsored courtesy of the Turkish Mission to the UN and in association with UNAIDS.
The one-day symposium “The Social and Economic Dimensions of HIV/AIDS in Africa” will examine the complex linkages between HIV/AIDS and reproductive and sexual behaviors, as well as the implication of HIV/AIDS in the socio-economic context. Presentation and discussion on the symposium will focus on range of topics from links and gaps in knowledge to the effectiveness of interventions and policies in Africa for HIV prevention. The symposium will also explore the scope and experiences in terms of the roll out of antiretroviral therapies, with an emphasis on service delivery and behavioral responses among vulnerable groups, their children, and their communities to address the economic and social costs of HIV/AIDS.
Among the 20 experts presenting on the issue of HIV/AIDS in Africa from academia, international organizations, government sectors, and NGOs, the UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro will provide a keynote speech. Agenda and more information is available at http://www.ony.unu.edu/.
UNU is also working on engaging further participation via video conference for the morning session of the symposium, with UN colleagues, academics, NGOs in Accra, Ghana and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to get their perspective on the issues.
In addition, the one-day symposium will be webcast. The link will available at http://www.ony.unu.edu/webcast/ as of 9 September 2008. To view the webcast live, please register online at http://africaserieswebcast.eventbrite.com/.
This is the third symposium of the UNU-Cornell Africa Series. The first symposium focused on The African Food System and its Interactions with Health and Nutrition, and the second, The Governance Dimension of the MDGs in Africa. The Africa Series brings together leading academic experts on Africa from around the globe, and especially Africa, as well as the UN, international organizations and NGO practitioners. Publications from the proceedings are forthcoming from the UNU Press/Cornell University Press.