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UK Network of Women Living with HIV: Pozfem-UK
The UK Network of Women Living with HIV was established in September 2004, during the Changing Tomorrow conference. Over 350 people living with HIV and AIDS attended this event from across the UK allowing them to meet others living with HIV, debate the issues and question policy makers on key issues.
One key objectives of the conference was to develop sustainable support networks. To this end, a group of delegates from across the UK proposed to establish the National Network of Women Living with HIV. The aims of the network are:
- Provide a support network, particularly to women, isolated either geographically or in prison
- To keep women informed of HIV, health and social issues
- Raise the issues and increase the understanding of issues for women amongst policy makers and service providers
- Create a link between women’s local struggles to global struggles e.g. access to HIV treatments
At the meetings it was proposed, and unanimously agreed, that Positively Women would take the lead on the Network, supported by and working closely with the UK Coalition of People Living with HIV and AIDS, and The International Community of Women Living with HIV and AIDS.
PW has recruited ten regional Co-ordinators, women living with HIV who want to be involved in establishing the network, representative of the following areas: Edinburgh, Manchester, Luton, Bristol, Derby, Brighton, Leeds, Powys (Wales), Hull, Liverpool and Southampton. The Co-ordinators are an ethnically diverse group, including an almost equal number of Black African and White British women.
The Regional Co-ordinators decided on a name for the UK Network of Positive Women: Pozfem-UK, and a vision statement: “The National Voice of Positive Women”.
For further information on any aspect on Pozfem-UK, please contact PW’s National Co-ordinator Silvia Petretti on 020 7713 0444. |
