Jakarta, 20 January 2007 – For the first time since its establishment on June 17, 2006, the Indonesian Positive Women Alliance (IPPI) will hold the First IPPI Congress between January 31, 2007 and February 4, 2007, in Surabaya, East Java.
As many as 70 women living with HIV and affected by AIDS from across Indonesia will participate in the congress.
The Congress is the realization of an idea to set up a national network of women living with HIV and affected by AIDS, which was first voiced in a workshop on women at Raddin Hotel, Ancol in Jakarta in June 2005.
As part of the Third National AIDS Meeting held on February 4 – 8, 2007, also in Surabaya, it is hoped that IPPI will be better known as the first national network of women living with HIV and affected by AIDS in Indonesia.
The aim of creating the network is to improve the quality of life for women living with HIV and affected by AIDS through empowerment and equality in all aspects of life. These efforts will be the main core of IPPI’s workplan.
“Knowing that we are HIV-positive doesn’t mean that we are helpless, instead we are working together to empower ourselves, and spread the word to other Indonesian women,” Frika Chia from the PITA Foundation, who is also a member of IPPI’s advisory team, said.
Another member of the advisory team, Baby Rivona Nasution, said that IPPI’s establishment will greatly help women living with HIV and affected by AIDS.
“Because we realize that gender equality has not happened in Indonesia,” Baby, who also works for the NGO Medan Aceh Partnership, said.
She said that IPPI is hoped to become a forum for women – whether those living with HIV, affected by AIDS, or those at risk – to get access to correct information on HIV and AIDS, and also become a forum for self development to improve their quality of life.
“We hope IPPI’s establishment will enable Indonesian women to take more initiative in accessing available information services, especially on sexual and reproductive health, and no longer wait,” Baby said.
The Congress will address and formalize IPPI’s deed of establishment, its work plan, as well as appoint members of the board and national coordinator, and IPPI’s work coverage.
The First IPPI Congress will be facilitated by the Spiritia Foundation together with the Jakarta Independent Women Support Group as organizers, with the full support from the National AIDS Commission and the United Nations Joint Programme for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Facilitators for the three-day congress include Emmy Lucy Smith from Indonesia Against Child Trafficking (ACT) and Nining Makatamar from the Kakak Foundation, and Director for the Surabaya Children Crisis Center (SCCC), Suryono, will attend as guest speaker.
It is hoped that State Minister for Women’s Empowerment, Dr. Meutia Hatta, and National AIDS Commission Secretary, Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, MPH. will close the Congress.
For more information:
Puji Astuti Hoesin (Tary) | Organizer | +62 813 155 502 08 | tary_angga@yahoo.com
