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Untitled Document March 14, 2003

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500


Dear President Bush,

We are health care providers, researchers, religious leaders, advocates and HIV positive women working daily on the frontlines in the ongoing struggle to improve the lives of women and families throughout the world, and particularly in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. We are convinced that a consistent global response to HIV/AIDS requires more than financial assistance. Given the close connections between HIV/AIDS and poverty, an effective response to HIV/AIDS will require consistent and sustained strategies for the eradication of poverty eradication, efforts to eliminate patterns of male violence and domination, renewed attention to the links between sex, gender, and power, and in many settings, and most particularly in Africa, a sustainable solution to the burden of debt.

Though details on how you would address these issues were lacking, we nonetheless, welcomed the announcement in January that your administration would dramatically increase US funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in Africa and the Caribbean. We recognized that the HIV/AIDS initiative announced by the US government could have meant increased assistance to address the needs of those most vulnerable to HIV infection throughout the world.

These hopes were dashed, however, when we learned that you planned to expand the "global gag rule" to HIV funding, thereby disqualifying a large number of organizations-especially family planning programs-from delivering integrated HIV prevention services. We understand that your administration is considering expanding these restrictions to all development assistance. Rather than saving lives, this policy will have the opposite effect: consigning untold numbers of women and girls to infection, suffering and premature death that could otherwise have been prevented.

Women now represent half of those infected with HIV worldwide and 58 percent of those in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the AIDS epidemic has taken the greatest toll to date. Women and girls are at highest risk for HIV infection for a broad range of reasons, including lack of social and economic power, lack of access to information and services, and widespread violence and sexual coercion against women. For these same reasons, women also are at high risk of unintended pregnancy. Today, conservative estimates by the World Health Organization indicate that over 600,000 women die each year from complications related to pregnancy, including obstructed labor, hemorrhage, and infections resulting from unsafe abortion. Indeed nearly one-sixth of all maternal deaths result from the complications of unsafe abortion in countries where safe services are either illegal or inaccessible. Beyond the figures, we know the faces as we see them every day.

Integrated sexual and reproductive health services offer pre- and post-natal care, family planning information and supplies, nutrition information, infant and childcare services and a host of other basic health care interventions. They offer HIV prevention information and skills training to women at risk. Increasingly, they are working to change the cultural and social norms that promote violence and other forms of discrimination against women, as well as to encourage men and boys to practice safe sex, refrain from violence and coercion against women and girls, and engage in relationships based on mutuality and respect. Without these programs the epidemic we know today would be far worse.

The women who become infected and die of AIDS are the same women who at different times in their lives and under different personal circumstances may seek to have healthy pregnancies, may experience unintended pregnancies, may undergo unsafe abortions when they decide they cannot carry a pregnancy to term, or may die in childbirth. They are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. They are sometimes engaged in sex work as a matter of their very survival. They are often solely responsible for the health and well being of their children. They are the primary caretakers of family members affected by AIDS and other diseases. And they all leave behind increasing numbers of orphans.

We know that integrated sexual and reproductive health care saves lives, and that the single most effective strategy to prevent unnecessary deaths is to combine political will, economic resources, and sound public health policies to strengthen and expand access to sexual and reproductive health services. Each and every one of these deaths can be prevented. To do any less represents a moral and political failing. Yet we watch as the United States attempts on every level to undermine such services throughout the world.

We therefore write to tell you in the strongest possible terms that we oppose the Mexico City Policy in its current form, and we oppose any expansion of this policy to HIV/AIDS funding, development assistance or debt relief. We urge you in the strongest possible terms to abandon your plan to expand these restrictions in any form, and to do what is needed to increase funding for and access to reproductive health services including HIV prevention. Doing so will save the lives of hundreds of thousands of women throughout the world each year. It will give your stated commitment to compassion and to family values some serious meaning.

Sincerely,


AFRICA

Dr. Uzodinma A. Adirieje, Executive Coordinator
Afrihealth Information Projects, Nigeria

Betty Akullo, Coordinator
Center for Domestic Violence Prevention, Uganda

Dr. Marijke Alblas, International Medical Consultant in Reproductive Health
Western Cape Department of Health, South Africa

Tsehaines Amanual, Infrastructure Officer
Lutheran World Federation, Eritrea

Tebereh Andemichaiel, Executive Secretary
Lutheran World Federation, Eritrea

Aadielah Anderson, Soul Buddyz Programme Manager
Soul City, South Africa

Cheryl Ayogu, Provincial Coordinator
Western Cape Network on Violence Against Women, South Africa

Mrs. Noelene Blekkenhorst, Director
FAMSA Western Cape, South Africa

Lindsey Breslin, Technical Advisor
ESTAMOS-Organizacao Comunitaria, Mozambique

Wamundu I. Cassette, Health Educator
Uganda Peoples Defense Forces, Uganda

Dina Cormick
Women's Ordination South Africa

Leslie Cumming, HIV/AIDS Intern
International Conference on HIV/AIDS and STI's in Africa, Kenya

Dr. Kim Eva Dickson, Regional Development Director
Reproductive Health Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Lynne Duffy, RN, PhD, Nurse Educator
Mt. Selinda School of Nursing, Zimbabwe

Esther Endalé, National Treasurer
Association de Lutte Contre la Violences Faites aux Femmes, Cameroon

Gary Engelberg, Co-Director
Africa Consultants International, Senegal

Odette Ngo Etame, President
No Limit For Women Project, Cameroon

Susan Fox, Research Manager
Centre for AIDS Development and Evaluation, South Africa

Akberet Fre, Dy. Dev. Coordinator
Lutheran World Federation, Eritrea

Margaret Gecaga
Catholic Voices, Kenya

Nathan Geffen
Treatment Action Campaign, South Africa

Dr. Susan Goldstein, Senior Manager-Research and Children's Series
Soul City, South Africa

Rosemary Gravenor
Women's Ordination South Africa

Chloe Hardy, Paralegal
AIDS Law Project, South Africa

Maryrose Baby Ikumi, HIV & AIDS Programme Advisor,
Associacao dos Tecnicos Agro-Pecuarios, Mozambique

Dr. Rachel Jewkes, Director-Gender & Health Group
Medical Research Council, South Africa

Mr. Sangeet H. Jooseery, Executive Director
Mauritius Family Planning Association, Mauritius

Konjit Kefetew
Professional Social Scientist, Ethiopia

Dr. Gudrun Kober, Psychology Department
University of Namibia

Mme Catherine Kouakou, Assistante Sociale
CDC/Projet RETRO-CI, Cote D'Ivoire

Daniel Kumeh, Programs Coordinator
Pro-Link, Ghana

Prof G. Lynne Lackey
University of Swaziland

Amasse Leon, Directeur Executif,
Conseiller du Reseau des Organisations Chretiennes d'Action pour la Vie, Benin

Ingrid Martens, Bureau Chief, Executive Producer
CAMERAPIX, South Africa

Judi Merckel, National Coordinator
Reproductive Rights Alliance, South Africa

Zanele B. Mhlanga-Karl
Reproductive Health Consultant, South Africa

Lori Michau, Co-Director
Raising Voices, Uganda

Promise Mthembu, Sexual and Reproductive Rights Officer
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, South Africa/UK

Semret Narayo, Community Health Assistant
Lutheran World Federation, Eritrea

Mvioki Nkadi, Executive Secretary
S.O.S ENFANTS, Democratic Republic of Congo

Theodora Nyamboli, External Relations Secretary
International Aid Christian Women of Vision, Cameroon

Josepha Nyirankundabera, President
HAGURUKA Association, Rwanda

Naomi Nyitambe, Reproductive Health Officer,
United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Tanzania

Odor King Obinna, Program Officer
Exchange System, Sure Health Organization, Nigeria

Clifford Odimegwu, Executive Director
Research Center for Health and Gender Equity, Nigeria

William N. Okedi, Program Officer
Human Development & Reproductive Health, Ford Foundation, Southern Africa

Adeyemi Omotunde Tajudeen
Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin., Nigeria

Dorothy Onyango, Founding Member and Trustee
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, Kenya

Baron Oron, Trainer
Stepping Stones, East and Central Africa

Ruth Prinsloo
Project Facilitator, South Africa

Monenese Semela
Sexual Health And Rights Promotion Programme, South Africa

Fatou Sow, Professor and Researcher, National University of Senegal
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Senegal

Vivienne Taylor, Professor, University of Cape Town
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), South Africa

Dr. Judy Tobler, Department of Religious Studies
University of Cape Town, South Africa

Mountaga Toure, Executive Director
Association Malienne pour la Protection et la Promotion de la Famille, Mali

Edwin Kabiru Wanjiku, Psychological Counselor
Men Against Aids in Kenya

Samantha Willan, Project Director
Health Economics & HIV/AIDS Research Division, University of Natal, South Africa

Issifou Yaya, Medical Assistant
CHU-Tokoin, Togo


ASIA

Md. Ziaul Ahsan, Secretary General
OSDUY, Bangladesh

Romeo Arca Jr., M.A., Center for Health Policy Studies
Mahidol University Salaya, Thailand

Mahansen Al Emam, Journalist and Director
Arab Women in Media Center, Arab States, Jordan

Dr. Rama Baru, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health
Jawaharlal Nehru University, India

Nattaya Boonpakdee, Coordinator
Women's Health Advocacy Foundation, Thailand

Meiwita Budiharsana, Program Officer - Sexuality and Reproductive Health
The Ford Foundation, Indonesia

Anjana Das, Clinical Specialist
PRIME/INTRAH, India

Mina Das, Secretary
NISHTHA, India

Celina D'Costa, Regional Contact
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, Asia

Jacqueline Devine, Deputy-Country Representative
Population Services International, Cambodia

Alvin M. Dizon
Center for Participatory Governance, Philippines

Ani Choying Drolma, Founder
Nuns Welfare Foundation, Nepal

Heinrich B. Dulay, Program Officer
Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare, Inc., Philippines

Gracie Fong, Administrative Officer
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Fiji

Gigi Francisco, Professor, Miriam College
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Philippines

Elijah Fung, Manager
St. John's Cathedral HIV Education Centre, Hong Kong

Asha George, Research Consultant
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India

Shankar Ghose, President
Charkha Development Communications Network, India

Dr. Padma Grover
M.G.M. Medical College, India

Anna de Guzman, Field Project Director
Doctors of the World, Thailand

Attashendartini Habsyah, Lecturer
Atma Jaya Catholic University, Indonesia

Mai-Anh Hoang, Country Representative
PATH Canada, Vietnam

Pinar Ilkkaracan
Women for Women's Human Rights - NEW WAYS, Turkey

Sumie Ishii, Deputy Executive Director
Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning, Japan

Aditi Iyer, Research Consultant
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India

Dr. Latha Jagannathan, Medical Director and Managing Trustee
Bangalore Medical Services Trust, India

Zanaa Jurmed, Director
National CEDAW Watch Network Center, Mongolia

Indra P. Kambo, Consultant
ICMR, India

Datuk Dr Raj Karim, Regional Director
International Planned Parenthood Federation, East & South East Asia and Oceania

Jane Keith-Reid, Executive Director
AIDS Task Force of Fiji

Ahsan Khalique Khan
Green Star Social Marketing, Pakistan

Rita Kolibonso, Director
Mitra Perempuan Women's Crisis Center, Indonesia

P. Lalitha Kumari, General Secretary
Asmita Resource Centre for Women, India

Dr. Sea Baick Lee, President
Planned Parenthood Federation of Korea

Ms. Louise Lee-Jones, Programme Officer
Population Council, Thailand

Herna Lestari, Director
Mitra Inti Foundation, Indonesia

Marina Mahathir, President
Malaysian AIDS Council, Malaysia

Rekha Masilamani, Country Representative
Pathfinder International, India

Kanchan Mathur, Professor and Head
Women's Resource Centre, India

Sudipta Mondal, Research Scholar
International Institute for Population Sciences, India

Vanita Mukherjee, Sociologist
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), India

Dr. Nirmala Murthy, President
Foundation for Research in Health, India

Ginger Norwood, Coordinator
International Women's Partnership for Peace and Justice, Thailand

Anne Philpott, International Programme Manager
Female Health Foundation, United Kingdom and Thailand

Yohana Prawitasari, Lecturer- Faculty of Psychology
Gajah Mada University, Indonesia

Brahm Press, HIV/AIDS and Mobility Researcher
CARE International, Thailand

Anita Rachman, Lecturer
Graduate Program of Women's Studies, University of Indonesia

Rama Kant Rai
HEALTHWATCH-North India

Dr.Mohan Rao, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health
School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India

Dr. Gabrielle Ross, Regional Advisor, Gender and Women's Health
World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia

Gita Sen, Professor, Indian Institute of Management and Business
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), India

Seona Smiles, Communication Officer
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Fiji

Marine Solomonishvili, President
Jewish Women Foundation, Georgia

Prof. Pham Song, President
VINAFPA (Vietnam Family Planning Association), Vietnam

Sujal Stebbins, Coordinator
Nuns Welfare Foundation, Nepal

Dr. R. Sukanya, Faculty Member, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies,
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, India

Zoemrotin K. Susilo, Vice-Chairperson
The Indonesian National Commision on Human Rights, Indonesia

Dr. Padmini Swaminathan, Professor
Madras Institute of Development Studies, India

Ruchira Tabassum Naved, Ph. D.
Gender and Reproductive Health Specialist, Bangladesh

Marina Tabukashvili, Women's Program Coordinator
Open Society - Georgia Foundation, Georgia

Dr. B. P. Thiagarajan, Joint Director - Monitoring & Evaluation
Population Foundation of India, India

Maria Ullfah, Chair
Fatayat Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia

Ashok Vohra, Professor of Philosophy
University of Delhi, India

Ninuk Widyantoro, Chair
Women's Health Foundation, Indonesia


EUROPE

Alexandros Alavanos
Member of the European Parliament, Greece

Dominique Audouze, Advocacy Officer
Mouvement Français pour le Planning Familial, France

Loraine Bacchus, Primary Health Care Advocacy Worker
Camden Safety Net Domestic Violence Project, United Kingdom

Dr. Karine Balyan, Public Health Adviser
The Netherlands Red Cross, The Netherlands

Anne Barclay, Past President
Soroptimist Inrternational Wolverhampton Club, United Kingdom

Jessica Bazarrabusa-Horn, Programme Officer
AMANITARE, RAINBO, United Kingdom

Mirabel Bausinger, Assistant Programme Officer
International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network, Belgium

Marge Berer, Editor
Reproductive Health Matters, United Kingdom

Dr. Arsene Bikoue, President
Association Combat pour la Sante et pour la Vie, France

Petra Bongartz, Programme Assistant for Partnerships
International HIV/AIDS Alliance, United Kingdom

A.A.L.J. van den Broek
Medical Co-ordination Secretariat, The Netherlands

Catherine Budgett-Meakin, Population and Sustainability Project Coordinator
Margaret Pyke Memorial Trust/Stakeholder Forum, United Kingdom

Jennifer M. Bushee, Communications Coordinator
Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+), The Netherlands

Marco Cappato
Member of the European Parliament, Italy

Michael Cashman
Member of the European Parliament, United Kingdom

Greice Cerqueira, Coordinator
Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights, The Netherlands

Ms. Pornthip Chompook
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Bjarne B. Christensen, Executive Director
Foreningen Sex & Samfund / Danish Family Planning Association, Denmark

Carol Connolly, Finance and Administration Officer
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, United Kingdom/Ireland

Susan F. Crane, Executive Director
International Family Health, United Kingdom

Prof. Viktorija Cucic, MD, Ph.D., Medical Faculty and Chair
Institute of Social Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Isabelle Defeu
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, France

Jocelyn DeJong, Institute for Development Policy and Management
University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Susan Downhill, Regional Accountant
International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network, Belgium

Bernice Dubois, General Secretary
French Coordination for the European Women's Lobby, France

Jos Dusseljee, Operational Director
HealthNet International, The Netherlands

Ilse Egers
Royal Tropical Institute, The Netherlands

Dr.Rayah Feldman, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science
South Bank University, United Kingdom

Dr. Hans Fleisch, Executive Director
Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung, Germany

Eva Foldvari, Program Manager-Network Women's Program
Open Society Institute, Hungary

Anna Foss, Research Fellow-Department of Public Health and Policy
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Arlette Gautier, Laboratoire "Population et Environnement"
Université de Provence, France

Rebecca Gomperts, M.D.
Women on Waves, The Netherlands

Ms. Gill Gordon
Health Consultant, United Kingdom

Lissy Gröner,
Member of the European Parliament, Belgium

John Guillebaud, Emeritus Professor of Family Planning and Reproductive Health
University College, United Kingdom

Christophe Z. Guilmoto, Directeur de Recherche
IRD, CEIAS-EHESS, France

Jyotsna A. Gupta, PhD
University for Humanistics, The Netherlands

Kate Harrison, Treasurer
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, United Kingdom

Elfriede Harth, European Representative
Catholics for a Free Choice, France

Catherine Heaney, Chief Executive
Irish Family Planning Association, Ireland

Mrs. Jan Hemlin, Vice-President
Soroptimist International Solihull & District, United Kingdom

Patricia Hindmarsh
Marie Stopes International, United Kingdom

Andrew Hobbs
HIV/AIDS Participatory Communication Specialist, United Kingdom

Belisar Hoxholli
Youth Coalition, Albania

Brett Hunter, Analyst
eProductive Ltd, United Kingdom

Greg Hunter, United Kingdom

Pol Jansegers
Public Health Consultant, Belgium

Yvette M. Jarvis, City Council Woman
Municipality of Athens, Greece

Willeke Kempkes, MPH, Policy Advisor on HIV/AIDS
Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation, Netherlands

Glenys Kinnock
Member of the European Parliament, Belgium

Emily T. Knox, Program Coordinator-XV International AIDS Conference
International AIDS Society, The Netherlands

Daphne Kouretas
Healthlink Worldwide, United Kingdom

Esmeralda Kuliesyte, Executive Director
Family Planning and Sexual Health Association of Lithuania, Lithuania

Cecilia Kusters
International AIDS Conference, The Netherlands

Professor Dr. Ingrid Langer, President
German Association for Family Planning, Sex Education and Sexual Counseling

Els Leye, Scientific Collaborator
International Centre for Reproductive Health, Ghent University, Belgium

Ms. Helen Liebling, Chartered Clinical Psychologist/Ph.D Student
Centre for the Study of Women and Gender, University of Warwick, United Kingdom

Katarina Lindahl, Secretary-General
The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education, RFSU, Sweden

Chris Lomon, Directeur
Chrétiens & SIDA / Christians & AIDS, France

Jo Manchester, Founder Member
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, United Kingdom

Christina Marouli, PhD, Sociologist and Environmental Policy Analyst,
Technical College of Greece

Elizabeth McKay, Trustee
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, United Kingdom

Wouter A. Meijer, Executive Director
World Population Foundation, The Netherlands

Suzy Mommaerts
European Humanist Federation, Belgium

Rina Nissim
Espace Femmes International, Switzerland

Diane Nash, Programme Action
Coleshill and District Soroptimist International, United Kingdom

Wanda Nowicka, President
Federation for Women and Family Planning, Poland

Sue O'Sullivan, Supporter
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, United Kingdom

Aasha Pai, Senior Programmes Support Manager
Marie Stopes International, United Kingdom

David Paricio Salas
SIDA-STUDI, Spain

Olga Pietruchova, Chairwoman
Pro-Choice Slovakia, Slovakia

Andrea Powell, Director
FAIR Fund Inc, USA and Belgium

Elisabeth Pracht
Österreichische Gesellschaft für Familienplanung, Austria

Liz Probert
GreenNet, United Kingdom

Mar Pujades, Clinical Research Fellow
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Dirk Pyck, Director
Sensoa, Belgium

Anna Rapolti, Program Coordinator
Network Women's Program, Open Society Institute, Hungary

Tobias Raschke, Founder and Spokesperson
We Are Church-YOUTH, Germany

Els Reniers, Financial Accountant
International Planned Parenthood Federation, Belgium

Anne-Marie Rey, Co-president
Union Suisse pour Decriminaliser l'Avortement, Switzerland

Francisca Sauquillo
Member of the European Parliament, Spain

Roula Scoutari, Creatress
Feminist Net, Greece

Steven W. Sinding, Director-General
International Planned Parenthood Federation

Lene Sjorup, Ph.D.
Researcher, Denmark

Eva Skoudaropoulou, Teacher
Greece

Mrs José Sluijs-Doyle
HIV/AIDS consultant, United Kingdom

Catherine Stihler
Member of the European Parliament, Scotland

Katerini Storeng, Research Fellow
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Fern Terris-Prestholt
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Adrienne Testa
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Dr. Nahid Toubia, President
RAINBO, United Kingdom

Robert Toubon, Director of Strategy
Equilibres & Populations, France

Arantzazu Urzelai Inurritegi, Médica Especialista en Medicina Preventiva
Instituto de Salud Pública, Spain

Elena Valenciano Martínez-Orozco, Diputada Socialista
Member of the European Parliament, Spain

MariJo Vazquez, Trustee
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, Spain

Stephanie Vella
France

Karlijn Verduin, Project Management Assistant
HealthNet International, The Netherlands

Ana Vicente
Writer and Human Right's Activist, Portugal

Dr Rob Vincent, Learning Coordinator
Exchange, United Kingdom

Helene Voeten, MA, Department of Public Health
Erasmus MC University Medical Center, The Netherlands

Hettie Walters, Specialist Gender and Diversity in Rural Development
International AIDS Conference, The Netherlands

Dr Alice Welbourn, Chair
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, United Kingdom

Isaac Wüst, President
International Movement We-Are-Church, The Netherlands

Maria Zuurmond, Trustee
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, United Kingdom


LATIN AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN

Rosângela Aparecida Talib
Católicas pelo Direito de Decidir, Brazil

Adriana Helena Araújo Tavares, Médica
Brazil

Carla Bakboord, President
Women's Rights Center, Suriname

Graciela Biagini, Cátedra Sociología de la Salud
Fac. Ciencias Sociales, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Gilda Cabral
Fórum de Mulheres do DF, Brazil

Esperanza Cerón Villaquirán, MD, General Coordinator
Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, Chile

Flor María Chalarca, Executive Director
CERFAMI, Colombia

Sandra Clenem, National Representative
Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action, Suriname

María Consuelo Mejía, Director
Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir en México

Sonia Corrêa, Coordinator of the Gender Initiative
Brazilian Interdisciplinary Association for HIV-AIDS
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Brazil

Dona Da Costa Martinez, Executive Director
Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago

Celia Eccher, Coordinator, REPEM. Red Latinoamericana de Mujeres y Educación
Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), Uruguay

María Eugenia Romero Contreras, Executive Director
Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia A.C., México

Monique Essed-Fernandes, Chair Advisory Board
Women's Parliament Forum, Suriname

Beatriz Galli, Coordenadora Executiva
Advocacia Cidadã pelos Direitos Humanos, Brazil

Carlos García de León, President
AVE de México, México

Nadine Gasman, Executive Director
Ipas México A.C., México

Carla Gisele Batista, Educadora do SOS Corpo
Gênero e Cidadania e Secretária Adjunta da Articulação de Mulheres Brasileiras, Brazil

Adriana Gómez
Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network

Esther Gladys González, Presidente
Organización Familiares Enfrentando al Sida, Argentina

Nirvana Gonzalez, Board Member
Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, Puerto Rico

Anna C Gorter, M.D., Ph.D.
Instituto CentroAmericano de la Salud, Nicaragua

Taciana Gouveia, Coord. Educação
SOS CORPO, Gênero e Cidadania, Brazil

Madalena Guilhon
CEMINA - Comunicação, Educação e Informação em Gênero, Brazil

Katia Guimarães, Coordenadora do Fórum de Mulheres do Distrito Federal
Universidade de Brasília, Brazil

María Hamlin Zúniga, MPH, Global Coordinator
International People's Health Council, Nicaragua

Teresa Lanza Monje, Director
Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir en Bolivia

Márcia Larangeira Jácome, Coord. Comunicação
SOS CORPO, Gênero e Cidadania, Brazil

Marina Laski, Psychologist, Sexologist
Mujeres al Oeste, Argentina

Ana Cristina Lima do Nascimento, Jornalista
Instituto Brasileiro de Análises Sociais e Econômicas, Brazil

Alfonso Lopez Juárez
MEXFAM, México

Ximena Machicao, Board Member
Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, Bolivia

Cecilia Olea Mauleón, Board President
Centro de la Mujer Perúana-Flora Tristan, Perú

Maria Betânia de Melo Ávila, Coordenação Geral
SOS CORPO, Gênero e Cidadania, Brazil

Sonia Rene Molina Cabala, Arquitecta
Organizacion de Mujeres Puno y Red Nacional de Promocion de la Mujer, Peru

Diana Mores
Centro Nordestino de Medicina Popular, Brazil

Lynn Murchison, Project Coordinator
Associação Brasileira Interdisciplinar de AIDS, Brazil

Fátima Oliveira, Secretária Executiva
Direitos Sexuais e Direitos Reprodutivos, Rede Nacional Feminista de Saúde
Board Member, Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, Brazil

Nancy Palomino, Board Member
Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, Perú

Magaly Pazello
Associação Brasileira Interdisciplinar de AIDS, Brazil

Roberto Pereira, Psicólogo
Coordenador Geral do Centro de Educação Sexual, Brazil

Beatriz Peres
Associação Brasileira Interdisciplinar de AIDS, Brazil

Ana Maria Pizarro, Board Member
Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, Nicaragua

Ana Paula Portella, Coord. Pesquisa
SOS CORPO, Gênero e Cidadania, Brazil

Carolina Pujades
Spanish Dancer, Argentina

Ana Quiros V., Director
Centro de Información y Servicios de Asesoria en Salud, Nicaragua

Alexandre M. Rangel, Coordenação Executiva
Socid - Sociedade Digital, Brazil

Emma Reyes, Board Member
Latin American and Caribbean Women's Health Network, México

Solange Rocha, Coordenação de Programa
SOS CORPO, Gênero e Cidadania, Brazil

Gracia Violeta Ross, Focal Point for REDLA+
Chairperson of Alive Voices with HIV, Women and children living with HIV, Bolivia

Guadalupe Salas
México

Eda Aguilar Samanamud, Executive Director
Centro de la Mujer Perúana-Flora Tristan, Perú

Alessandra Sampaio Chacham, Regional Coordinator
Brazilian Feminist Network for Health, Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Brazil

Sílvia Maria Sampaio Camurça, Educadora do SOS Corpo
Gênero e Cidadania e Secretária Executiva da Articulação de Mulheres Brasileiras, Brazil

Lic. Marita Sanchez, Chair, Sociology of the Health
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Maggie Schmeitz, Treasurer
Peer Education Program Suriname, Suriname

Mariel Tosoratti, Coordinadora
Grupo "Juntos por la Vida", Argentina

Alejandra Trossero, Co-Vice-Chair
International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS, Argentina

Sandra Unbehaum, Sociologa
Comunicação em Sexualidade, Fundação Carlos Chagas, Brazil

Paula Viana, Coordenadora
Grupo Curumim, Brazil

Denise Viola
CEMINA, Brazil

David Vitor, Presidente
Solidaridad Vida Ribera Paranaense America Latina, Argentina

Eleny Xavier, Coordenação Administrativa e Financeira
SOS CORPO, Gênero e Cidadania, Brazil


NORTH AMERICA

Lyn Adamson
Voice of Women Canada

Colleen Cameron, Lecturer-Gender, Health & Development
Coady International Institute, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada

Linda Capperauld, Executive Director
Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada

Ainsley Chapman
Canadian AIDS Society / Société canadienne du sida, Canada

Rosemary A Ganley
Catholics for a Free Choice, Canada

George Harris, Financial Assistant
Nine Circles Community Health Centre, Canada

Kathleen Howes
Catholics for a Free Choice, Canada

Jennifer Kitts, Senior Advisor-Sexual and Reproductive Rights
Action Canada for Population and Development, Canada

Janet Madsen, Communications Coordinator
Positive Women's Network, Canada

Michelle Marchione
Canadian Treatment Action Council, Canada

Katherine McDonald, Executive Director
Action Canada for Population and Development, Canada

Cara Moody
Positive Women's Network, Canada

Greta Hofmann Nemiroff, President
Sisterhood Is Global Institute/Institut por la solidarite internationale des femmes, Canada

Margaret Rao, Co-Chair Toronto Chapter
Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice, First Unitarian Congregation, Canada

Lenore Sullivan, M.A.
Catholic Network for Women's Equality, Canada

Molly Sutkaitis
Retired Teachers of Ontario, Canada


OCEANIA

Roxanne Adams, Course Coordinator
Sexual Health Information Networking & Education SA Inc, Australia

Virginia Braun, Department of Psychology
University of Auckland, New Zealand

Kel Browne
Queensland Health Department, Australia

Dr. Nicola Gavey, Senior Lecturer in Psychology
University of Auckland, New Zealand

Jo Green, PhD Candidate
Australian Institute of Education, Murdoch University, Western Australia

John McKiernan
Concerned parent, worker and humanatarian, Austrailia

Chris Remington, Clinic Manager
Family Planning Queensland, Australia


Cc: Claude Allen, Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
Paula Dobriansky, Under Secretary for State of Global Affairs, Department of State
Julie Louise Gerberding, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Jay Lefkowitz, Deputy Assistant to President for Domestic Policy
Andrew Natsios, Administrator, United States Agency for International Development
Anne Peterson, Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Global Health, USAID
Colin Powell, Secretary of State
Karl Rove, Senior Advisor to President
William Steiger, Special Assistant to the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services


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