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Kenya: first international Christian women's summit on AIDS opens


The Worldwide Young Women Christian Association is this week hosting over 1,800 participants in Nairobi for the first international women's summit on HIV/AIDS. The conference kicked off on Tuesday at Kenyatta International Conference Centre. YWCA Communications director, Kaburo Kobia, said the conference seeks to mobilize urgent responses to rising HIV infection rates among women and girls in every region. Key issues to be addressed include the feminization of the pandemic, gender inequality, healthcare and treatment, sexual and reproductive rights, women's leadership and economic empowerment. Fourteen women will receive 'Women Leading Change' awards during the summit's official opening today. "The Summit is expected to draw over 1500 women of all ages and HIV statuses to develop a new vision for women's leadership on HIV/AIDS," said Kaburo, adding that the event seeks to raise awareness, build evidence-based solutions, develop capacity, and form strategic partnerships in the response to HIV and AIDS. International leaders and Kenyan government representatives will speak throughout the conference. Key among them are Dr Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, the former president of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, Executive Director of UNFPA, Thoraya Obaid, and Prof Yakin Erthurk, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women. Others are; South Africa Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka, United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Dr Asha Rose Migiro, Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr Margaret Chan, Kenya,s Health Minister Charity Ngilu, and the Gender, Sports and Culture Minister, Maina Kamanda. The YWCA was initiated in 1855 during the industrial revolution in Great Britain by young women, in response to their need to access safe housing, skill development and Bible study. Today, the movement works in 22,775 local communities of 122 countries. Source: CISA

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