URGENT!!! Call For Applicatins For Civil Society Speakers 2008 High Level Meeting on AIDS

Applications must be completed IN ENGLISH
and received no later than 30 March 2008 – No extension

La version française (http://www.icaso.org/resources/HLM_Speaker_application_FR_FINAL.doc)

La versión en español (http://www.icaso.org/resources/HLM_Speaker_application_ESP_FINAL.doc)

Перевод на русский (http://www.icaso.org/resources/HLM_Speaker_application_PYCC_FINAL.doc)

English version (http://www.icaso.org/resources/HLM_Speaker_application_EN_FINAL.doc)

To download application, please go to http://www.icaso.org/cstf.html

1. Plenary Speaker (a Person Openly Living with HIV)

2. Speakers at the Informal Interactive Civil Society Hearing

3. Speakers on Panels

Background

On 10-11 June 2008, a High-Level Meeting will be convened in New York by the United Nations General Assembly to undertake a comprehensive review of the progress achieved in realizing the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.

Opening plenary: In accordance with the resolution adopted by the General Assembly that sets out the organizational arrangements for this meeting, one person from civil society who is openly living with HIV will be invited to speak at the opening plenary session of the High Level Meeting. The other plenary speakers will be the Secretary General of the United Nations, the President of the UN General Assembly, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, and an eminent person (to be selected). For more information, see the organizational resolution for the Meeting at:

http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2008/20070115_2008_High_level_mtg.asp

Civil society hearing: A 2 hour interactive hearing will be chaired by the President of the General Assembly with approximately 10 speakers from civil society. The dialogue will provide an opportunity to exchange views with representatives of governments. The format for the hearing and specific topics are still under discussion.

Panels: Five panel sessions will be held on specific themes that have not yet been selected but that will be drawn from the report being prepared for the meeting by the UN Secretary General. Speakers from civil society may also be members of each panel along with representatives of governments and inter-governmental organizations.

Applications Process

A Civil Society Task Force has been established to advise the President of the United Nations General Assembly on preparations for the High Level Meeting. The Task Force has been asked to propose the names of civil society speakers (including business/private sector) for the opening plenary, civil society hearing and panels. The Task Force has therefore established criteria for selection and a speaker application process, including criteria and timelines, given below.

Individuals are asked to apply on their own behalf and must complete and return the Application Form. Some people may have indicated their interest to be a speaker when they applied for accreditation or registered online to attend the High Level Meeting. These persons must still complete and return the provided Application Form, as it contains supplementary information to facilitate the review and selection process.

Applications are strongly encouraged from: women; young people; sex workers; people who use drugs; men who have sex with men; trans-gendered persons, ex-prisoners; migrants; refugees and internally displaced persons; and people in conflict and post conflict situations.

People living with HIV who attend the High Level Meeting and are prepared to speak from their experience as an openly HIV+ person, need to be comfortable that their status may become widely known due to the possibility of broad media coverage. In addition, people living with HIV will be required to apply for a visa to enter the US and a waiver because of their HIV status.

Selection

The Civil Society Task Force will review applications on the basis of the established criteria. Please note that short-listed candidates may be interviewed by phone. The Civil Society Task Force will make public on list-serves its recommendations of civil society speakers to the President of the General Assembly (who will then make the decisions in discussion with Member States). It will not be possible to reply individually to every applicant.

Deadline and contact details

Applications must be completed and received no later than 30 March 2008.

Only email applications will be accepted. Please send the application with all required information in English to:

E-mail: hlmspeakers@icaso.org

The Task Force is working within tight timeframes and understands the challenges of such a short process. However, this is required in order to allow time for a fair selection process, the approval by the President of the General Assembly, in discussion with Member States, and then for the final selected speakers to be able to arrange their travel and visa requirements. Your assistance in circulating this information as widely as possible and as rapidly as possible is appreciated to ensure that members of civil society are aware of this opportunity.

To download application, please go to http://www.icaso.org/cstf.html

Or write to hlmspeakers@icaso.org and request a copy to be sent electronically

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