While rumors of the US taking a negotiating stand promoting "evidence-informed" as opposed to "evidence-based" research escalates at meetings about the greatest public heatlh crisis known to humankind, the conservative ideologues who back such language are "evidence-invisible."They have not even applied to participate in any of the public forums where their ideas could heard and debated.
At the recently concluded hearing of Civil Society and governmental representatives, not one NGO spoke in favor the abstinence-only until marriage policies that others were complaining about. No one with a conservative perspective was there to explain why condoms are bad, to show the "evidence" that "informs" their ideology or to articulate clearly why public health data should not be the basis for decisions about the AIDS pandemic.
The frustration can be seen on people's faces, and heard in their voices. The just ended joint meeting of governmental and Civil Society representatives at the UN HIV/AIDS meeting was a portrait in the difficult nature of diplomacy. The governmnetal officials said little, artfully, while representatives of NGOs said time and again, "I will not speak diplomatically" before starting to list the real world circumstances they face everyday -- the very problems the world community has assembled to address -- and the subject of the increasingly tense negotiations as the hours tick by toward the Friday deadline for a declaration.
Peter Piot, UNAIDS Chief, said last night that he is angry at the prospect of an immoral declaration coming out of these meetings, one that would fail to address the very real state of HIV/AIDS after 25 years of experience, public heatlh research and dedicated work by passionate people worldwide.
Last night, UNAIDS hosted a dinner reception for the Global Coalition on Women & AIDS leadership council at the Ford Foundation. Several leaders spoke briefly, including UNAIDS chief Peter Piot.
To a room of official country delegates to the UN and high level NGO staff, Piot confessed his disappointment about the state of negotiations -- as of last night -- on the political declaration for the UNGASS on AIDS.
"I am angry," he said, adding that the political maneuvering in the negotiations were coming close to being "unethical."
The Millenium Project released a major evidence-based report yesterday calling for the inclusion of reproductive health goals and clearly stating that the UN's Development Goals for 2015 cannot be met without them. The report was released during the 33rd Annual Global Health Council meeting in Washington, DC.
The report, entitled Public Choices, Private Decisions: Sexual and Reproductive Health and the Millenium Development Goals is an effort to help the world see the integreal relationship between sexual and reproductive health and acheiving all of the other goals.
Negotiations on final language for the political declaration at the UNGASS on AIDS are not going well.
Perhaps adding to the tension is one bit of language that the US delegation is suggesting: they want to change "evidence-based" (as in "evidence-based sexuality education," "evidence-based prevention efforts," etc.) to "evidence-informed."
Evidence-informed?! Imagine the ramifications of such a document -- one that is supposed to be providing guidance for international response to HIV/AIDS... "Yes, we're aware of the evidence. We have been informed. But we'd rather not do it that way."
As the public health community continues to voice its concern about the triumph of ideology over science (perhaps now over reason as well?), this news suggests that the US delegation is not listening.
Amanece una vez más… a las cuatro y treinta de la mañana… pero para mi parecieran las 6 o 7de la mañana. Desde que llegue hace ya tres días me he sorprendido de lo temprano que el sol sale y lo tarde que se oculta aquí en New York, porque si, aunque no lo creas, ahora, este angelito te esta escribiendo desde New York. Entre otras cosas, he notado quela ciudad es grande y sus edificios muy altos que me cuesta creer que haya tanta gente en ellos, hasta incluso ya he tenido la oportunidad de extraviarme entre las calles.
As I write, Victor from Sweden and Edford from Zambia are presenting on message building. The group, after yesterday's intensive crush of trainings and workshops, have become much more comfortable and light-hearted. Many are adorned in beige hats with "WYP?" (What's Your Position) on the front, from a youth awareness campaign which provides condoms to youth in nightclubs in Trinidad & Tobago.
I've been sitting down with folks during breaks to talk about some of their programs on the ground. Two major themes have really struck out to me:
Firstly, the passion, inspiration and intelligence of my generation is truly phenomenal. Looking around the room this morning, I am periodically moved to wonderment by the physical and symbolic beauty I find within the diversity of people in this room.
