Community Implementation of the Key Recommendations
This webpage explores the key recommendations for a national action plan to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women living with HIV. For three of the recommendations, you will find audio clips of women living with HIV and their allies describing what this recommendation means to them. We invite you to listen to their voices and hear their stories.
In community, this means:
Involve and value women living with HIV in all spaces where decisions about their health are made.
Hear from Deborah
Deborah Norris is a woman living with HIV who was diagnosed in 1991, living in Edmonton Alberta. She has been an advocate and activist for women living with HIV for over 30 years, locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. She feels passionately that the meaningful engagement of women living with HIV needs to be at the centre of all work done in HIV. Hear what this recommendation means to her:
In community, this means:
Be humble in learning and using respectful and accurate language, focusing on the diversity of women living with HIV.
Hear from Shadey
Shadey’s journey with HIV began in 2016 and has since been characterized by passion and commitment to her community. In 2017, she embarked on a new chapter of her life by migrating to Canada from her home country of Nigeria. She is a loving mother of two, with professional experience in research, peer mentorship, and dentistry that brings a unique perspective to the realm of healthcare as she trains to become a medical practitioner. Hear what this recommendation means to her:
In community, this means:
Build trust. Nurture relationships between women living with HIV, community, healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers so that community priorities guide research and action.
Hear from Muluba
Muluba is a public speaker, writer, equity specialist, researcher, and activist based in Toronto. She has been living with HIV since birth. She is passionate about health equity, wellness initiatives, and pop culture. She aims to dismantle sexism, racism, ableism, and HIV stigma. Hear what this recommendation means to her:
Here are additional examples of others putting the key recommendations into practice. Learn from these examples to see how other groups have implemented policies, programs, knowledge translation projects, and research consistent with the key recommendations to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women living with HIV. We are happy to highlight your work - please email zoe_osborne@sfu.ca if you have products or initiatives that you'd like to share here.
By the CHIWOS-PAW study team
Poster Series: CHIWOS-PAW Indigenous Wise Women describe how healthcare providers can support the Health and Wellbeing of Indigenous Women living with HIV
These posters are created in alignment with all 5 key recommendations: They were developed with meaningful engagement of women living with HIV, centring the priorities of Indigenous women living with HIV. Research informed and community-driven, they share important knowledge about the health of women living with HIV, with attention to strengths-based and inclusive language.
Slide deck
Use this short presentation and speaking notes to speak to the importance of the recommendations – either to advocate to those at your own organization or others!