U.S. has ability to help curb effects of HIV among women at home, abroad

The U.S. has "been working toward integrating HIV, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence services for women overseas," and "[i]t's time we did the same at home," Serra Sippel, president of the Center for Health and Gender Equity, writes in this Huffington Post "Impact" blog post. With the AIDS 2012 conference being held in Washington, D.C., this year, "[t]he administration has already stated it will take lessons learned from global AIDS programs to enhance our programs in the U.S.," she continues.

"Advocates are hoping President Obama will speak to the conference. I hope he does, and I hope he uses it as an opportunity to speak directly to women living with HIV from the Global South and the U.S.," Sippel writes. "I hope he commits to putting women's human rights at the center of the U.S. agenda to create an AIDS-free generation at home and abroad," she continues, concluding, "But this administration's commitment will only be authentic if it is informed by the voices of women most impacted by this epidemic. Listen to women" (3/23).