UNITED NATIONS, June 1 (UPI) -- A draft declaration for the U.N. conference on AIDS suggests a major compromise may be possible on contentious issues relating to the epidemic.
The draft, shown to reporters Thursday at United Nations' World Headquarters in New York, addressed some of the moral disagreements, such as any mention of the word condom, that have been at the center of international infighting over how to address the AIDS crisis.
A U.N. official close to the discussions credited members of civil society with having inspired a bolder declaration. He described a meeting Wednesay of those communitiy activists, which featured statements by sex workers and HIV-positive individuals, as "hugely vibrant" and noted that the presence of community leaders and advocates at every step of the negotiation process seems to have paid off.
The tone of Wednesday's session was in some ways set by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who told the delegates that a successful fight against AIDS depends on collaborations that involve those groups most at risk.
"It means we must work closely and constructively with those who have too often been marginalized -- sex workers, injecting drug users and men who have sex with men," Annan said.
While the declaration does not mention by name intravenous drug users, prostitutes and men who have sex with men, it does mention "vulnerable groups," comparatively tame language that appears to be a concession for some governments.
In its list of recommendations, the report encourages "abstinence and fidelity" alongside "expanded access to essential commodities, including male and female condoms and sterile injecting equipment." While the report does not advocate needle exchange programs, it does stand behind "harm reduction efforts related to drug use."
