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Int'l Advocates Meeting
Global Advocates Share Experiences, Renew Commitments
The Global Campaign for Microbicides was inaugurated in July 1998 by a handful of advocates collecting petition signatures in 
the line for the ladies' room at the 12th International AIDS Conference in Geneva. Three years later, in July 2001, the Global Campaign hosted an International Advocates Meeting for over 60 people from 25 countries. The Meeting brought together both veterans of microbicides advocacy and recent recruits, in order to update their knowledge of microbicides and female condom, share past successes and useful experiences, and to strategize for the future. For both the US participants and those from abroad, the encounter reinforced the sense of belonging to a global effort comprised of many individuals, groups and networks, working in their own corners of the world to demand more prevention options for women and men. During the three day meeting, advocates from different areas developed strategies for adapting the Global Campaign's agenda to the needs and context of their regions. Advocates from India are now preparing a national meeting on women-controlled prevention, several groups from Latin America are adding female condom education and advocacy to their programs, and organisations in the US and the EU are working to include men's needs for microbicides in their advocacy messages.
Comments from the participants:
"Coming from Africa which currently has over 70% of all HIV infections and meeting all those people so committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS was so refreshing for me. I felt a bond of 
unity and hope."
--Alice Lamptey, Ghana
"Success stories from the African delegates in promotion of female condoms and their persistent efforts for its availability and use were learning experiences. I left with a lot of appreciation for the commitment of all members of the Global Campaign.
--Renu Seth, India
"I've been to four international advocates meetings in the past three years and this one is the most motivating and ACTION oriented by far! The others were excellent for sharing information and experiences but the IAM is leading to some real concrete results and advancement beyond shared knowledge."
--Deborah Meacham, Chile
I was privileged, as an Iowan, to attend the Global Campaign's International Advocates Meeting. Support of the development of microbicides offers one more way that Iowa can claim its global commitment to the health and development of people everywhere. The awareness and excitement is building as we tell the story. Thank you to all the meeting participants who help bring the political, personal, and scientific all together in the call for prevention options for women.
--Jane Meyer, USA