NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 11, 1996

XI International Conference on AIDS
-- One World? One Hope?

"It's time to get serious
about human rights"

The Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) and the Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver have written to the Conference co-chairs asking them to cancel a presentation about sex workers by the Department of Health of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), the military regime of Burma.

Abstract: Th.D.460

HIV Prevention Among Commercial Sex Workers Using
Peer Education and Outreach Strategies, Myanmar
Kywe B., Nyunt Nyunt, AIDS/STD Control,
Department of Health
Thursday, July 11
D3, Room 1/2/3, VTCC, 3:30 p.m.

Cheryl Overs of the NSWP is appalled that the XI International Conference on AIDS could be so negligent and naive as to accept a presentation from this regime. "Where does this fit with Peter Piot [the director of UNAIDS] saying 'It's time to get serious about human rights'?"

The NSWP and SWAV will also be asking delegates to express a crucial view about the connection between vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and human rights by leaving the session for the duration of this presentation.

Note to Editor Information about Burma is available from:
Free Burma Coalition c/o Department of Curriculum and Instruction 225 North Mills Street University of Wisconsin Madison WI 53706 FreeBurma@POBox.com glen@electromedia.com http://199.172.178.200/ freebrma/freebrma.htm http://sunsite.unc.edu/ freeburma/	Canadian Friends of Burma 145 Spruce, #206 Ottawa, K1R 6P1 (613) 230-0860 (613) 563-0017 (fax) Human Rights Watch/Asia 485 5th Ave. New York, NY 10017-6104 USA hrwatchnyc@igc.apc.org Amnesty International 322 Eighth Ave. New York, NY, 10001

SEX WORKERS
ALLIANCE OF
VANCOUVER

Box 3075,
Vancouver, BC
V6B 3X6

604/488-0710

swav@walnet.org

http://www.walnet.org/
csis/groups/swav/

The Sex Workers Alliance of Vancouver was founded in 1994 to fight for sex workers' rights to fair wages and working conditions that are safe, clean and healthy.

SWAV provides information about sex work as it relates to laws, sexual health, commerce and culture.

SWAV opposes any law that criminalizes work in the sex trade.

SWAV is not an agency of the government nor does it receive any government funding.