1. Words of welcome
It is with great pleasure that, on behalf of the Organising Committee, we welcome the 10th International Conference on AIDS due to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, at the Intercontinental Hotel from May 22nd to 26th, 2005.

For two decades now, the whole world work assiduously for the purpose of stopping the spread and minimise the impact of this killing disease. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that some darkness about the HIV still remains and that the Organisations fighting AIDS endeavour to fight but with insufficient means for most of them.

Women for around the world keep bearing the heaviest load from this scourge while they are not equipped enough to carry out prevention, care and treatment actions.

The Tenth International Conference of SWAA focussed on "Empowering women for prevention, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS: Stragegies for success" comes at the appointed time. This conference is not only an occasion for improving knowledge on HIV/AIDS, but also a precious opportunity for technically empowering women, especially members of SWAA.

We hope that the Conference agenda will enable each to take the right position towards this disease and find answers to one's multiple questions.

We avail of this opportunity to welcome all of you in Rwanda, the Country of a Thousand Hills. We wish from the inner most of our heart that you enjoy your stay here. Our strong desire is that you enable the Conference to be provided with strategies which will guide both the present and the future generation, especially enabling women for adequate prevention and care for people both affected and infected with HIV/AIDS, and for fighting this disease threatening the inhabitants of our planet, the EARTH.
The Organising Chairperson of the 10th SWAA Conference
KIBIRITI Christine

2. Message from international representatives
On behalf of the International Organizing Committee, we take opportunity to welcome you to the country of thousand hills , Rwanda. We hope that you enjoy your stay and the field visits, more especially we are sure you will come up with strategies to guide the future of our women, not only in Africa, but in the entire world.

3. Message from Welfare Committee
The Welfare Committee is set to make your stay in Rwanda a memorable one. Most hotels are within walking distance to enable you to reach the Conference venue in time. Travel Bureau in Rwanda are set to make your travel arrangements accurately and promptly

4. Introduction
In many countries of the world, AIDS continues to spread relentlessly causing much suffering to individuals, families and communities. In particular, women continue to get infected with HIV . Most of the common inexpensive antibiotics and other therapies used to manage women, whether infected or not, remain unavailable.
Many African families are poor and as a result, there are not able to afford health care and basic drugs needed to mange even simple opportunistic infections. Health services are in most cases inaccessible. Women continue to be widowers and have to go through challenges of widower hood often without support services such as counseling.

In response to these concerns, the organizers of the 10th SWAA Conference thought it fitting to adopt as the theme of the Conference," Empowering women for prevention, care and Treatment of HIV/AIDS: Strategies for Success. "

Women of Africa and elsewhere in the world, stakeholders and other parties will have the opportunity at this conference to:

• Provide SWAA members from 40 countries, people living with HIV/AIDS, and the partners opportunity to exchange and explorer ideas for the future direction of the organization.
• Create a space for sharing regional effective strategies, discuss challenges and strengthen networks for going actions .
• Provide opportunities for sharing hands on practical skills for grassroots community work .
• Forge a strong Pan African advocacy and lobbying point from which SWAA can continue to work as the voice for African women and children.

5. Tracks
TRACK A : SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF HIV/AIDS/STIS AND CONSEQUENCES
TRACK B : NEW WAYS AND MEANS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV AND AIDS
TRACK C : ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY IN CARE AND SUPPORT.
TRACK D: TREATMENT, CARE AND SUPPORT
TRACK E : GENDER ISSUES IN HIV
TRACK F : EMPOWERMENT
TRACK G: ADVOCACY

6. Plenary Sessions
Featuring some of the worlds leading specialists-in particular Africa's most distinguished researchers, community leaders and policy experts, plenary sessions will each highlight specific issues related to HIV infected and affected Women.

Plenary sessions will bring together all conference participants each morning. These sessions will include specific topics that cut across the issues in the tracks. Simultaneous translation of these sessions from English to French and vice versa will be available.

7. Panel discussions
As a follow up on plenary sessions, conference participants will have the opportunity to discuss matters arising from the plenary sessions each day with speakers about their presentations. br> The topics collected for the workshops from needs assessment of branches and members focused on the following:

• Fundraising
• Grant proposal writing
• Strategic planning
• Monitoring& Evaluation
• Programming& SWAA National branch
• IC T & communication
• Nutrition and Food Security
• PMTCT plus
• 3X5 WHO strategy access to care
• Planning for PLNA and women F.F.C/Microbicides.
• IGA( Income Generating Activities)
• Psychosocial support for PWA
• Leadership/ mentoring young women.
• Palliative care services

8. Parallel sessions and Field learning visits
The issues raised in plenary presentations will be explored in depth through parallel sessions of 2 hours periods. These will include workshops, round table discussions, debates and meetings with experts.

9. Posters
Poster presentations on a wide range of topics will be arranged according to the seven Tracks. Presenters will be at their posters at set times to answer questions and give further information.

10. Study field visits to selected programmes
The conference organizers have identified areas and programs near the conference venue where interested conference participants will be taken to enhance and share knowledge on some of the important issues that will be covered in the plenary and panel workshops.

11. Conference Schedule at a glance

12. Registration guidelines
All registration (participants both local and international, media representatives and accompanying persons) for the 10th International SWAA Conference must be submitted, using the enclosed registration form. Photocopies of the registration form will also be accepted. Registrants should use one form for each person registering and type or print clearly, completing the form in full.
You can register online Registration Form

13. Registration fees
The registration fee covers entry to all official conference sessions, opening and closing ceremonies, the welcome reception and the conference kit (bag and Conference publication). The deadline for early registration is 28^th Feb 2005

	Early registration	Late registration
International participants	US $ 400	US $ 600
Local participants	US $ 200	US $ 300
SWAA members	US $ 100	US$150
Members of VIH& PLWHV	US $ 100	US$ 150
Students	US $ 50	US$ 100

14. Prospective exhibitors registration
To obtain the invitation to exhibit , registration for companies and interested organizations should be done by 31 st March 2005. Early registration is encouraged. A small fee, equivalent to US $ 50, will be charged per exhibitor per day.

15. Methods of payment
Registration fees must accompany all conference registrations. International participants and international exhibitors are expected to pay in US dollars.
Local participants and local exhibitors can either pay in US dollars or Rwandese francs, using a bank transfer to 10th International Conference for SWAA,
Bank Account number: No 604 94 23-15
Bank name is : Banque de Kigali
Swift Code : BKIGRWRW

16. Confirmation letter
Registration will be confirmed when the payment has been received by the 10th International SWAA Conference Secretariat. The confirmation will include the participant's registration number and other important documents concerning the conference.

17. Accommodation
Efforts are being made to ensure that participants are comfortably accommodated near the conference venue, a list of other suitable hotels with the respective room rates for single/double rooms will be on the conference web-site in due course.
For booking Hotels in Kigali City click here Kigali Hotels
For more information on hotels in Rwanda click here Rwanda Hotels

18. Travel
Rwanda is located in the heart of Africa. It can be easily reached by air. However, to avoid disa ppointments, early reservation is encouraged. The neighboring countries Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and some parts of DRC can easily connect to Kigali by road.
There are a number of regional carriers that service Kigali, however, including Kenya Airways (to/from Nairobi), SA Alliance Air (Johannesburg and Kampala), Air Burundi (Bujumbura) and Air Tanzania (Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar). All international flights arrive and depart from Kigali International Airport.
The sole internal carrier, Rwanda Airlines, operates twice-weekly flights from Kigali to Gisenyi and Kamembe. Offering more choice is the country's bus network, which comprises large numbers of modern minibuses, plus a few government vehicles, that roam over a well-maintained system of sealed main roads.
Tours of Rwanda can be organized through the National Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) or through a tour operator. Telephone and Fax numbers for airlines flying into Rwanda, travel agents and tour operators are listed below:

AIRLINES Name: AIR BARAKA Phone: (250) 83866, 71176 Fax: (250) 83867 Name: AIR TANZANIA Phone: (250) 72643, 73079 Fax: (250) 72231 Name: ALLIANCE EXPRESS Phone: (250) 77777, 78560, 72928 Fax: (250) 78565 Name: CAMEROON AIRLINES Phone: (250) 75492, 78135 Fax: (250) 78135 Name: ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES Phone: (250) 75045 Name: KENYA AIRWAYS Phone: (250) 77972 Fax: (250) 72231	Name: PLANET AIR Phone: (250) 84599, 82809 Name: RWANDAN AIR FREIGHT Phone: (250) 75569 Fax: (250) 73159 Name: RWANDA AIRLINES Phone: (250) 77103, 77564 Fax: (250) 77669 Name: RWANDA AIRWAYS Phone: (250) 78215, 71176 Fax: (250) 71175 Name: SABENA Phone: (250) 85209, 85897, 75294, 75290 Fax: (250) 73082 Name: UGANDA AIRLINES Phone: (250) 78333, 78332 Fax: (250) 73031
TRAVEL AGENTS Name: CHANGA TRAVEL AGENCY Phone: (250) 77564, 77103 Fax: (250) 77669 Name: GROUPE CARREFOUR Phone: (250) 77743, 71556 Fax: (250) 77743 Name: GTS GAMA TRAVEL SERVICE Phone: (250) 83866 Fax: (250) 83867 Name: INTERNATIONAL TOURS AND TRAVEL (ITT) Phone: (250) 74057 Fax: (250) 75582	Name: NORD SUD INTERNATIONAL TOURS AND TRAVEL Phone: (250) 75310 Fax: (250) 75349 Name: SATGURU TRAVEL AND TOURS SERVICE Phone: (250) 73079, 77497, 72643 Fax: (250) 72231 Name: TOP TRAVEL AND TOURS Phone: (250) 72552, 78646 Fax: (250) 73853
TOUR OPERATORS: Name: INTERNATIONAL TOURS AND TRAVEL (ITT) Phone: (250) 74057 Fax: (250) 75582 Name: NATIONAL OFFICE FOR TOURISM AND NATIONAL PARKS Phone: (250) 76515, 76514, 76517 Fax: (250) 76512	Name: NORD SUD INTERNATIONAL TOURS AND TRAVEL Phone: (250) 75310 Fax: (250) 75349 Name: TOP TRAVEL AND TOURS Phone: (250) 72552, 78646 Fax: (250) 73853

VISA AND CONSULAR INFORMATION: Information regarding visas can be obtained from the Rwandese Embassy or Consulate nearest you. Telephone and Fax numbers are listed below:
RWANDA'S DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS Country: BELGIUM City: BRUSSELS Address: 1, Avenue de Fleurs, 1150 BRUXELLES Phone: 032 02 763 07038 Fax: 032 02 763 07053 Country: BURUNDI City: BUJUMBURA Address: 24, Avenue de la Republique Democratique du Congo Phone: 00257 22 6865 Fax: 00257 22 3255 Email: arbuja@cni.cbinf.com Country: CANADA City: OTTAWA Address: 121 Sherwood Drive, OTTAWA, Ontario Kiy 3ÚI Phone: 001 613 722 7921 Fax: 001 613 722 4052 Country: CHINA City: BEIJING Address: Hsieu Shaouei Bei Yie, BEIJING Phone: 0086 10 65321820 Fax: 0086 10 65322006 Email: ambarwda@public3.bta.net.cn Country: ETHIOPIA City: ADDIS ABABA Address: Africa Avenue H 17k20N°.001, BP 5618, ADDIS ABABA Phone: 00251 161 0300/ 61 0357/ 61 0387 Fax: 00251 161 0411 Country: GERMANY City: BONN Address: Beethovenalle-72, 53173 BONN Phone: 0049 228 367038 Fax: 0049 228 351922 Email: ambrwabonn@aol.com Country: INDIA City: NEW DELHI Address: B. 112 Neet Bash, New Delhi-110016 Phone: 972 369 13419/ 972 369 112319 Fax: 972 365 68085 Country: KENYA City: NAIROBI Address: P.0 BOX 30.619 Kilimani, Kayahwe Road Phone: 0025 425 75977 Fax: 002 542 575976	Country: SOUTH AFRICA City: PRETORIA Address: 35 Marais Street, Brooklyn, PRETORIA Phone: 027 12 46 0709 Fax: 027 12 46 0708 Email: rwasap@rwanda.co.za Country: TANZANIA City: DAR ES SALAAM Address: 32, Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, P. O. Box 2918, DAR-ES-SALAAM Phone: 255 511 15889 Fax: 255 511 15888 Country: UGANDA City: KAMPALA Address: Nakaima Road n°2, P.O. BOX 2468 KAMPALA Phone: 256 413 43662 Fax: 256 412 44405 Email: rwanda@swiftuganda.com Country: UNITED KINGDOM City: LONDON Address: 58-59 Trafalgar Square, LONDON WC2N5DX Phone: 0044 171 930 2570 Fax: 0044 171 930 2572 Mobile: 0044 410 79 8036 Email: ambarwanda@compuserve.com Country: UNITED STATES City: WASHINGTON, D.C. Address: 1724 New Hampshire Avenue N.W., WASHINGTON D.C. 20009 Phone: 001 202 232 2882 Fax: 001 202 232 4544 Country: UNITED NATIONS City: NEW YORK Address: 124 East, 39th Street, Third Floor, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10016 Phone: 001 212 679 9010 Fax: 001 212 679 9133 Country: UNITED NATIONS City: GENEVA Address: Rue de la Serviette 93 CH-1202, GENEVE Phone: 0041 22 91 91000 Fax: 0041 22 91 91001
NOTE: Citizens of the United States of America do not require visas to travel to Rwanda.

For more information about tourism click here Rwanda Tourism

19. Abstract submission
Abstracts should be submitted to the:
10th International SWAA Conference Secretariat, P.O.BOX 5196, Kigali, Rwanda, using the attached abstract Submission form.
Abstracts can also be faxed or emailed to the 10th International SWAA Conference Secretariat, using Fax + 250- 501303 or E-mail: swaar@rwanda1.com
Instruction on the content and writing the abstract form. Abstracts must not have been published or submitted to any other National or International meeting.

20. Abstract categories
The abstract category is the general heading under which the abstract should be Placed.
Acceptance/Non-Acceptance of an abstract
In order to speed up the process of acknowledging the receipt, acceptance or non-acceptance of an abstract, the organizing committee requests the presenting author to indicate a full contact address in the space provided on the abstract form.
Deadline for submission of Abstracts
All abstract must reach the 10th International SWAA Conference Secretariat by 30-01-2005.
You can fill in the abstract form here Abstract Form

20. Abstract categories List
Track A: Socio-ecomomic determinants of Hiv/aids/stid and consequences

• Women HIV and AIDS and transactional sex
• Addressing Social Economic and Cultural Issues impacting on the spread of Hiv/aids
• HIV in Prison: The case of Infected and affected women.
• Sexual behavior and HIV transmission
• Female Genital Mutilation
• HIV and migration
• HIV/AIDS, alcohol, and drugs

• The role of political commitment
• Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission
• Ethics, Legal Situation and Human Rights
• Challenges in Access to care, treatment for opportunistic infections, and ARV’s.
• Breastfeeding and HIV/AIDS
• Vaginal Microbicides
• Female condoms
• Greater Involvement of People AIDS (GIPA) Role of PLWHA in addressing stigma and discrimination.
• Cultural approaches to Prevention, care and support, and treatment.
• Involving young people and youth in prevention and care.
• Traditional therapies
• HIV and Governance
• Innovative male interventions
• Integrating Family Planning into HIV/AIDS Best practices for HIV /AIDS prevention and control: Strategies for scaling up
• New developments on prevention and control among the youth, women and vulnerable groups
• Involving young people and youth in prevention and care
• Faith-based initiatives in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

• Role of women and youth organisations in care and support.
• Community responses to women, children, and families made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS
• Enhancing community involvement in PMTCT.
• Involving Political and Community Leaders in Advocacy, prevention, Care and Support, and treatment.
• Effective resource mobilisation, and fund raising strategies.

• The continuum of care and support
• Access to ARV among women – The 3x5 initiative
• Management of opportunistic infections
• Home based care
• Nutrition and food supplements
• The role of women in care and support at the home and community levels
• The role of traditional remedies in care and support
• Care and support for OVC

• Gender and HIV/AIDS
• Traditional and Socio-cultural practices and its impact in the spread of HIV/AIDS among women.
• Sex work and HIV/AIDS
• Female Genital Mutilation

• Tools of empowerment
• Case studies

• The role of advocacy in prevention and care programmes
• Advocacy tools
• Effective resource mobilization, and fund raising strategies