For more information on this session, including access to speaker presentations, please see the conference Programme-at-a-Glance.

To date responses to the epidemic have been largely individualistic, bypassing families. The notion of ‘families’ has been revolutionized. Families now extend beyond biology, religion and gender, and law, to reflect the intimate social groups on which all human beings depend for their survival and succor. Families that carry the heaviest load in treating, caring for and protecting children and other members directly affected by the epidemic play a fundamental, but as yet not fully recognized role, in the prevention of HIV transmission. Families are also important for especially marginalized groups. Their children are amongst the most stigmatized and under-serviced in the world and family networks are frequently the last bastion of support for individuals in especially marginalized groups. Attention to families extends AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support, from the individual, to social groups as it should always have been.

Event Date

Jul 22, 2010