Protest Movements at AIDS 2012: What to Expect
July 14, 2012
Written by Matthew Chase
**For a comprehensive breifing on the protests taking place during the International AIDS Conference, please click here.**
As the International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) makes its way to Washington, D.C. July 22nd to 27th, an increasing amount of attention has been placed on the numerous AIDS-related activities that will take place inside the conference center as well as at the Global Village. The protest movements, which are constantly evolving and are not affiliated with conference organizers, have gained considerably less attention, though their significance to the outcomes of the conference could be equally important.
As previous International AIDS Conferences have proven, the biannual week-long meeting serves an important role in allowing advocates to engage with political leaders and policymakers about the future of global HIV/AIDS policies. The protest movements have long been crucial in providing advocates with a platform to voice their concerns and express their often-multifaceted opinions—with at times dramatic impact. For instance, protests at the 2000 conference in Durban, South Africa accelerated momentum to enhance treatment for HIV-infected populations. Planning for upcoming protests suggests that this year’s demonstrations will continue to provide a necessary voice to members of civil society and the general public. But the movements may differ from those of the past in a number of respects, including:
- No formal affiliation with the AIDS 2012 conference;
- Potential higher participation;
- A possible new role played by the “Occupy” movement;
- Focused criticism of President Obama’s commitment to HIV/AIDS;
- And an increased focus on the domestic HIV/AIDS prevalence.
The two separate protests that will occur during the week of AIDS 2012 consist of a march starting at the Washington Monument on Sunday, July 22 at 2 p.m., and a five-part march on Tuesday, July 24 at noon, which will terminate in front of the White House. The history of International AIDS Conferences also shows that smaller, more spontaneous demonstrations are to be expected in addition to the planned events.
Despite their separate movements, the marches share similar objectives, and protest organizers say that they plan to attend and support both events. Protesters largely take issue with President Barack Obama’s recent budget proposal to reduce funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and want to ensure that political leaders use available scientific tools to eradicate the epidemic in coming years. More details on the two protests – including organizers, participants, and agendas – can be found here.
Many aspects of the planned demonstrations mirror marches at previous conferences; the events have received attention and endorsement from prominent celebrities, including Earvin “Magic” Johnson; high participation is expected; and some degree of civil disobedience is planned, particularly for the July 24 march which will culminate at the White House. As in previous years, the marches are likely to draw support from conference attendees—and make considerable impact.
Yet some components of the upcoming protests will differ from events at previous conferences. Unlike a rally at the 2010 conference in Vienna, Austria, this year’s marches are not recognized by AIDS 2012 as affiliated independent events, and the protests have not yet received public support from prominent leaders of global health multilateral organizations. A condition of affiliation is that protests not conflict with the conference schedule, and protest organizers have not accepted that condition. With both the protests and the conference occurring concurrently and sharing similar marketing strategies, including advertisements on D.C. buses, the two entities may appear to be a part of the same movement, but are separate.
Participation at conference protests has been historically high, but it is possible that this year’s events will see higher participation than in the past; for instance, press releases about the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Sunday march anticipate that the event will attract 10,000 participants. It is possible that the events will receive increased support and influence from the “Occupy” movement, as the movements recently joined forces at protests on Wall Street. In addition to a sustained focus on U.S. global HIV/AIDS policy, especially in light of the Obama administration’s recent proposed cut to PEPFAR, protests will likely increasingly emphasize the U.S. domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, especially given the significant HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the conference’s host city.
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