Civil society says treaty must be "bulletproof" to protect lives.

New York: Diplomats emerged today after spending half of the time allocated for the preliminary negotiations on a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with draft elements and principles for the future treaty. These included principles that, if implemented, would outlaw international arms supplies to grave human rights violators and to where they risk fuelling poverty and conflict. The Control Arms alliance expressed some satisfaction at progress made but urged governments to maximise time before the next meeting in 2011 to develop a draft treaty further.

• Read more

World leaders made no real commitments to ensure universal access to prevention, treatment and care for AIDS at this week’s International AIDS conference in Vienna.

• Read more

HIV and AIDS women’s health advocates at the International AIDS Conference have criticised the lack of funding and policy support from international donors and governments for female condoms, which are a critical woman-initiated tool for fighting the HIV epidemic.

• Read more

As preparations for the world AIDS conference in Vienna get underway, international agency Oxfam has called on world leaders to take steps to provide immediate access to HIV and AIDS treatment, care and prevention for the millions of poor people who need it. 

• Read more

New York: After years of relentless campaigning to ensure States negotiate a strong global treaty to regulate the arms trade, civil society groups have been denied participation in key discussions.

• Read more