What's New
July 2010
Episodic Disabilities Employment Network (EDEN) website is now live!
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Towards a better understanding of the dynamics of disability and its impact on employment. Read the final report here
June 2010
Click here to read CWGHR’s Strategic Plan 2010-2013: Promoting Quality of Life Through Research, Education and Cross-Sector Partnerships (PDF 285 KB)
CWGHR's Annual Report 2009-2010 is also available by clicking here (PDF: 732 KB).
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HIV, Disability and Rehabilitation at AIDS 2010
XVIII International AIDS Conference
July 18-23, 2010
Vienna, Austria
“AIDS and Disability – Country-Level Perspectives” Satellite Session
Wednesday, July 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm
CWGHR has been collaborating with the planning committee for this session, which includes Health Canada, the Global Partnership for Disability and Development (GPDD), UNAIDS and the World Bank.
HIV and Disability Networking Zone
CWGHR will present a 90-minute workshop entitled “Understanding HIV/AIDS as an Episodic Disability” in the Networking Zone on Thursday, July 22, 10:30am.
The Zone will feature ongoing activities throughout the conference and will include sessions from the following organizations: Vienna Deaf Community HIV/AIDS Outreach; South Africa's Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA); Zambia National Library & Cultural Centre for the Blind; Heath Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD) South Africa; Quadriplegic Association South Africa; World Vision Canada; Volunteer Service Overseas; National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda; and India’s Jan Sewa Parishad.
HIV and Disability Session
Thursday, July 22, 2:00pm
The International AIDS Society and AIDS Free World are co-sponsoring this non-abstract-driven session on HIV and disability.
* CWGHR will be involved in other activities related to HIV and rehabilitation – such as HIV and aging and HIV and employment – so check back as details are confirmed.
Human Rights March and Rally at AIDS 2010
The March begins at 20:00 ON TUESDAY, JULY 20 at SCHOTTENTOR U-Bahn station, an easy subway ride from the conference venue. Head straight there after the sessions end on Tuesday, or come early for pre-march activities beginning from 18:30. Don’t miss the live performance by Annie Lennox that will follow the march and rally that evening!
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
The most important way is to march with us and bring your friends! You can also get involved by:
- setting up a booth for your organization during the pre-march activities from 18:30 at Schottentor,
- setting up a March and Rally Station at a conference session or satellite event you are involved in before or on July 20. We will provide promotional and placard-making materials.
- helping us recruit volunteers. We need extra hands on July 20!
Please email Anne-Caroline at duplat.nmte@gmail.com for more information.
CWGHR is thrilled to announce the 2010 winner of its 3rd Annual Award of Excellence in HIV and Rehabilitation - Dr. Francisco Ibáñez-Carrasco! Click here to read about Dr. Ibáñez-Carrasco's inspirational leadership and commitment to the field of HIV and rehabilitation. The award will be presented at a reception and dinner at CWGHR’s upcoming Forum and AGM, June 12, 2010. To join us, click here.
EDEN, a new and interactive website on employment topics for people living with episodic disabilities, including HIV, will be live soon. Check the CWGHR website for updates. In the meantime, click here for the poster.
Online Survey Invitation: CIHR Research Priorities for HIV/AIDS and Co-Morbidities
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) HIV/AIDS Research Initiative is seeking input from stakeholders across the country to help identify research priorities in the area of HIV/AIDS and co-morbidities.
For most people on treatment, HIV/AIDS is now experienced as a complex chronic disease. Often people are dealing with additional health issues, called co-morbidities, such as co-infections, cardiovascular disease or mental health issues. CIHR wants to support research that will reduce the impact of co-morbidities for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Persons living with HIV/AIDS, clinicians, researchers and others interested in the issues of co-morbidities and HIV/AIDS are invited to complete a short, confidential survey. The input received will help guide future CIHR investments in research.
The online survey is open from May 21 to June 18, 2010. Visit: www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/aidssurvey.html. Make your opinions known.
For more information on the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative, please visit http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/25832.html.
Upcoming Arthritis & HIV Public Forum in Toronto
The Arthritis Society is holding a free, public lecture on HIV and arthritis, taking place on June 23, 6:30pm-8:30pm, 519 Church Street Community Centre in Toronto. Dr. Erin Norris of St. Michael’s Hospital and physiotherapist Jean McKellar will present. To register, call: 1-800-344-6926.
CWGHR's Rehabilitation in the Context of HIV: An Interprofessional Learning Course will be offered Monday, July 26, 2010 at the Delta Hotel in St. John's NF.
This one-day course, held in conjunction with the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) 2010 Congress, is open to all rehabilitation and other health care providers (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists and audiologists as well as other providers) and will enhance the capacity of rehabilitation professionals to respond to the rehabilitation needs of people living with HIV. If you know people who may be interested in this course, please forward this information to them.
For further information, please visit http://www.physiotherapy.ca/public.asp?WCE=C=47|K=231452.
To register or for enquiries, please visit www.physiotherapy.ca.
May 2010
Employment Opportunity: Administrative Assistant
Click here for job description and application details (closed).
CWGHR recently attended the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) 19th Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research, May 13-16 in Saskatoon. See below for CWGHR presentations:
- “HIV and Aging: An Emerging Landscape for Consideration and Care”
- “Collaborating for Capacity: Towards a National Strategy on Episodic Disabilities”
- “HIV, Employment and Human Rights in Canada: A Workshop Evaluation”
- “CWGHR’s Interprofessional HIV and Rehabilitation Mentorship Program”
CWGHR convened Canada’s leaders in the HIV and Aging communities at the Partners in Aging National Forum, held in March at the 6th Canadian HIV/AIDS Skills Building Symposium, Montreal.
To access presentations and a final report, click here.
April 2010
New Democrat Health Critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis launched a bill on April 8, 2010 to bolster the family income of persons living with disabilities by extending the caregiver tax credit to the spouses of persons with disabilities. The credit is worth up to $600 a year. CWGHR supports the bill, as well as the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, the Parkinson Society of Manitoba, the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba, Tourette Canada and Epilepsy Ontario.
A quarter of Canadians provide informal care to a family member or friend with a serious health problem every year. More than 75 percent of these caregivers are women.
To learn more, visit:
MP wants caregiver tax credit for spouses of disabled (CBC)
MP supports caregivers of disabled spouses (Winnipeg Free Press)
Spouses of disabled need tax credit: MP (Winnipeg Sun)
March 2010
CWGHR is pleased to share the good news that, on March 11, 2010, the Government of Canada ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) at the United Nations. Click here to read the press release from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD).
Click here to read the Convention in full.
CWGHR is currently accepting nominations for its 3rd Award of Excellence in HIV and Rehabilitation. Nominations are accepted for any individual or organization which has demonstrated excellence in the area of HIV and rehabilitation.
Nominations will be accepted until March 31, 2010 and must include a completed nomination form. The recipient of the Award will be formally announced at the CWGHR Forum and annual general meeting, to be held on June 12 and 13, 2010. For further details and the nomination form, click here (nominations are now closed).
Employment Opportunity: Program Director
Click here for job description and application details (closed).
February 2010
December 2009
Earlier this year, your organization signed on to a letter from AIDS organizations in Canada to urge the Government of Canada to move forward with ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). We finally have some very good news to share with you about this.
Yesterday (Dec. 3) Minister Peter MacKay, on behalf of the Government of Canada, tabled in the House the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This is the final step in the process of Ratification of the Convention, one that has been eagerly awaited by Canadians with disabilities.
Click here to read the press release from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) who has been working with all of us and leading this effort within Canada.
We want to thank you again for your support in this process. We will keep you posted as the final stage of this process moves forward.
October - November 2009
Good News: House of Commons agrees today to develop a plan to eliminate poverty in Canada for all
On November 24, 2009, the House of Commons passed the following motion as agreed to by the House of Commons’ HUMA Committee:
That, with November 24th, 2009 marking the 20th anniversary of the 1989 unanimous resolution of this House to eliminate poverty among Canadian children by the year 2000, and not having achieved that goal, be it resolved that the Government of Canada, taking into consideration the Committee’s work in this regard, and respecting provincial and territorial jurisdiction, develop an immediate plan to eliminate poverty in Canada for all.
With the motion now passed, there is Parliament’s commitment to a federal plan for the elimination of poverty. This is a major step towards accomplishing the first of the three goals of Dignity for All: The Campaign for a Poverty-free Canada. The challenge now is for parliamentarians and civil society – including those with the lived experience of poverty – to work together even more closely to determine the substance and timely delivery as well as the accountability mechanisms of the plan. And, to root the entire effort within a framework of Canada’s commitment to economic and social rights (food, housing, adequate standard of living etc.) such as enshrined within international human rights law to which Canada is signatory.
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The Journal of International AIDS Society is proud to be launching its first thematic series on HIV and Disability. Through this thematic series, the Journal of the International AIDS Society would like to raise awareness on issues of HIV and disability. This series presents a number of papers (details below) on HIV and disability to provide readers with an update of developments in the field. These papers explore this central issue through a range of different perspectives including Law, African Studies, Public Policy, and Public Health.
All the articles published by the Journal of International AIDS Society are open access and freely accessible on line at www.jiasociety.org. JIAS strongly encourages researchers, especially those from low- and middle-income countries, to submit their next HIV-related manuscript. For further inquiries contact: editorial@jiasociety.org.
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September 2009
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This network for interested partners in the field of disability and HIV/AIDS may be of interest:
Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (HEARD), conducts research, builds capacity and enables leadership to roll back the HIV/ AIDS pandemic in Africa.
The HEARD disability network is an e-mail group of interested partners in the field of disability and HIV/AIDS. Members of the network exchange information on the topic and receive updates on international developments and events. It includes disabled people’s organisations, non-governmental organisations, researchers, scholars, and anyone working with and for persons with disabilities, or interested in HIV/AIDS and disability issues.
If you want to join the disability network, please follow this link: http://www.heard.org.za/african-leadership/disability/network
For general information on HEARD, please follow this link: http://www.heard.org.za/
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A Recommendation to address Episodic Disabilities in Canada:
CWGHR contribution for the 2009 federal pre-budget consultation process
In August, CWGHR submitted a brief for the 2009 federal pre-budget consultation process. The brief outlines three recommendations the federal government can take to addressing episodic disabilities in Canada.
Click here to read the brief. Unfortunately we only have the document in English. However, we are currently in the process of translating it into French.
For more information contact, Martine Mangion at mmangion@hivandrehab.ca or at Tel: 416-513-0440 ext 244
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“Developing an Ontario Episodic Disabilities Network and Resource Centre”
On Sunday, November 15 2009, in conjunction with the upcoming OHTN conference in Toronto, CWGHR will be hosting a 90 minute consultation session on “Developing an Ontario Episodic Disabilities Network and Resource Centre” in the Carmichael room at the Toronto Hilton. The objective of the consultation session will be to gather information on the issues and needs of people living with HIV in Ontario related to HIV as an ‘episodic disability’. This information will help inform how we develop and implement a new Ontario Episodic Disabilities Information and Referral Centre (i.e. Resource centre). Participants will include people living with HIV, rehabilitation professionals, academics and researchers.
If you are interested in attending the consultation and for more information please contact, Martine Mangion at mmangion@hivandrehab.ca or at Tel: 416-513-0440 ext 244
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HRPA 2009 Diversity Conference
Everyone knows someone: Managing Episodic Disabilities in the Workplace
On November 25, 2009 CWGHR will be presenting at the HRPA 2009 Diversity Conference. This is a one-day event that will provide organizations with the insight and motivation to take diversity strategy to the next level. CWGHR will be presenting on the challenges and barriers faced by people living with episodic disabilities in the workplace and appropriate interventions and accommodation practices that may support people with episodic disabilities in the workplace.
For information please contact Martine Mangion at (416) 513-0440 ext. 244 or mmangion@hivandrehab.ca
August 2009
Upcoming workshops on HIV, Employment and Human Rights for people living with HIV
October 2, 2009 in Montreal
October 30, 2009 in Vancouver
Click Here to register
For information please contact Melissa Popiel at (416) 513-0440 ext. 235 or mpopiel@hivandrehab.ca
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Integrated models of rehabilitation available at the point of care: Interviews with select programs
The purpose of this research has been to identify integrated models of rehabilitation within front line health care. Through the key informant interviews described in this report, we hope to increase awareness of possible collaborations and opportunities for partnerships between and among HIV programs and rehabilitation programs / care providers. Through sharing this report with other stakeholders in the HIV and rehabilitation communities, we hope to initiate conversations and potential partnerships that will improve access to rehabilitation care for people living with HIV. More of the report
July 2009
CWGHR Welcomes Martine Mangion as Manager, Episodic Disabilities Initiatives
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The International Affairs Directorate of Health Canada has just released the Final Report from its International Policy Dialogue on HIV/AIDS and Disability, held in March 2009. CWGHR was actively involved in this very informative and innovative event and the issues described in the report are very relevant to people within the HIV and/or disability and rehabilitation fields, both in Canada and around the world. As HIV and disability issues continue to gain greater attention and momentum, this report provides a timely summary of key issues and opportunities / strategies for moving forward on HIV and disability issues. For a copy of the report, click here
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CWGHR's Mentorship Programme Expands to Thunder Bay ... more
June 2009
Online consultation on the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ... more
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Forum & AGM Photos:
Friday June 12, 2009
Saturday June 13, 2009
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At the CWGHR 2009 Forum researchers from the Rehabilitation and HIV fields were invited to participate in a discussion about HIV and Aging with keynote speaker, Stephen Karpiak who is also one of the principal investigators of the landmark study “Research on Older Adults with HIV” (ROAH) (Karpiak & Shippy, 2006). Researchers at the meeting agreed that there is much about this topic that is unknown and noted the lack of a coordinated approach to assess or respond to this gap. CWGHR and its partners can fulfill this coordinating role. Stay tuned to learn more about what CWGHR is planning. For more information about the ROAH study, click here.
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Below are the panellists' slides for the 2009 Forum and AGM that took place June 12 & 13, 2009 in Toronto.
Neurocognitive Impairment, HIV and Aging by Maggie Atkinson
Pediatric HIV by Vera Carmini
Mental health considerations in the evolving face of HIV/AIDS – focus on neurocognitive disorders by Dr. Mark Halman
Aging and Cardiovascular Disease by Dr. Marek Smieja
The Graying HIV Epidemic: Evolution Requires Revolution by Stephen Karpiak
HIV and Depression by Jordan Lewis and Judy Gould
May 2009
The Canadian Working Group for HIV and Rehabilitation (CWGHR) warmly welcomes Judy Gould as Director of Research and Education – a newly created position at CWGHR.
April 2009
- New policy brief on disability and HIV
available here on the UNAIDS website
March 2009
- AIDS organizations urge Canada to ratify UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- CWGHR Employment Opportunity:
Manager, Episodic Disabilities Initiatives APPLICATIONS CLOSED