ICW Eastern Africa

ICW Eastern Africa ICW is the only International network run by and for women living with HIV. The Constitution was written in 2009. The same year ICWEA was granted autonomy.

The International Community of Women living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA) is a registered regional advocacy network and membership based organisation founded in 2005 that exists to give visibility to women living with HIV. It was established in 1992 at the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam by 52 women living with HIV from all over the world that had attended this Conference. At that time, there were few treatment services available for women living with HIV and a desperate desire for support, information and need to influence and input into policy development. In 2003 the first International Strategic Plan was developed prioritising for the network to get closer to its membership leading to the formation of ICW Southern Africa in 2004 and ICW Eastern Africa (ICWEA) in 2005. ICWEA has since then established its governance structure in 2007, developed a regional strategic plan and confirmed its registration in Uganda in 2008.

On , we affirm that Prevention is Power — and so is safety online.Normalizing accurate HIV information and using compas...
01/12/2025

On , we affirm that Prevention is Power — and so is safety online.

Normalizing accurate HIV information and using compassionate language, both digitally and in health facilities, helps fight stigma and strengthens prevention for women & girls living with HIV.

Let’s unite to end digital VAWG and advance HIV prevention.

01/12/2025

This 16 Days of Activism, ICW is honoring women living with HIV who are advocates, activists, and human rights defenders working to end violence against women in all its forms! Today we recognize Immaculate Owomugisha Bazare, a Ugandan human rights lawyer working to confront the specific forms of obstetric violence experienced by women living with HIV. Her advocacy exposes how HIV-related stigma and discrimination intensify mistreatment during pregnancy and childbirth from verbal abuse, forced testing, and coerced procedures to the outright denial of lifesaving care.
She has supported cases involving women who were blamed for their HIV status, left unattended for hours, denied pain relief, separated from their newborns, criminalized or refused emergency treatment because of discriminatory attitudes. Immaculate’s work makes clear that these are more than “bad experiences”, they are human rights violations and preventable forms of violence against women.
Through litigation, community education, and survivor-centered advocacy, she pushes for respectful maternity care that upholds the rights, dignity, and autonomy of all women living with HIV. ICW Eastern Africa

: Happening Tomorrow!The International Community of Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA), together with ICW-Ken...
29/10/2025

: Happening Tomorrow!
The International Community of Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA), together with ICW-Kenya and DWWT-Tanzania, is convening a regional feminist dialogue:
“Shifts in Ending New & Evolving Forms of Violence.”

This dialogue brings together feminist leaders, THRIVE Champions, and partners from across Eastern Africa to reflect on how movements of women living with HIV are shaping justice-driven responses to new and evolving forms of violence.

Date: 30 October 2025
Time: 3:00 PM EAT
Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_v_jkqCzNQFGcAzrRLVXf9Q

Let’s continue to — strengthening feminist solidarity, amplifying lived experiences, and demanding accountability.

Cc: UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women

If women are not part of HIV research, prevention will never truly work for them.Women face unique vulnerabilities to HI...
02/10/2025

If women are not part of HIV research, prevention will never truly work for them.

Women face unique vulnerabilities to HIV, driven by gender inequalities & cultural norms. Yet, research & policy spaces have not always reflected these realities.

At ICWEA, we believe that involving women in HIV research is not optional—it’s essential. It ensures:
Women’s perspectives shape prevention & treatment tailored to their lived experiences.
Equitable representation in research & clinical trials.
A stronger focus on long-acting prevention technologies for women & AGYW.
Reinforcing women’s role in shaping health strategies and decision-making, aligned with the .

With support from ViiV Healthcare, ICWEA is hosting a workshop with academia to advance this agenda. Through this platform, we are demystifying women’s involvement in research & expanding the role of our Champions network, transforming community advocacy into regional influence on HIV prevention policies & research priorities.

When women are meaningfully involved, research becomes more inclusive, policies more effective, and prevention more impactful.

Together, we are working towards a future where prevention is not only effective, & also equitable.

22/09/2025

Strengthening collective action to end violence against women & girls living with HIV in Eastern Africa.

Last week in Tanzania, during the Convening, participants from across the region came together to co-create a 2-Year Regional Joint Collaborative Advocacy Agenda.

This agenda is a bold step toward uniting voices, strategies, and resources to address new and evolving forms of violence against women and girls living with HIV.

Key priorities agreed upon include:
Developing a clear overarching goal, identifying 1–2 priority advocacy issues to drive in the next 1–2 years, designing strategies and interventions for impact, mapping key actors, stakeholders, & regional platforms for engagement.

This joint agenda is not just a document—it’s a movement-building tool to strengthen advocacy, amplify our collective voices, & ensure women & girls living with HIV in Eastern Africa live free from violence & inequality.

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Happening now in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.ICWEA, in partnership with ICW-Kenya Chapter & DWWT, & with support from UN Tru...
19/09/2025

Happening now in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

ICWEA, in partnership with ICW-Kenya Chapter & DWWT, & with support from UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women and Girls, has convened a regional networking forum on Ending Violence Against Women & Girls (EVAW/G).

This convening brings together women living with HIV, feminists & activists across the region to reflect, connect, & build collective strategies.

Our goal is clear: to strengthen movement-building efforts and accelerate action to end new & evolving forms of violence against women & girls.

At ICWEA, we believe that meaningful change happens when diverse voices come together to shape a shared vision of justice, equality, & dignity.

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The International Community of Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA), with support from ViiV Healthcare, is imple...
15/09/2025

The International Community of Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA), with support from ViiV Healthcare, is implementing a project: Empowering Women & AGYW in HIV Prevention.

The project drives the implementation of the CHOICE Manifesto by expanding the role of HIV Prevention Champions, transforming community-level advocacy into regional influence on HIV prevention policies and research priorities.

Building on our successful 2023/24 leadership program, trained Champions will:
🔹 Lead policy engagement at national & regional levels
🔹 Mentor the next generation of AGYW advocates
🔹 Ensure women’s priorities shape research & new prevention technologies.

In Uganda, a focused workshop will demystify clinical research, address misconceptions through the hashtag ’s pillars, safety, and representation. Empower AGYW as Research Literacy Ambassadors & advocate for inclusive, women-centered participation in HIV prevention research.

Women’s leadership is central to advancing .

12/09/2025

Still reflecting on !

How have we worked? How have we moved? And how do we set a new pace to sustain the HIV response?

Take a listen 👇

| The Right to Health: Bridging gaps across other sectors to achieve equitable health for all.Earlier at the conferenc...
05/09/2025

| The Right to Health: Bridging gaps across other sectors to achieve equitable health for all.

Earlier at the conference, our very own Lillian Mworeko moderated a session: “From the lab to last mile: Ensuring equitable access to Lenacapavir HIV treatment in LMICs.”

The discussion spotlighted the urgent need to translate scientific breakthroughs into equitable health solutions that reach communities most affected by HIV.

We appreciate CEHURD Uganda, in collaboration with Ministry of Health - Uganda, for hosting this important convening that continues to shape Uganda’s health & human rights landscape.

At ICWEA, as we mark , we remain committed to amplifying women’s voices, strengthening advocacy, & ensuring that HIV prevention & treatment innovations are accessible to all.

Join us as we celebrate 20 years of impact!LIVE STREAM via youtube.com/live/Ovn_CljrRog?si=k-m3cyLnwuxaB0mg Don’t miss i...
26/08/2025

Join us as we celebrate 20 years of impact!

LIVE STREAM via youtube.com/live/Ovn_CljrRog?si=k-m3cyLnwuxaB0mg

Don’t miss it!

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ICWEA is the only International network run by and for women living with HIV. It was established in 1992 at the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam by 52 women living with HIV from all over the world that had attended this Conference. At that time, there were few treatment services available for women living with HIV and a desperate desire for support, information and need to influence and input into policy development. In 2003 the first International Strategic Plan was developed prioritising for the network to get closer to its membership leading to the formation of ICW Southern Africa in 2004 and ICW Eastern Africa (ICWEA) in 2005. ICWEA has since then established its governance structure in 2007, developed a regional strategic plan and confirmed its registration in Uganda in 2008. The Constitution was written in 2009. The same year ICWEA was granted autonomy.