International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) North America

Vision

ICW North America (ICW-NA) envisions a world where all women living with HIV live free of gender oppression, realizing and claiming our full rights inclusive of sexual, reproductive, legal, social, economic and health rights.

Mission

ICW-NA exists to lead efforts to secure and improve the quality of life for women living with HIV in Canada and the United States. We do this by mobilizing, organizing, advocating, mentoring and raising consciousness on the issues and policies that directly impact our lives.

Principles

• Accountability: We answer to the members of our network and the women living with HIV whose interests we serve
• Self Determination and Emancipation: We promote and practice the principles of GIPA/MEWA (Greater Involvement of People with AIDS/Meaningful Engagement of Women with HIV and AIDS)
• Integrity and Critical Reflection: We are committed to working in a way that is transparent to our members and that builds our capacity to put the needs of women living with HIV above individual interests
• Feminisms and Gender Equality: We work to support the ability of all women living with HIV to define, establish and achieve equal political, economic, cultural, personal and social rights
• Social Justice: We recognize that as with all people, we share a common humanity and therefore a right to equitable treatment, support for our human rights, and a fair allocation of community resources.
• Commitment to Advocacy: We are committed to improving health and social policies that increase fairness and access for all women living with HIV
• Self Care: In doing our work with its many demands, we commit to care for ourselves as we offer care and support to each other
• Diversity and Inclusion: We recognize women in all of their diversity, and are actively inclusive of all women living with HIV, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual identity, gender conformity, socioeconomic status, educational background, marital or parental status, housing status, employment status, and substance use.

I AM ICW

I AM ICW is a membership campaign that is rooted in ICW-NA's (re)commitment to engage and support not only a regional but a global feminist movement of self- identified women and girls living with HIV. It is a celebration of our history and the power of the International Community of Women Living with HIV sisterhood. I AM ICW will ask old members to recommit to our sisterhood and asks new members to join. Through building our collective networks, we can create opportunities to reduce isolation, raise consciousness, engage in joint advocacy and share knowledge. Throughout 2020 and 2021 we will foster programs for all women living with HIV to connect regionally and globally with other women living with HIV.

Where Do You Fit In?

ICW-NA is a newly developing region within the broader International Community of Women Living with HIV. The communities of self-identified women living with HIV in North America are diverse and have different back stories, needs and experiences. This campaign is a celebration of our diversity and our sameness. Using feminist principles, Where Do You Fit In? will give ICW-NA members the ability to define the space that they would like to "fit in" in ICW-NA.

Everyone is welcome, because all women living with HIV have a home within ICW. ICW-NA will be collaborating with other networks to work in synergy and fill in gaps. Being a member of another network does not stop you from being a part of ICW – it broadens your family, connections and reach. It removes silos and helps us meet all the needs of the women that we serve. It creates opportunities for collaboration and celebration.

The activities involved in this campaign will build on and be in conjunction with the I AM ICW campaign activities through 2020 and 2021.