Overcoming the "vexing and intolerable" state of women's rights is key to curbing the spread of AIDS, Stephen Lewis, the UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, said Friday as the International AIDS Conference came to a close.

"It's the one area of HIV and AIDS that leaves me feeling most helpless and most enraged," Lewis told the conference in Toronto.

'Everything in the battle against AIDS has been put at risk by the behaviour of the G8,' says Stephen Lewis.
(Aaron Harris/Canadian Press)

"Gender inequality is driving the pandemic and we will never subdue the gruesome force of AIDS unless the rights of women become paramount in the struggle."

Lewis delivered a strongly worded keynote speech during the event's closing ceremonies in which he also called South Africa "negligent" in its rollout of treatment, warned of the mounting crisis of children orphaned by AIDS and condemned the shortfall of funding from G8 nations.

No one is asking for more than was promised, said Lewis.

"Everything in the battle against AIDS has been put at risk by the behaviour of the G8."

Lewis called upon conference delegates — estimated at 31,000 from 140 countries — to hold people and governments accountable and not to let the G8 "off the hook."

Lewis also drew attention to HIV/AIDS issues at home, asking the federal government to extend the mandate of Vancouver's controversial supervised injection facility — the only one of its kind in North America.

More safe injection sites urged

"It would be absolutely perverse to close the safe injection site in Vancouver.... In fact, there should be several more such facilities in Canada and around the world," Lewis said to thunderous applause.

During its six days, the conference drew a number of high-profile speakers, including former U.S. president Bill Clinton and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

There had been speculation Ottawa would use the conference to announce new AIDS funding or whether it would renew the injection site's mandate — issues that motivated demonstrations during the week.

But Prime Minister Stephen Harper said it wouldn't be the right time to make announcements because the issue had become "so politicized" during the week.

Harper was criticized for not attending the conference, as some accused the Conservatives of not considering fighting HIV/AIDS a priority.

But Harper said there was appropriate representation from his government, noting that the conference was attended by three of his cabinet ministers, including Clement, as well as Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean.

'Giving hope for the future'

Dr. Mark Wainberg, Canadian co-chair of the conference, said he thinks the federal government was caught off guard by the scale of the event and that the Conservatives initially saw it as just another medical conference.

During the closing ceremonies, Wainberg said the conference has presented groundbreaking science, lots of information and new drugs and prevention strategies "giving hope to the future."

"We have shown here this week that partnerships that link science, medicine, community and political activism can translate into action."

Anders Nordstrom, acting director general of the World Health Organization, highlighted three key elements to conquering the disease: money, medicines and a motivated workforce.

He said more funding is needed for HIV/AIDS programs, access to drugs worldwide needs to be improved, and most importantly, more health workers are required.

"There are too few people with the right skills," said Nordstrom. "More people registered to attend this conference than there are doctors in the whole of Eastern and Central Africa."

The closing festivities also included cultural performances and a handover ceremony with Toronto Mayor David Miller and Julio Frenk, Mexico's minister of health.

The next International AIDS Conference will be in 2008 in Mexico City.