Jennifer Kidwell

International Women's Health Coalition

Jennifer Kidwell joined IWHC as the Communications Assistant in June 2003, and has served in her current role since April 2005, working primarily to coordinate media, publications, and educational outreach activities for the organization. Prior to joining IWHC, Jennifer worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator on bipolar and psychotic disorders at McLean Hospital in Boston, MA. Since 2002, she has co-authored research and policy articles in international family planning, gender and development, and psychiatric journals. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology from Swarthmore College in 2001, and is proficient in French. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Public Health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, with a focus in Health Policy.

Advances for Women at the International AIDS Conference

Jennifer Kidwell

Jennifer Kidwell is the Communications Assistant for the International Women's Health Coaltion.

Thanks to Bill Gates, microbicides may soon become a household word. At the International AIDS Conference (IAC) last week, calls for “women’s rights” and “gender equality” were issued not just by the Gates, but also Stephen Lewis, Bill Clinton, and others. Even a few women made the news.

The Toronto meeting was my first IAC. I’d expected overwhelming chaos, but I’d underestimated the richness of the dialogue taking place. For me, the most powerful lessons actually emerged not from the major newsmakers, but other channels behind the scenes.