Martina Clark brings over two decades of international work experience on HIV and AIDS to the ASAP team. Most recently, she worked within the UN system – at UNICEF – as one of the pioneers and architects of UN Cares, the UN system-wide workplace programme on HIV. Prior to that, she consulted a writer, rapporteur, curriculum developer, project manager, trainer and facilitator for various international NGOs – notably FHI, JSI, HDN and WORLD – as well as for several agencies in the UN system. Through this work, she has traveled to about 90 countries, and has done HIV-related work in at least 50 of those.
As early as 1993, Martina was a board member of the Global Network of PLHIV and, subsequently, a Key Contact for the ICW. Through those experiences, she helped to strengthen the networks of PLHIV around the globe, particularly for women, through her advocacy and, as the creator of the ‘intaids’ e-forum, through various modes of communication.
She was the first North American representative to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (1995-96) and later served as the original NGO Liaison for UNAIDS, based in Geneva (1996-1998). She was the first openly HIV-positive person recruited to UNAIDS.
At the first White House Conference on AIDS, in 1995, under President Clinton, Martina spoke on behalf of women living with HIV and the international community. The following year, she addressed the UN General Assembly and has had the honor of leading our two most recent Secretaries-General through trainings on HIV and AIDS.
Her rapporteur experiences are vast, ranging from serving as a Key Correspondent at International AIDS Conferences to – more recently – writing full meeting reports for the myriad trainings she conducted on behalf of UNICEF and UN Cares. Through these reports, she also was able to synthesize and extract concise summaries to be used for further advocacy, other reports or for broader outreach relating to the work. Additionally, through her work with UNICEF, Martina has an excellent understanding of the issues and importance of eliminating mother-to-child-transmission.
A dual national of Belgium and the US, Martina is currently based in Brooklyn, New York and works as a freelance consultant and writer.
I believe that communication is key. If we can’t talk, text or tweet about the real issues, we will never move forward. Silence and misinformation remain two of the most damaging drivers of this pandemic. I hope that by communicating – as a writer, rapporteur, trainer or advocate – that others will know that they are not alone and that they too, in whatever measure, can make a difference to the course of the epidemic, as well as in their own lives.