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International Indigenous Pre-Conference
The 11th International Indigenous Pre-Conference on HIV & AIDS (IIPCHA 2026) will convene Indigenous leaders, knowledge holders, advocates, and allies on July 24–25, 2026, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, alongside the International AIDS Conference. This gathering exists for a simple but urgent reason: Indigenous peoples continue to be excluded from global HIV responses, while HIV remains marginalized within many Indigenous health spaces. The pre-conference is where those two worlds are intentionally brought together.
Why This Space Matters
For decades, mainstream HIV strategies have relied on Western scientific frameworks that rarely reflect Indigenous worldviews, governance systems, or lived realities. At the same time, Indigenous movements—already navigating land dispossession, violence, and chronic underfunding—often struggle to openly address HIV because of stigma and silence. IIPCHA confronts this divide head-on, creating an Indigenous-led space where HIV, culture, ceremony, science, and sovereignty can be discussed together, not separately.
For decades, mainstream HIV strategies have relied on Western scientific frameworks that rarely reflect Indigenous worldviews, governance systems, or lived realities. At the same time, Indigenous movements—already navigating land dispossession, violence, and chronic underfunding—often struggle to openly address HIV because of stigma and silence. IIPCHA confronts this divide head-on, creating an Indigenous-led space where HIV, culture, ceremony, science, and sovereignty can be discussed together, not separately.
Context in Brazil
Holding IIPCHA 2026 in Brazil brings both opportunity and complexity. Many Indigenous communities face constant crisis—extractive industries, broken treaties, and repeated exploitation—leading to understandable mistrust of outside initiatives. Concerns around free, prior, and informed consent, as well as limited awareness of the pre-conference within government ministries, have shaped engagement efforts. Importantly, IIPCHA is not Brazil specific; it follows the location of the International AIDS Conference while remaining globally focused and Indigenous-led.
Holding IIPCHA 2026 in Brazil brings both opportunity and complexity. Many Indigenous communities face constant crisis—extractive industries, broken treaties, and repeated exploitation—leading to understandable mistrust of outside initiatives. Concerns around free, prior, and informed consent, as well as limited awareness of the pre-conference within government ministries, have shaped engagement efforts. Importantly, IIPCHA is not Brazil specific; it follows the location of the International AIDS Conference while remaining globally focused and Indigenous-led.
