On 15th November 2006, the Africa-Japan Forum (AJF) and JOICFP co-organized a NGO Seminar on the Development of Microbicides for Prevention of HIV Infection.

Manju Chatani, From Ghana, coordinates the African Microbicides Advocacy Group (AMAG), and she has been actively advocating on the importance of research into microbicide development to prevent HIV infection for many years..

At the seminar, she spoke about the concept of microbicides and how they could fit into an overall HIV prevention program, the stage of their research, and the importance of strong advocacy to ensure these products actually reach the market as soon as possible.

Chatani emphasizes the need for microbicides
in the fight against HIV at the NGO Seminar

Chatani was invited by AJF to Japan, and while in Japan she attended several seminars and also met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JICA to advocate for research into and funding for microbicides. and for expanding the HIVprevention offered in current programms.

Microbicides offer the real possibility of transforming HIV prevention by giving protection that is user-initiated instead of partner initiated. For example, in many countries, women have difficulty in negotiating condom use, and microbicides could offer a valuable new tool to empower women-so they don't need permission to protect themselve.