The International Reporting Project (IRP) is pleased to offer up to five international reporting fellowships to cover the 2016 AIDS conference and TB pre-conference in Durban, South Africa.
The 21st International AIDS Conference will take place in Durban, South Africa, from July 16-22. The theme, “Access Equity Rights Now,” highlights the unequal access of HIV-positive patients to health care around the world.
Although many gains have been made in treating and preventing the spread of HIV, significant challenges still exist. More than 60 percent of HIV-positive people still cannot access antiretroviral medications. Moreover, marginalized groups—including sex workers, women, young people, GLBT communities, drug users and others—are at an increased risk for HIV infection.
In addition, tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest communicable diseases. The two-day TB pre-conference will address progress made in combating the airborne disease, which frequently infects those with compromised immune systems, including people living with HIV. The pressure to halt TB in its tracks has mounted as rates of multi- and total-drug resistant strains have emerged and spread.
South Africa itself is a significant host for these conferences, with some of the highest rates of HIV and TB in the world.
How to Apply
All candidates must complete an application form and provide an essay of at least 500 words describing the narrative they would pursue at the conference.
Topics may include disparities in access to health care, the search for cures and treatments, 
drug resistance, prevention research, human rights violations and the role of marginalized communities in battling the diseases, among other topics.
The 2016 AIDS/TB fellowships with IRP are open to international journalists with significant experience covering health and development. We welcome applications from print and online journalists, including writers, photographers, videographers, data journalists, social media producers and others. This trip is not open to students.
More Details
IRP will purchase the fellows’ round-trip air tickets to South Africa and will pay for visas, hotel costs, local transportation and several meals. The IRP will also arrange journalists’ press accreditation for the conference.
The fellows will arrive in Durban by July 15 and depart on or after July 23. Those who wish to extend their stay after the fellowship will have the option to arrange that at their own expense.
All of the stories will be republished on the IRP site and co-owned by the fellow (or his/her distribution partners, depending on arrangements) and the IRP. In addition, the work produced as a result of the trip may be posted, with permission of the fellow, on the social media channels of the IRP funders. This trip is supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.