Ms Olena Stryzhak

Olena Stryzhak is a long-term survivor of HIV. She began her work as an advocate for the rights and well-being of women living with HIV, particularly HIV-positive pregnant women in Ukraine 2002. 

In 2015, Olena co-founded the Eurasian Women Network on AIDS, the EECA regional network for women living with HIV. In 2016, she was a speaker at the High-Level meeting “On Ending AIDS” at the UN General Assembly in New York City on the “Children, adolescent girls and young women: prevention of new HIV infections” panel. In 2018, she was a speaker at the Plenary session at the 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS2018) and presented “Innovation around HIV and substance use” in Eastern Europe and Central Asia region. She served as the Chair of the International Community of Women Living with HIV, the only global network led by and for women living with HIV from 2019 till 2021. 

Currently Ms Stryzhak leads the Positive Women in Ukraine, the only National Network of Women living with HIV and continues to help women and girls living with HIV and from key populations to advocate for their rights.