To mark World Aids Day on December 1 ActionAid has joined forces with Positive Lives to put on a photo exhibition - Positive Women Positive Lives in association with Grazia.  

The free exhibition is a celebration of women around the world who are taking positive steps to reclaim their lives. It opens to the public on Thursday 29 November until Tuesday 4 December at the Dray Walk Gallery, Old Truman Brewery, off Brick Lane, E1 6QL.

Positive Women Positive Lives depicts women living positively whilst being HIV positive. The women in the exhibition are being open about their illness, or campaigning to defend the rights of women in their position; each woman in this exhibition is defining what it is to be positive, rather than letting HIV define her.

“Women’s faces aren’t what people expect to see as the face of AIDS.   We’re challenging people by showing women who have chosen to be positive and who are living their lives. 

"Essentially we’re saying sure, living with the virus has implications for all sorts of things - family, work, social status, relationships, self esteem, partnership.  But contrary to most people’s expectations, HIV doesn’t mean you have to give up. 

"We want to show how after the feeling of hopelessness at diagnosis, many women make the decision to take control of their situation and to reclaim themselves.” - Fionnuala Murphy, ActionAid.

The images and text from Positive Lives are shown along with text from ActionAId showcasing positive initiatives which enable women with HIV to live positive lives.