Category Archives: UN

US Supreme Court strikes down policy requiring AIDS groups to oppose prostitution in order to receive US Government funds.

Clinical Director Chuck Cloniger (R) seeing his patient, Tanesh Watson for medical counseling at St. James Infirmary in San Francisco, a medical and social service organization for current and former sex workers of all genders, on 14 June 2012 in California. Credit: UNAIDS/K.Hoshino

On 20 June 2013, the United States (US) Supreme Court struck down section 7631(f) of the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 (The Leadership Act). This provision which the Court called the “policy requirement” mandates that no funds made available under the Leadership Act may “provide assistance to any group or organization that does not have a policy explicitly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking.”

The US Supreme Court ruled in response to a challenge filed on 23 September 2005 by 5 civil society organizations against the provision and its negative impact on their efforts to address HIV.  The organizations include: Alliance for Open Society International; the Open Society Institute; Pathfinder International; the Global Health Council; and InterAction.

The US Supreme Court held that the policy requirement violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution which protects free speech. In particular, the Court held that the “policy requirement compels as a condition of federal funding the affirmation of a belief that by its nature cannot be confined with the scope of the Government program.”  The Court noted that “the First Amendment prohibits the government from telling people what they must say.”

Commenting on the decision of the Court, Purnima Mane of Pathfinder International said, “It has been a long and uphill battle, but we are very happy that the Court has spoken out in defense of our ability to engage with sex workers so we can better put in place programs that protect them and their clients from HIV.”

Respondents had claimed, among other things, that adopting a policy explicitly opposing prostitution may diminish the effectiveness of some of their HIV programs by making it more difficult to work with sex workers—a population at higher risk of HIV infection.

In its 2012 report, the Global Commission on HIV and the Law already noted that, “The pledge puts grantees in an impossible bind. If they don’t sign, they are denied the funds they need to control and combat HIV. If they sign, recipient organisations are barred from supporting sex workers in taking control of their own lives.”

Female sex workers are 13.5 times more likely to be living with HIV than other women of reproductive age in low-income and middle-income countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest HIV prevalence, the pooled HIV prevalence among sex workers is 36.9%.

The involvement and empowerment of sex workers with regard to HIV prevention, treatment and care services has shown to have great impact in reducing HIV infections among both female sex workers and the overall adult population. “The end of this requirement is a significant victory for sex workers and their advocates globally. Our contributions to effective HIV responses have now been recognised,” said Ruth Morgan-Thomas of the Global Network of Sex Work Project.

Given the importance of the case for the global AIDS response, the UNAIDS Secretariat participated as an amicus curiae (friend of the court). In that role, UNAIDS provided public health evidence and human rights arguments to support greater access to funding and resources for organisations engaged in HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services with and for sex workers. UNAIDS main points to the Supreme Court included:  1) Sex workers are among the populations most affected by HIV; 2) engagement with sex workers is essential to an effective response to HIV; and 3) any effective response requires adequate funding for programmes designed to ensure HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for sex workers.

UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé praised the groups that were courageous enough to challenge the provision. “This shows civil society at its best – advocating for global health for all.  No group, including sex workers, should be left behind in our efforts to bring the AIDS epidemic to an end.”

US funding critical to HIV response

US leadership and generosity has been instrumental in the progress made in the global AIDS response over the last decade. Since the adoption of the Leadership Act, some 45.7 billion dollars have been made available to address HIV worldwide. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), authorized by the Leadership Act, has been the largest health initiative ever undertaken by one country to address a global health epidemic. Thanks to US funding, access to HIV treatment has been expanded in low- and middle-income countries, and millions of lives are being saved. The decision of the US Supreme Court to strike down the policy requirement will greatly contribute to expand and improve the global AIDS response even further.

By UNAIDS

21 June 2013

http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2013/june/20130621ussupremecourtdecision/

 

Partners to Discuss HIV Viral Load Testing Programs in Africa.

By Prosper Agbenyega

More than 120 HIV clinicians, policy makers, and laboratory scientists gathered in Cape Town, South Africa from 18-20 April 2013 at the invitation of the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa (WHO-AFRO), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), and the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society for a three-day consultation to discuss how best to design and implement effective and sustainable HIV viral load testing programmes in Africa.

Convening under the theme “Viral Load Testing in African HIV Treatment Programmes,” healthcare professionals and stakeholders from more than 20 African Ministries of Health and other global partners developed consensus strategies for strengthening or expanding HIV viral load testing capacity in Africa; attendees also worked to enhance partnerships to support the scale-up of this important diagnostic test and monitoring marker of HIV infection.

“Viral load is the best tool we have for monitoring treatment success and deciding when to switch to new antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications,” said Dr. Gottfried Hirnschall, Director, HIV/AIDS Department, World Health Organization. “To better support people on ART and support the preventive benefits of ART in reducing HIV transmission, improving access to simple, affordable viral load testing in resource-limited settings is a priority for the coming years.”

“Ensuring that people living with HIV have access to safe and accurate monitoring of the virus is a basic human right,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS.  “Testing needs to be simpler, quicker, more cost effective and more widely available, only then will the full benefits of antiretroviral therapy be realised.”

As part of an overall effort to achieve an AIDS-free generation, many countries in Africa have started to adopt and implement HIV viral load testing programmes. A number of challenges exist which limit test access and cost-effectiveness. This consultative meeting aimed to:

• Develop strategies and recommendations for adopting and implementing HIV viral load testing policy, in consideration of World Health Organization guidelines;

• Review operational, technical and financial challenges to expanding access to HIV viral load testing in Africa, especially in difficult to reach areas;

• Discuss strategies for development of technical skills and technology transfer; and,

• Develop strategies to utilise existing capacity of and implement future point-of-care HIV viral load technologies.

Speakers and attendees included representatives from African Ministries of Health, the South African National Health Laboratory Service, World Health Organization, UNAIDS, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, government global health programmes, private organisations and industry.

“As African health programmes continue to achieve marked success concerning patient outcomes, mature laboratory programmes remain integral to this achievement. ASLM is the first pan-African organisation committed exclusively to advancing and guiding laboratory medicine,” says Dr. Tsehaynesh Messele, ASLM Chief Executive Officer. “Laboratory services play a pivotal role in maintaining strong, healthy communities, part of which is monitoring HIV viral load in patients.”

4 May 2013

http://www.spyghana.com/partners-to-discuss-hiv-viral-load-testing-programs-in-africa/


Key Messages in Brief: The Civil Society African Common Position Paper on ICPD: SIGN ON!

25 April 2013

AAI has distilled the key messages of the Civil Society African Common Position Paper on ICPD into 12 brief points for easy reading.

We will continue seeking endorsements in the coming weeks and have already had over 100 CSOs in Africa and worldwide sign on!

Join us and give more power to the people!

SIGN ON to endorse this document here

1. Human Rights

The document is fundamentally based on human rights. This means that the main objective of all development policies and programmes and their implementation must be to respect, protect and fulfil human rights for all.

1.1.      Demography and population growth: The document clearly addresses the potential abuses of demographic and population growth policies and strategies that ignore the human rights of individuals. It also demands that all population growth and structure, and demographic work is approached with a human rights and gender responsive lens. It requests guarantees that policies to address high fertility and rapid population growth will focus on enlarging, not restricting, individual choices and opportunities. Clear policy guidelines must be developed and implemented so as to ensure that human rights and gender responsive lens is used through to clinic level so that abuse and misinterpretation does not occur.

1.2.      All vulnerable people included: The document identifies vulnerable and key affected populations that require better inclusion and more focussed policies, programming and implementation in order to realize their full socio-economic and civil and political rights and freedoms. It acknowledges the role of both the vulnerable and the role of the already empowered and that they need to engage in promoting equality, equity and empowerment for all.

1.3.      Duty-bearers and rights-holders: Both duty-bearers and rights-holders are identified throughout the document as a means to better identify the needs and entitlements of the former, and the obligations and duties of the latter. It also speaks to where capacity is lacking in order to empower the latter to hold the former accountable.

2. Accountability and Transparency

The document highlights the need for accountability which can be gained from collective transparency, open dialogue and greater focus on implementation and action with the attainment of human rights for all as the ultimate goal.

2.1.      Reporting: To report in a timely manner, accurately and transparently on progress made. To ensure that monitoring and accountability mechanisms adopt a systemic and sustained human rights approach towards the implementation of the ICPD, Maputo Plan of Action (MPOA) and other relevant commitments;

2.2.      Quality of data: To improve the quality of reporting by improving data, increasing quality and quantity of responses in reporting documents, using a collaborative process with civil society for the completion of reports, and ensuring appropriately disaggregated data is available and included in reporting.

2.3.      Dialogue between government and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs): Use open dialogue between government, civil society and policy organs, to create more discussion around current status, national responses and challenges surrounding the attainment of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and health services on the continent.

3. Focus on Implementation

The document highlights the need for a “less talk, more action” stance. This includes a focus on implementation of budget, human resource development and improved national ownership rather than policy and/or commitment development.

3.1.      Budget allocation and spending: To boost funding for health, especially SRHR, by implementing the commitment made in Abuja to dedicate 15% of national budget to health. In addition, the document calls for implementation of the MPOA commitment to allocate 15% of health budget to family planning commodities. It is important to also identify alternative funding sources. There is a need to improve monitoring and evaluation and financial controls of existing budgets and expenditures;

3.2.      Focus on African capacity: To allocate budget and implement capacity building for health systems strengthening through improved human resources. This is for health staff as well as national institutions, community systems and Ministry of Health staff. It is necessary to mount evidence-informed and rights-based responses, whilst also working on retaining existing staff, improving the existing quality of training and promoting South-South cooperation.

3.3.      Leadership and national ownership: To commit to an all-inclusive and accountable leadership that ensures integration of SRHR into national development instruments. Leaders must also create space for national debate on priorities, strategic investments, social protection and legal measures. Leaders are required to create and adhere to good governance practices in all aspects of health systems strengthening.

4. Future forward

The document highlights the possibilities available to us as well as the need for innovative, modern and cutting edge knowledge, attitudes, decisions and strategies to be used in strengthening African health systems.

4.1.      Technology: Use of innovative technologies, up to date knowledge, scientific and evidence-based decision-making to ensure that health systems are modern, sustainable, and intelligent. Decisions must be based on cutting edge philosophies and forward-looking thinking. We should be including newly developed yet proven safe services and commodities.

4.2.      Quality and acceptability of services and commodities: ensure that sexual and reproductive health services and commodities are high-quality, available, accessible, and acceptable to all people. Ensure that the widest range of services and commodities and innovative technologies are provided as part of the modern health system.

4.3.      Protect the population’s human rights: Prioritise human rights in sexual and reproductive health programmes by guaranteeing that services are designed to respond to individual’s health needs. This includes overcoming barriers faced by marginalized groups. This must be done through service provision that is free from stigma, coercion, discrimination and violence, based on full and informed consent, and that affirms the right to pleasure and thus looks to an African future for health systems based on human rights.

For more information, the full Civil Society African Common Position Paper and contact details click here

لقد انتهينا للتو من تحديد الموقف العام للمجتمعات المدنية الإفريقية بشأن المؤتمر الدولي للسكان والتنمية!

الزملاء الأعزاء,

لقد انتهينا للتو من تحديد الموقف العام للمجتمعات المدنية الإفريقية بشأن المؤتمر الدولي للسكان والتنمية!

كما هو معروف لدى العديد منكم، اعترفت المسائلة الدولية بشأن الإيدز ومفوضية الاتحاد الإفريقي في عام 2012 بالحاجة لتمثيل أكبر لمنظمات المجتمع المدني الإفريقية في المؤتمر الدولي حول عملية التنمية السكانية.

وقد تقرر  وضع ورقة تحديد للموقف العام من المؤتمر الدولي بشأن التنمية السكانية لكي تعكس وتشمل وجهات النظر والتوصيات والخبرات من أصحاب الشأن في إفريقيا.

يتضمن الموقف الإفريقي العام من المؤتمر الدولي بشأن التنمية السكانية مجموعة من التوصيات الموجهة للحكومات الوطنية لكي تعالج قضايا السكان والتنمية. وسوف تشكل هذه الورقة جزءاً من المؤتمر الإقليمي حول السكان والتنمية في شهر أيلول/ سبتمبر في أديس أبابا، حيث سيتبنى الوزراء المكلفون بقضايا السكان التقرير  القاري حول المؤتمر الإفريقي بشأن التنمية السكانية في 20 موقف إفريقي عام حالما يتم تقييمه من قبل مفوضية الاتحاد الإفريقي ووزراء الاتحاد الإفريقي المكلفين بقضايا السكان.

وعند التصديق على هذه المواقف، سوف تؤخذ النسخة النهائية لورقة تحديد الموقف العام إلى الجمعية العمومية في عام 2014 في استعراض المؤتمر الدولي بشأن التنمية السكانية بصفتها الوثيقة الرئيسية التي تعكس الموقف الإفريقي من المؤتمر الدولي بشأن التنمية الإفريقية.

نتقدم بالشكر الجزيل لمؤسسة فورد في جنوب إفريقيا على ما قدمته من مساندة في هذا العمل.

التسجيل

للتسجيل والموافقة على الموقف العام للمجتمعات المدنية الإفريقية، الرجاء ألضغط على أيقونة الرد أو إرسال رسالة بريد إلكتروني إلى info at aidsaccountability dot org

سوف يتم تضمين الموافقات من جميع أنحاء العالم، مع أنه سيتم إدراج الأفراد والمنظمات في إفريقيا في قائمة منفصلة عن تلك القائمة المخصصة للدول غير الإفريقية.

الاسم:

المنصب/ المسمى الوظيفي:

المنظمة:

الجنسية

البلد:

البريد الإلكتروني:

الموقع الإلكتروني:

رقم الهاتف:

نتقدم بالشكر الجزيل لكل من ساهم في  صنع هذا التوجه الحقيقي للأصوات الإفريقية.

نوجه عنايتكم لما يلي: قد تتضمن الأوراق أخطاء بسيطة أو أخطاء غير مقصودة. الرجاء إرسال بريد إلكتروني إلى

info at aidsaccountability dot org

مع خالص التقدير والاحترام

فيليبا

فيليبا تاكر

المدير التنفيذي

المسئولية الدولية عن الإيدز

102 Greenmarket Place, 54 Shortmarket Street
Cape Town 8000
South Africa

البريد الإلكتروني: info at aidsaccountability dot org

AAI attends African Union Accountability on Africa-G8 Commitments Meeting, hosted by UNAIDS in Geneva.

Delivering results toward an Africa free of AIDS, tuberculosis and Malaria

On 18 April 2013, AIDS Accountability International participated in the technical validation exercise and working session on the draft report entitled “Delivering results toward an Africa free of AIDS, tuberculosis and Malaria: African Union accountability on Africa-G8 commitments.” The meeting was convened by the African Union Commission and NEPAD agencies and hosted by UNAIDS in Geneva, Switzerland.

The high-level partnership between African and G8 over the past decade under the auspices of the African Union and its NEPAD Programme identifies mutual accountability as a core principal. To this effect, the AU and G8 have regularly published counterpart reports on key areas of cooperation. The 2013 accountability report, which is a follow-up to the 2011 accountability report by Africa, focuses on monitoring and evaluating the delivery of major commitments on AIDS, Tuburculosis and Malaria by both sides.

Accordingly, the main purpose of the session was to obtain the aggregated views and insights of practitioners in the field at the technical level towards validating the draft accountability report pit together by the core team comprising AUC, NEPAD and UNAIDS. Further, the sesion will help identify gaps to be addressed and proffer policy actions towards realizing the continent’s health strategy and human development. The policy-level validation will be undertaken by the NEPAD Steering Committee in April 2013 before submission for endorsement by the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee during the 21st AU Summit in May 2013.

Participants included from regional, bilateral and multilateral institutions as well as civil society groups/practitioners working in the fields of AIDS, TB and Malaria.

At the meeting, AAI stressed the importance of also focusing on non-financial elements of accountability, such as leadership, policy and data reporting. AAI also pushed for a more balanced approach to the way the report assessed accountability of African versus G8 countries.

 

17 April 2013

Join these 70 Endorsements! SIGN-ON to the African Common Position on ICPD

SIGN-ON to the African Common Position on ICPD

We have finally completed the Civil Society African Common Position on the International Conference on Population Development (ICPD)!

As many of you know in 2012, AIDS Accountability International (AAI) and The African Union Commission (AUC) recognised the need for greater African civil society organisation (CSO) representation in the International Conference on Population Development (ICPD) process.

It was decided to create the African Common Position (ACP) on ICPD to reflect and include the perspectives, recommendations and expertise of African stakeholders.

To sign on and endorse the Civil Society African Common Position please click here

DOWNLOAD THE AFRICAN COMMON POSITION PAPER HERE: AAI AUC Ford Civil Society African Common Position Paper on ICPD 2013 April

Join these organisations who have already endorsed the African Common Position on ICPD:

 

 

List of Organizational Endorsements

1.  Action Health Incorporated (Nigeria )

2.  Action Visant l’Education et Valorisation des Enfants Non Assistés (Congo)

3.  African Council of AIDS Service Organizations (Senegal)

4.  Alliance Of Solidarity For the Family (Seychelles )

5.  Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (Malaysia)

6.  Associação Angolana para o Bem Estar da Familia (Angola)

7.  Associação Caboverdiana para a Proteção da Familia (Cape Verde)

8.  Associação Mocambicana para o Desenvolvimento da Familia (Mozambique)

9.  Associação Santomense para a Promoção Familiar (Sao Time & Principe)

10.  Association Beninoise pour la Promotion de la Famille (Benin)

11.  Association Burkinabe pour le Bien etre Familial (Bukina Faso)

12.  Association Centraficaine pour le Bien-etre Familial (Central African Republic)

13.  Association Central Africa Against AIDS (Central African Republic)

14.  Association Comorienne pour le Bien etre de la Famille (Comoros)

15.  Association Conogolaise pour te Bien-etre Familial (Congo)

16.  Association Guineenne pour le Bien-etre Familial (Guinea)

17.  Association Ivoirienne pour le Bien-etre Familial (Ivory Coast)

18.  Association Malienne Pour La Promotion Et La Protection De La Famille (Mali)

19.  Association Nigerienne pour le Bien-etre Familial (Niger)

20.  Association pour le Bien-etre Familial/Naissances Desirables (Democratic Republic of Congo)

21.  Association Rwandaise pour le Bien-etre Familial (Rwanda)

22.  Association Senegalaise pour le Bien-étre Familial (Senegal)

23.  Association Togolaise pour le Bien-etre Familial (Togo)

24.  Association Burundaise pour le Bien-etre Familial (Burundi)

25.  Association Tchadienne pour le Bien-etre Familial (Chad)

26.  Botswana Family Welfare Association (Botswana)

27.  Cameroon National Association for Family Welfare (Cameroon)

28.  Chama cha Uzazi na Malezi Bora Tanzania (Tanzania)

29.  Chargée de mission International (France)

30.  Communication for Development Centre (Nigeria)

31.  Community and Family AID Foundation (Ghana)

32.  FAMEDEV-Inter Africa Network for Women, Media ,Gender and Development (Senegal )

33.  Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (Ethiopia)

34.  Family Life Association of Swaziland (Swaziland)

35.  Family Planning Association of Liberia (Liberia)

36.  Family Planning Assoication of Malawi (Malawi)

37.  Femmes et Droits Humains (Mali)

38.  Fianakaviana Sambatra (Madagascar)

39.  Gender Equality Watch / Center for Media Studies (Mozambique)

40.  Generation Initiative For Women and Youth Network (Nigeria)

41.  HEDECS (Cameroon)

42.  ICHANGE CI (Cote D’Ivoire)

43.  Kids & Teens Resource Centre (Nigeria)

44.  Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (Lesotho)

45.  Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organisations (Malawi)

46.  Mauritius Family Planning Assoication (Mauritius)

47.  Mouvement Gabonais pour le Bien-etre Familial (Gabon)

48.  Namibia Planned Parenthood Association (Nambia)

49.  Namibia Planned Parenthoodd Association (Namibia)

50.  Nelson Mandela Metropolotan University (Lesotho)

51.  ONG Femmes-Santé-Développement (Cameroon)

52.  People for Peace and Defense of Rights (Uganda)

53.  Planned Parenthood Association of Seirra Leone (Sierra Leone)

54.  Planned Parenthood Assoication of Ghana (Ghana)

55.  Planned Parenthood Assoication of Nigeria Nigeria

56.  Planned Parenthood Assoication of Zambia (Zambia)

57.  Queer African Youth Networking (Burkina Faso)

58.  Reproductive Health Uganda (Uganda)

59.  Responsible Programmes Femmes (Cameroun)

60.  Rwandese Association for Familiy Welfare (Rwanda)

61.  SAFAIDS (Zambia)

62.  Sahayogi Samaj/Blue Diamond Society (Nepal)

63.  The Family Health Options of Kenya (Kenya)

64.  Uganda young positives (Uganda)

65.  Unité de gestion de coordination des programmes gouvernement-Système des Nations Unies (Togo)

66.  Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (Tanzania)

67.  Women’s Promotion Centre (Tanzania)

68.  Young Beninese Leaders Association (Benin)

69.  Zimbabwe National Family Planning Committee (Zimbabwe)


List of Individual Endorsements

1. Madzikanga Maxwell (United Kingdom)

 

 

 

Africa: World Must Address Disparities in Access to HIV/Aids Treatment – UN Official

The disparities in access to HIV/AIDS treatment across the world shed light on the need to overcome inequality and exclusion, a senior United Nations official stressed today, calling on countries to use efforts to eliminate this disease as a way to combat social injustice.

While recognizing that remarkable progress has been made in the response against the epidemic, the Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Michel Sidibé, said much remains to be done, especially in poor countries where many are unable to access the life-saving drugs needed for treatment.

“HIV continues to shine a harsh light on the inequalities of this world,” he told the Human Rights Council in Geneva. “It is outrageous that in 2013, when we have all the tools we need to beat this epidemic, 1.7 million people still die each year because they cannot access treatment.”

Mr. Sidibé underlined that governments must still fight the prejudice, discrimination, exclusion and criminalization that people with HIV/AIDS face in homes, communities, hospitals, police stations and courtrooms.

“The AIDS response has been and continues to be an instrument for attacking social injustice,” he said. “It has led us to address punitive approaches to and exclusion of the most marginalized – sex workers, people who use drugs, men who have sex with men and transgender people. They are our brothers, sisters, children and friends. They too have human rights.”

To be fully successful, the HIV/AIDS response requires countries to protect their citizens’ rights to life, health, non-discrimination and security. In the same way, development will not be able to be sustainable without acknowledging and addressing existing inequalities, Mr. Sidibé said.

“The post-2015 development agenda has a lot to learn from AIDS,” he said. “These lessons urge that the post-2015 development framework should explicitly embrace the human rights framework, as well as a rights-based approach to development.”

He also emphasized that it is not just governments but citizens who should be active agents of change to achieve social justice by being fully aware of their rights and mobilizing around them.

“Our triumph against AIDS will inspire civil society, government and development partners to tackle other complex 21st century challenges that we share, through a participatory, inclusive and rights-based approach – the kind that works, that is sustainable,” he added.

By All Africa News
28 February 2013
http://allafrica.com/stories/201303011279.html

AAI & AUC: E-Consultations on the African Common Position on the International Conference on Population Development

You are invited to participate in the development of the African Common Position (ACP), a document that will provide Africa’s position and recommendations to the African Union Commission (AUC) on progress being made towards the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

What’s going on?

In 2012, AIDS Accountability International (AAI), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Population Commission (APC) identified the need for greater African civil society organisation representation in the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) review process, and so created the African Common Position (ACP) on ICPD project with the funding partner Ford Foundation.

The project’s objective is to develop an African Common Position Paper on ICPD which reflects and includes the perspectives, recommendations and expertise of African stakeholders.

What happens then?

The African Common Position (ACP) Paper will be presented to the African Ministers of Health (MOH) by the AUC Department of Social Affairs in April 2013 at the annual MOH meeting in Addis Ababa.

Upon approval by this meeting of the Ministers, the ACP Paper will be taken to the General Assembly in 2014 at the ICPD Review as the principal document that reflects the African position on ICPD as we go forward.

What do we want?

The draft document attached is the result of two community consultation meetings held in late 2012 in Johannesburg and Dakar, where forty African experts gave us input with which we have created the skeleton of this document.

We now need more experts on selected fields to fill in the rest of the “meat” of the document. So we are asking you to read the attached Draft Africa Common Position Paper and send us your input.

We need you to input recommendations on your field of expertise, and to comment on existing content. This is so that we have a document which honestly and completely reflects the opinions of all African stakeholders.

When and how to get involved?

The E-Consultations are now open! Join us on LinkedIn and add your voice to the discussion.

Or…

Click here to download the word doc to send us feedback

Just open the doc, have a read and then please use track changes to insert your comments and recommendations, then send the doc back to bob [at] aidsaccountability.org

Kindly submit your responses by midnight on 24th February 2013 to ensure we have time to include it before our deadline to the AUC.

Do you speak my language?

Responses will be accepted in all the AUC languages (English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili).

Do I qualify to participate?

Only individuals, government representatives, civil society organisations (CSOs) and community based organisations (CBOs) based in Africa may respond to this document. Respondents must also be of African origin. We cannot accept submissions from individuals from other regions who currently work and live in Africa.

Your name, the name of your organization, telephone and location should be included in your email so that we are able to acknowledge your organisation and determine whether you and your organisation fit the inclusion criteria.

Still have questions?

Email Bob Mwiinga Munyati at bob [at] aidsaccountability.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

Africa’s surprising HIV/AIDS trend

Africa is pulling out all the stops in its race to curb the AIDS pandemic by 2015, a deadline set by UN member states. But while the big drop in new HIV infections in Africa calls for celebration, advocacy groups are warning that it is too soon to proclaim total victory.

From making anti-retroviral drug therapy (ART) readily available to the masses, to increasing consistent, correct condom use and voluntary medical male circumcision, everything has been tried and tested.

And according to the latest report of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), these efforts are paying off.

It is becoming evident that achieving zero new HIV infections in children is possible

Africa has cut AIDS-related deaths by one third in the past six years, the report says. Even countries with the highest HIV prevalence in the world have seen the number of new HIV infections decline dramatically.

Malawi has witnessed a 73 per cent drop in new HIV infections. Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe follow. South Africa managed to reduce new infections by 41 per cent.

Even Swaziland ― the country with the highest HIV prevalence in the world ― saw new HIV infections drop by 37 per cent.

Meanwhile, in other regions of Africa, Ghana topped the list, followed by Burkina Faso and Djibouti.

Leaders in Africa have been funnelling money into their national AIDS programmes. Last year alone, South Africa invested $1.9 billion from public sources for its national AIDS response.

Kenya doubled its domestic investments for AIDS between 2008 and 2010, and Togo did the same between 2007 and 2010.

International assistance has also been stable, with 26 of 33 countries in sub-Saharan Africa relying on donor support for their domestic programmes, results adds.

The scaled-up response has been most effective in boosting the number of people on ARV treatment and reducing the number of children born with HIV.

Six African countries (Burundi, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Togo and Zambia) saw a 40 per cent reduction in the number of children newly infected by the virus between 2009 and 2011.

“It is becoming evident that achieving zero new HIV infections in children is possible,” says Michel Sidibé, the UNAIDS executive director. “I am excited that far fewer babies are being born with HIV. We are moving from despair to hope.”

On the other hand, North Africa has not fared so well. The number of people newly infected with HIV each year has risen since 2001, although overall numbers are still relatively low.

On 1 December, World AIDS Day, Mr. Sidibé called on the world to renew its commitment to zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

At a UN high-level meeting on AIDS in New York in 2011, global leaders agreed to meet the ambitious targets of significantly reducing the sexual transmission of HIV, virtually eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission and achieve universal access to treatment by 2015.

Mr. Sidibé believes that with “political will and follow through,” the world can reach those shared goals.

ONE, a global advocacy group fighting poverty and preventable diseases, begs to differ. “The world is not on track to achieve the global AIDS targets”, the organisation asserts.

In its latest progress report, The Beginning of the End of AIDS? Tracking Global Commitments on AIDS, ONE remarks that anti-retroviral treatment for HIV-positive individuals has been the hallmark of the world’s response to the AIDS pandemic.

But the group warns that only 6.6 million of the 15 million who need the treatment have access to it, and 2.5 million continue to be newly infected every year.

According to the South African advocacy group Section27, such figures prove that the “end of the epidemic is no where near. “Section27 Director Mark Heywood challenges the “rosy picture” painted by UNAIDS.

He argues that the “remarkable” gains of recent years have yet to be consolidated and entrenched, he also notes that people living with HIV/AIDS still need to secure their rights and warns that the global economic recession could redirect money away from AIDS.

HIV treatment is for life

UNAIDS maintains that high-income countries have continued to help even as they faced persistent economic problems. The agency admits though that international assistance is still a crucial lifeline for many low income countries.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an international grant-making institution, has been instrumental in attracting funds for national programmes. It is currently preparing for its 2013 replenishment meeting.

It has already received a donation of $200 million from RED (a division of the ONE campaign) to fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Meanwhile, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a US government initiative and the largest funder of HIV efforts worldwide, has announced that its future focus will be on prevention, women and girls, as well as on reaching the most at-risk populations.

Together, the Global Fund and PEPFAR are supporting 5.6 million people on ARV treatment globally, ONE notes.

There are more than 5 million people on ARV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa alone.

Moving forward, experts and policy makers agree that keeping people on treatment is as important as getting them the drugs.

UNAIDS warns that adherence to these HIV treatment programmes can fall as people regain better health.

The agency cites the example of a treatment centre in Malawi where nearly half the people who began ART are no longer in care five years later.

HIV treatment is for life, UNAIDS emphasises, and people living with the virus need to take pills every day.

It urges African countries to incorporate community support strategies to complement clinical services and to keep down programme management costs and drug prices.

Basically, more people need access to treatment to live longer and more productive lives.

By Jocelyn Sambira
10 January 2012
http://www.theafricareport.com/north-africa/africas-surprising-hivaids-trend.html

Africa: New HIV Infections Are Falling Dramatically

Africa is pulling out all the stops in its race to curb the AIDS pandemic by 2015, a deadline set by UN member states.

From making anti-retroviral drug therapy (ART) readily available to the masses, to increasing consistent, correct condom use and voluntary medical male circumcision, everything has been tried and tested. And these efforts are paying off, according to the latest report of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), entitled Results.

Africa has cut AIDS-related deaths by one third in the past six years, the report says. Even countries with the highest HIV prevalence in the world have seen the number of new HIV infections decline dramatically.

Malawi has witnessed a 73 per cent drop in new HIV infections. Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe follow. South Africa managed to reduce new infections by 41 per cent. Even Swaziland — the country with the highest HIV prevalence in the world — saw new HIV infections drop by 37 per cent. Meanwhile, in other regions of Africa, Ghana topped the list, followed by Burkina Faso and Djibouti.

Leaders in Africa have been funneling money into their national AIDS programmes. Last year alone, South Africa invested $1.9 billion from public sources for its national AIDS response. Kenya doubled its domestic investments for AIDS between 2008 and 2010, and Togo did the same between 2007 and 2010. International assistance has also been stable, with 26 of 33 countries in sub-Saharan Africa relying on donor support for their domestic programmes, Results adds.

‘From despair to hope’

The scaled-up response has been most effective in boosting the number of people on ART treatment and reducing the number of children born with HIV. Six African countries (Burundi, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Togo and Zambia) saw a 40 per cent reduction in the number of children newly infected by the virus between 2009 and 2011. “It is becoming evident that achieving zero new HIV infections in children is possible,” says Michel Sidibé, the UNAIDS executive director. “I am excited that far fewer babies are being born with HIV. We are moving from despair to hope.”

On the other hand, North Africa has not fared so well. The number of people newly infected with HIV each year has risen since 2001, although overall numbers are still relatively low.

On 1 December, World AIDS Day, Mr. Sidibé called on the world to renew its commitment to zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. At a UN high-level meeting on AIDS in New York in 2011, global leaders agreed to meet the ambitious targets of significantly reducing the sexual transmission of HIV, virtually eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission and achieve universal access to treatment by 2015. Mr. Sidibé believes that with “political will and follow through,” the world can reach those shared goals.

Challenging the ‘rosy picture’

ONE, a global advocacy group fighting poverty and preventable diseases, begs to differ. The world is not on track to achieve the global AIDS targets, the organization asserts.

In its latest progress report, The Beginning of the End of AIDS? Tracking Global Commitments on AIDS, ONE remarks that anti-retroviral treatment for HIV-positive individuals has been the hallmark of the world’s response to the AIDS pandemic. But, the group warns, only 6.6 million of the 15 million who need the treatment have access to it, and 2.5 million continue to be newly infected every year.

According to the South African advocacy group Section27, such figures prove that the “end of the epidemic is no where near.” Section27 Director Mark Heywood challenges the “rosy picture” painted by UNAIDS. He argues that the “remarkable” gains of recent years have yet to be consolidated and entrenched, notes that people living with HIV/AIDS still need to secure their rights and warns that the global economic recession could redirect money away from AIDS.

Funding remains crucial

UNAIDS maintains that high-income countries have continued to help even as they faced persistent economic problems. The agency admits though that international assistance is still a crucial lifeline for many low income countries.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an international grant-making institution, has been instrumental in attracting funds for national programmes. It is currently preparing for its 2013 replenishment meeting. It has already received a donation of $200 million from RED (a division of the ONE campaign) to fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

Meanwhile, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a US government initiative and the largest funder of HIV efforts worldwide, has announced that its future focus will be on prevention, women and girls, as well as on reaching the most at-risk populations.

Together, the Global Fund and PEPFAR are supporting 5.6 million people on ART treatment globally, ONE notes. There are more than 5 million people on ART treatment in sub-Saharan Africa alone.

Moving forward, experts and policy makers agree that keeping people on treatment is as important as getting them the drugs. UNAIDS warns that adherence to these HIV treatment programmes can fall as people regain better health. The agency cites the example of a treatment centre in Malawi where nearly half the people who began ART are no longer in care five years later.

HIV treatment is for life, UNAIDS emphasizes, and people living with the virus need to take pills every day. It urges African countries to incorporate community support strategies to complement clinical services and to keep down programme management costs and drug prices. Basically, more people need access to treatment to live longer and more productive lives.

By Joselyn Sambira

21 December 2012

http://allafrica.com/stories/201212220035.html?viewall=1