Brazzaville, Congo. 5 – 7 March, 2014

With the deadline of the Millennium Development Goals fast approaching, over 60 partners from the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, civil society, UN organizations and development partners met in Brazzaville, Congo, from 5-7 March 2014 to streamline harmonization and coordination of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria responses.

AIDS Accountability International attended as presenters, reporting to the room on our work done to involve communities in decision making and programming, working towards universal access to services especially for marginalized and vulnerable populations, such as women, young girls and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals. AAI shared our advocacy work in the SADC region on strengthening the inclusion of the voices of key populations in the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM). AAI highlighted our current work to support countries to create Civil Society Priorities Charters as a way of ensuring that civil society takes a common position in CCM deliberations.

To view AAI’s presentation from the 5^th Inter-Agency Meeting, click here.

AAI also spoke on the panel “Universal Access to HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria Services in Africa: challenges and prospects”, advocating for a broader, more inclusive, understanding of the term “universal access”, which also speaks to quality of service provision and protection of human rights.

Other organizations present include the African Union Commission, New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Inter Governmental Agency for Development (IGAD), Economic Community for central African States (ECCAS), World Health Organization (WHO), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Roll Back Malaria (RBM), African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), Stop AIDS Now, Stop TB Partnership, West African Health Organization (WAHO), Afri-Dev, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM), Southern Africa HIV/AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS), World AIDS Campaign, Save the Children, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) and Réseau Africain des Personnes vivant avec le VIH/Afrique de l’Ouest (Rap+AO).

AIDS Accountability advocated for the recommendations from the meeting to be progressive and forward looking. Two of the recommendations directly address the needs of key populations, particularly the consensus to “Step up efforts to address human rights issues and reform punitive laws that hinder access to services for key populations in order to achieve universal access to health services.” AAI also supports the commitment to women and girls in the meeting outcomes.

To view the official press release from the meeting, along with the full list of recommendations, click here.