Tuesday 03 April 2007
February 2007
by Julienne Munyaneza
Each year in February or March and again in September, the HIV/AIDS Strategy Group of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance meets at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva. At the February 2007 meeting, all members of the Strategy Group were present with the exception of Canon Gideon Byamugisha, a Ugandan clergyman and founder of the “African Network of Religious leaders living with HIV and affected by AIDS” and Birgita Robinson, an activist for children’s issues from Sweden. At every meeting, group members give updates on their activities and review the EAA coordinating office report. The group also reviews the five goals developed in 2001 which are the guiding principles of the work of the EAA on HIV and AIDS. Goal I: Fighting Stigma and Discrimination. Goal II: Promoting Prevention. Goal III: Resource Mobilisation. Goal IV: Access to Treatment. Goal V: Promoting Accountability. In addition, the group reviews the objectives and strategies for each goal in light of the current campaign “Keep the Promise”. For more information on the members of the Strategy Group, the different goals, objectives and strategies, please see www.e-alliance.ch.
Due to the central role of these goals in the work of the EAA, guests representing leading groups working on HIV and AIDS, most of which are based in Geneva, are invited to interact with group members for their input on each goal in relation to their work. Ms Sally Smith replacing Calle Almedal as the UNAIDS Partnerships Adviser, participated throughout the meeting. On the 19 February, Craig McClure, Executive Director of the International AIDS Society www.iasociety.org and Ms. Sophia Dilmitis, World YWCA AIDS Coordinator www.worldywca.org and a member of the IAC (International AIDS Conference 2008 in Mexico) Coordinating Committee, were invited. Discussion focused on how to campaign on visa issues in order to change visa restrictions for HIV+ people in order to ensure their full participation at the IAC in 2008.
On 20 February, the Strategy Group met with Dr. Kevin M. de Cock, Director of the WHO Department of HIV/AIDS, and discussed ethical perspectives on HIV testing. He also touched on following-up on the document recently produced by WHO recognising the role of faith-based organizations in responding to HIV and AIDS issues www.who.org. Marcel van Soest, Executive Director of the World AIDS Campaign based in Amsterdam, was also present www.worldaidscampaign.info. With him, the group reviewed the theme of the current campaign “Keep the Promise” and started brainstorming on some strategic planning for civil society organizations’ participation at the UNGASS 2008 (United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS).
Dr. Christoph Benn, a former member of the Strategy Group, now Director of External Relations at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS Tuberculoses and Malaria (GFTFATM), joined the group on 21 February. It is his habit to attend Strategy Group meetings to discuss EAA Goal III on Resource Mobilisation. He updated members on issues related to the GFTATM Replenishment event that was scheduled for Oslo, Norway on March 3-4, 2007. Benn reported that the GFATM had revised its current funding mechanisms by creating a second track in order to facilitate the access to funds for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and faith-based organizations (FBOs). GFTATM has now a dual track, one for governments and the other for civil society organisations, including FBOs. The existing Country Coordinating Mechanisms are so complicated and government-driven that NGOs, including FBOs, were often unable to access funds. For more information, please visit www.Globalfund.org
The Stategy Group welcomed the WACC idea of compiling case studies of FBOs using communication tools or involved in communication activities to address HIV and AIDS- related issues. These would be published in a guide based on the model of the recent EAA-initiated guide for secular organizations wanting to work with faith-based organisations in response to HIV and AIDS.