The [him] moderator has asked Moe Thuzar how to submit a proposal but has not received a response ...
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Civil society feedback for the ASEAN HIV/AIDS strategy
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Networks on HIV/AIDS, also known as the Seven Sisters, was recently invited by the ASEAN Secretariat to Singapore for an inter-country consultation held from 25-28 July 2006 to represent civil society groups at high risk for HIV and provide input into the Declaration for the upcoming 12th Summit Special Session on HIV and AIDS and the ASEAN Work Programme (AWP) III. The ASEAN AFTOA meeting followed the two days consultation.
The Coalition is pleased to continue its engagement with the ASEAN Initiative on HIV/AIDS. Civil society representatives took this opportunity to reflect, and more importantly, to put forward your recommendations and inputs for the Second Special Summit on HIV/AIDS.
While there is recognition that HIV/AIDS is a regional problem, the review of the ASEAN Work Programme II reflects that the actions undertaken have not achieved many of the anticipated objectives. Evidence and direct experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHIV) and vulnerable communities in the last five years illustrate that the commitments made by the leaders in Brunei have not resulted in the reduction of HIV transmission and mitigation of the impact on those infected and affected.
Governments have not instituted adequate mechanisms to resolve denial, stigma, discrimination and criminalization of these vulnerable communities. Current interventions and policies often lack grounding in evidence and on principles of gender equity, human rights and greater involvement of people infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.
The Seven Sisters representatives thus provided inputs and comments throughout the proceedings of the consultation on the content of the Declaration for the upcoming 12th Summit Special Session on HIV and AIDS, as invited by ASEAN and mandated by our constituents. Our key recommendations focused on the following:
* Ensuring ample emphasis in policies, resource allocation and programming on containing the epidemic among vulnerable populations including drug users, injecting drug users, men who have sex with men, transgenders, sex workers and their clients, migrants and mobile populations, prisoners and indigenous groups;
* Prioritizing the sharing of lessons, good practices and policies that worked using evidence-based approaches;
* Ensuring that national HIV/AIDS programmes adhere to the principles of GIPA
* Facilitating and enabling active and meaningful participation of people living with HIV/AIDS, affected communities and civil society in development, implementation and evaluation of national HIV/AIDS programmes and relevant ASEAN consultations and summits;
* Promoting and supporting human rights education of PLWHIV and vulnerable groups. Establishing accountability mechanisms that address human rights violations and facilitating access to justice for PLWHIV and vulnerable groups.
* Earmarking sustainable and long-term funds for civil society including funding for institutional development and strengthening and capacity building for service delivery, research, programme management and networking;
* Establishing regional and global mechanisms for price negotiation and cost effective procurement of all HIV related commodities, with special reference to affordability of second generation ARV drugs, pediatric formulations, diagnostic equipment, substitution drugs and clean needles;
These recommendations are currently being considered and revised by each ASEAN member state. The Seven Sisters need your help to generate in-country civil society support and to continue to advocate for the above with your national governments’ Ministry of Public Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to ensure that those recommendations are incorporated in the final ASEAN Statement and Work Programme.
The ASEAN Secretariat is currently accepting proposals to support regional projects targeting HIV and AIDS. Proposals will be reviewed and classified according to five groups based on different tracks:
* Leadership development
* Gaps, strengths, and emerging issues
* Integration of HIV and AIDS with development priorities
* Non-programme strategy
* M&E
Civil society is encouraged to submit proposals through the Seven Sisters or make suggestions to the Seven Sisters Secretariat. In the meantime, the Coalition representatives will continue to lobby with supporting donors to make civil society involvement a mandatory component of all regional proposals.
For additional information on how you can get involved today, contact the Seven Sisters Secretariat at7sisters@apcaso.org (www.7sisters.org ) or Moe Thuzar at the ASEAN Secretariat at moe@aseansec.org ( www.aseansec.org/home.htm).
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Regional Networks on HIV/AIDS is composed of Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (APN+), Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers (APNSW), Asia Pacific Rainbow (APR-LGBTIQ Network), Coordination of Action Research on AIDS and Mobility in Asia (CARAM-Asia), Asian Harm Reduction Network (AHRN), Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organisations (APCASO) and AIDS Society of Asia Pacific (ASAP).
from AHRN
