The Africa Campaign on Disability and HIV & AIDS

1. The Africa Campaign on Disability and HIV & AIDS

2. OVERVIEW Context Background Presentation of the Africa Campaign Invitation Conclusions

3. Persons with disabilities and HIV • Equal or greater risk of transmission • Poor access to HIV information, testing, care and support • Becoming aware that AIDS affects them and but feel ill-equipped to reduce the impact within their communities

4. The HIV/AIDS context Dynamic rights-based movement globally • Civil society driven • Evidence-driven • Successful widespread involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS (GIPA) • Singly led by UNAIDS • Donor influenced Increasingly well organised in-country • One Strategic Plan • One Coordinating Body • One Monitoring Mechanism

5. But … Disabled people are completely left out

6. Urgent need for improved access to HIV information and services.Urgent need for persons with disabilities - to openly acknowledge that HIV is an issue for them in order to protect themselves - to mobilise the support they need to maintain their health and wellbeing

7. Background of the Campaign • Concept of a « coalition » originated in Kenya in 2004 • Based on the model of the Global Coalition on Women and HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) • July 2005 (London): broad based support for the idea by INGOs, World Bank, UNAIDS, WHO • September 2005 (Addis Ababa): African Coalition adopted by the Secretariat of the African Decade for Disabled Persons

8. Background (cont.) • December 2005 (Abuja): definition of roles • February 2006 (London): preference for « light » structure  CAMPAIGN • March 2006 (Geneva): commitment from WHO (Montero and Karpf) • May 2006 (London): discussion of detailed Master Action Plan; call for quantifiable outputs

9. So, what is it?The Africa Campaign is a unifying umbrella under which many groups work collectively toward common aims.

10. Participating or interested stakeholders • African DPOs • CAFOD, SAFOD, EAFOD, ABBEPH, NUDPU, AFBU • International NGOs • CBM, LCI, DCDD, ADD, Shia, Healthlink, PHOS, VSO, HelpAge, POWER, Advantage Africa, World Vision, IPPF, Progressio, Oxfam, CARE, Interact Worldwide, Save the Children, Shia, UK AIDS Consortium, Light for the World • Academic institutions • Yale U, ICH-UCL, NHS, independent researchers • Donors and international stakeholders • Global Fund, WB, USAID, JICA, UNAIDS, WHO, ILO

11. Overall goal To reduce the vulnerability of persons with disabilities in Africa to the impact of HIV and AIDS

12. Aims Equal access to HIV & AIDS information and services for persons with disabilities A coordinated response involving persons with disabilities in African countries to achieve inclusive national HIV & AIDS policies and programmes

13. Objectives (1) By 2011, major AIDS donors require disability-inclusive policies and programming of recipient governments and NGOs. By 2011, at least 12 African governments specifically address persons with disabilities in their HIV & AIDS Strategic Plans By 2011, at least 12 of African AIDS Coordinating Bodies include persons with disabilities in programming

14. Objectives (2) By 2011, at least 12 national HIV & AIDS monitoring systems capture relevant data on disability. By 2011, DPO and AIDS services organisations in at least 12 African countries are working together to ensure equal access to information and services at the grassroots level

15. What’s the strategy? @REUTERS/Antony Njuguna, courtesywww.alertnet.org

16. “Double mainstreaming”through established networks Disability HIV & AIDS

17. Ex: actions of HIV-specialised members • Increase visibility of the vulnerability of disabled persons to the impact of HIV & AIDS HIV & AIDS • Lobby for accessible information • Pilot accessible services • Ensure inclusion of persons with disabilities in policy and programming for HIV and AIDS • Develop “guidelines”, “toolkits”, “checklists”, indicators, … • Ensure the greater participation of disabled persons living with HIV and AIDS

18. Ex: actions of disability-specialised members • Lobby for the inclusion of disabled persons in policy and programming for HIV and AIDS Disability • Establish good practices • Field test guidelines and toolkits • Validate checklists and indicators • Participate in research • Strive for “AIDS Competence”

19. Double approach to influence National AIDS Strategic Plans Top-down International policy National AIDS Strategic Plans In-country action Bottom-up

20. What do we need to do? Generate an evidence base Disseminate tools and good practice Mobilise resources and political will Capacity and skills training for effective advocacy Build strategic alliances Develop AIDS competence

21. How can you contribute? • Lend visibility to the problem • Nurture strategic contacts • Advocacy • Mobilise resources for • Research • Communications • Grassroots action … and so on.

22. Invitation to join www.africacampaign.org

23. Conclusions Many people in communities across Africa feel the impact of HIV. Many of these people are also living with disabilities. We are joining together to achieve “Access for all” You are welcomed to do your part

24. Thank you