E-BULLETIN OF AIDSFOCUS.CH SWISS PLATFORM ON HIV/AIDS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

December 2012

In the year 2012, the nicest move forward has most probably been that we are convinced to be able to control and end the AIDS epidemic. The positive developments of the last years have brought about this new kind of confidence: In the 25 low and middle-income countries, the HIV-new infection rate was reduced by over 50% – more than half in Africa, the region which is most concerned. In a few countries, the infection rate was dramatically reduced: 35% in Malawi, 71% in Botswana, 68% in Namibia, 50% in Zimbabwe and 41% in South Africa and Swaziland. In addition, in sub-Saharan Africa the AIDS-related deaths were dropped by one third in the last 6 years; and the number of people receiving treatment was increased by 59% in the last two years alone.

These figures reflect human beings – men, women and children. The impressive campaign „Here I am“ lets people tell their story, how they are happy to be alive and well due to the Global Fund. In a new UNAIDS-report, having the title “Women out loud”, women tell their story explaining tangibly and vividly how the epidemic hits women and how women succesfully contain the spread and the effects of AIDS.

To me personally, the numerous friendly encounters with committed women and men from all over the world whom I met in India are part of the positive experiences of this year. Some of them live with the virus, others are affected by their families, yet, all are enthusiastic and commit themselves in local communities for a self-determined life in dignity. The International Learning Festival about “Community Life Competence” in Mahabilipuram in Southern India inspired me greatly. In particular, sex workers and transgender people lead the commitment in a colourful, joyful, successful way; they are role models in encouraging their colleagues and friends as well as HIV-affected people to take their lives into their own hands and to appreciate what has been achieved. Sangamitra has been working with women in Karnataka, South India, for 20 years to help eradicate the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS. “It’s a sensitive situation, but 1,000 women have benefited,” she said of her work. These women have now planned to set up a helpline for women in abusive relationships.

This joy, commitment and the mutual appreciation will also give me new impetus for the New Year – which will be the occasion to celebrate ten years of aidsfocus.ch. It will be a moment to pause and reflect about our achievements, but also to get new energies to realize a world without AIDS.

Helena Zweifel Coordinator aidsfocus.ch Executive Director Medicus Mundi Switzerland

Bern | A future without AIDS is possible. However, it takes concerted efforts by all to make this vision come true. aidsfocus.ch will together with stakeholders from South and North assess and reflect on what we reached so far and identify and discuss promising and successful initiatives and strategies to face challenges for the future of the AIDS response. A special focus will be on role and priorities of aidsfocus.ch in the joint struggle toward a future without AIDS. Please note the date!

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Basel, 17 December 2012 - The Bulletin of Medicus Mundi Switzerland (MMS) focuses on the shortage human resources for health HRH) in Switzerland and in the world. The MMS network produced a manifesto in January 2012 on Health workforce migration together with professional associations and labor unions (Manifesto. “Health workforce shortages should not be burdened on the poorest”). The efforts of MMS engaged commitment of Switzerland, where many health workers from neighboring EU countries work, to further implement the Code and to take this also forward in its foreign health policies. http://www.medicusmundi.ch

1. December 2012 - This paper reviews qualitative and quantitative literature on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a special focus on developing countries. The key issues, challenges and opportunities surrounding sexual and reproductive health are discussed in Section 2 within five interrelated thematic fields: 1. Sexual and reproductive rights and status transitions, 2. Socialisation and growing-up, 3. Sexual and reproductive health knowledge and skills, 4. Vulnerabilities and resilience to sexual and reproductive health risks, 5. Managing the consequences of early unsafe sex and the role of health services. The paper concludes with a discussion of ways to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights for adolescents.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch
http://www.deza.admin.ch

For 10 years, the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI) has developed psychosocial support tools to help children cope with their loss and regain confidence. REPSSI and its partners (Governments, international organizations, NGOs) in 13 countries of Southern and East Africa incorporate these tools into social protection, health care, poverty alleviation and education programs. A new book by Richard Gerster, "Africa’s Orphaned Generations: It takes more than a village to raise a child" provides insights into the situation of the affected families and children, and explores the contribution of REPSSI and its partners in building up state-of-the-art psychosocial support.

http://www.gersterconsulting.ch

The Here I Am campaign videos bring together stories of individuals from all over the world that have been impacted by AIDS, TB and malaria and have seen lives change as a result of the Global Fund’s support. The Here I Am campaign is a global call on world leaders to save millions of lives by supporting a fully funded Global Fund. Here I Am brings the voices of people that are directly affected by AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria into dialogue about decisions that affect their lives and lives of millions of others in their countries. Through video testimonies from all over the world, campaign ambassadors, the Here I Am campaign is building collective power to end three of the world’s most deadly diseases.

http://www.hereiamcampaign.org

1. December 2012 – A report on the analysis of pledges and contributions to the Global Fund, entitled "Donors to the Global Fund: Who Gives How Much?" has been published on the Aidspan website. The countries whose recent pledges to the Global Fund have been the largest in relation to their gross national income are Sweden, Norway, France, the United Kingdom and Canada (score of “A”, percentage greater than 0.010%). Those with a Global Fund donor score of “D” (percentage from 0.001% to 0.002%) are Finland, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia. Those with a score of “F”, based on having pledged nothing to the Fund for 2011–2013, are Austria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Spain and United Arab Emirates.

http://www.aidspan.org

Geneva, 13 December 2012 - In his report to the board of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) the Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibé called on members to maintain commitment for the 1000 days leading to the 2015 target deadline and opportunities post 2015. Emphasising the urgent need to empower women the Executive Director of UN Women Michelle Bachelet said, “Women must be equal citizens; have a life free from violence; have equal access to and control over productive resources; have greater access to education, information and prevention.” Reverend MacDonald Sembereka from Malawi, a civil and human rights activist living with HIV, said: “Discrimination is alive and kicking in our societies – a painful and silent killer”.

http://www.unaids.org

1. December 2012 - South Africa has witnessed an "unparalleled" five-year increase in life expectancy since 2005 thanks to the world's biggest programme of HIV/Aids drug treatment, researchers say. Professor Salim Abdool Karim, president of the South African Medical Research Council, said the rise in life expectancy – from 54 years in 2005 to 60 in 2011 – was of the order usually only seen after a major societal shift, such as the abolition of slavery. In this case, the catalyst was the industrial-scale distribution of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs by the public health sector, greatly reducing deaths among people in their 30s. South Africa has increased its domestic expenditure on Aids to about R14-billion, the highest by any low- and middle-income country.

http://mg.co.za

1. November 2012 - The Constellation is an organisation that believes in building communities which can competently manage their problems and not remain beneficiaries of charities. Started to address the issue of HIV/AIDS, over the years, the work of the organisation has gone far beyond. “On Community Life Competence we connect as human beings. We share our experience with local responses to AIDS and other Life concerns.” The Constellation, IndiaCompetence and SIAAP (South India AIDS Action Programme) organized a Global Learning Festival in India from 20th-24th November 2012. During these five days, 130 participants from all over the world learned from the strengths of Indian communities, took stock of our global experience with local responses and set fertile ground for new strength-based, collaborative and community driven responses.

http://www.communitylifecompetence.org

Optimism and momentum has been building around the real possibility that an AIDS-free generation is imminent. Yet, the most recent estimates of HIV prevalence and incidence and of AIDS-related mortality released by UNAIDS, together with data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 in The Lancet make it clear that AIDS is not over. To consolidate and intensify the accomplishments of the past decade, we must confront four realities. First, it will be impossible to sustain current efforts to tackle HIV and AIDS with current levels of funding. Second, there is an urgent need to approach investments in a more strategic manner. Third, synergies within the health sector must be aggressively pursued. Fourth, we need to recognise that the nature and methods of community mobilisation and political leadership, which are so critical to the success of the AIDS response, have changed. (By Michel Sidibé, Peter Piot, Mark Dybul, The Lancet)

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

1. December 2012 - According to a WHO discussion paper, universal health coverage is “a practical expression of the concern for health equity and the right to health.” The AIDS movement distrusts the concept of universal health coverage. While the World Health Report 2010 about universal health coverage explicitly mentioned “the need for high-income countries to honour their commitments on official development, assistance and to back it up with greater effort to improve aid effectiveness”, the UN resolution has an entire section on “sustainable financing mechanisms for universal health coverage” that does not even mention international financial assistance. Technical assistance is there, “sharing of best practices” too, but not a word about sharing the financial burden across borders. (By Gorik Ooms)

http://e.itg.be

After three decades in the fight against AIDS, much progress has been made in controlling the disease and transitioning the global response from one of emergency to one of sustainability. The number of people on treatment in low- and middle-income countries increased from just 300,000 in 2002 to eight million in 2011. While funding remains one of the largest hurdles in making progress towards this vision — the UN estimates that there is still roughly a $6 billion annual funding gap for AIDS, at a time of global economic challenges — additional efforts to address the AIDS pandemic cannot come at the expense of financing for other global health and development initiatives.

http://www.one.org
http://www.aidsfocus.ch

A new World AIDS Day report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), shows that unprecedented acceleration in the AIDS response is producing results for people. It shows that a more than 50% reduction in the rate of new HIV infections has been achieved across 25 low- and middle-income countries. The report also shows that countries are assuming shared responsibility by increasing domestic investments. The area where perhaps most progress is being made is in reducing new HIV infections in children. Half of the global reductions in new HIV infections in the last two years have been among newborn children.

http://www.unaids.org

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines - titled Prevention and Treatment of HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections for Sex Workers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries – recommending that countries should work towards decriminalizing sex work. In the guidelines, WHO notes that violence against sex workers is a risk factor for HIV and "must be prevented and addressed in partnership with sex workers and sex worker-led organizations". WHO recommends that "health services should be made available, accessible and acceptable to sex workers based on the principles of avoidance of stigma, non-discrimination and the right to health".

http://www.irinnews.org

Sex workers have been severely affected by HIV in many parts of the world including Asia and the Pacific region. But they are also among the key populations at higher risk that have best responded to HIV prevention campaigns, undertaken advocacy strategies and engaged in peer to peer initiatives to respond to the epidemic. The case studies provide details about how HIV and sex work programmes and advocacy have been undertaken, including insights from sex workers about what is effective and why. They illustrate how these efforts have empowered sex workers to assert their human rights, take control over their work environments and improve their health and social conditions.

http://www.unaids.org

In this new report, UNAIDS explores the impact of HIV on women and the instrumental role women living with the virus are playing to end AIDS. It includes the latest data and commentary from some of the leading advocates on women and HIV. The report includes the voices of some 30 women living with HIV who have given their personal insights into how the epidemic is affecting women and on how women are actively working to reduce the spread and impact of AIDS. HIV is still the leading cause of death for women of reproductive age, and gender inequalities and women’s rights violations are persistent in rendering women and girls more vulnerable to HIV.

http://www.unaids.org

These pages contain information about the three-year evaluation undertaken by the World Bank in partnership with DFID and the UK Consortium, which looked at the contribution communities are making in the response to HIV and AIDS. It includes evaluation findings from Senegal, Bukina Faso, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. The World Bank Publication Investing in Communities Achieves Results fills an important gap in the global knowledge on community-level results and resources related to HIV and AIDS. Communities, in spite of their limited resources, have played a key role in the HIV/AIDS response.

http://aidsconsortium.org.uk

Partners: Afro-European Medical and Research Network, AIDS & Child, Caritas Switzerland, cinfo, CO-OPERAID, Déclaration de Berne, FEPA, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, Gemeinschaft St. Anna-Schwestern, HEKS, IAMANEH Switzerland, Kindernothilfe Schweiz, Kwa Wazee, medico international Switzerland, mediCuba-Suisse, missio, mission21, SolidarMed, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Aids Federation, Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund, Swiss Catholic Women’s League, Swiss MIVA, Swiss Red Cross, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Tear Fund, Terre des hommes Foundation, terre des hommes schweiz, and World Vision Switzerland.

http://www.aidsfocus.h