ELECTORNIC BULLETIN OF THE SWISS PLATFORM ON HIV/AIDS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

May 2013

Dear Reader,

We are pleased about the intention of the Swiss Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter to increase the Swiss contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. At his meeting with Mark Dybul, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Federal Councillor Burkhalter was impressed by the performance of the Global Fund; he assured the Global Fund the full support of his country. He announced that at this time Switzerland was considering an increase of their annual contribution to the GFATM of CHF 8 million presently to CHF 10 million. This rise by CHF 2 million represents a 20-percent increase.

Aidsfocus.ch takes this as a positive sign. Notwithstanding that CHF 10 million does not correspond to the fair share of Switzerland and does not meet the support of CHF 50 million, which was targeted by aidsfocus.ch, it is however a step in the right direction. It is sure a good sign that Switzerland intends to play a more active role in combatting AIDS, notwithstanding widespread AIDS fatigue. "This sends a very strong message ahead of a replenishment conference that the Global Fund will be holding with its donors in the autumn", comments Mark Dybul. We appreciate this increase of the Swiss contribution as a piece of successful advocacy work undertaken by aidsfocus.ch. For several years, aidsfocus.ch has been committing itself in strengthening the Global Fund. Thus, it carries the concerns of marginalised people and population groups in the global South and East and supports them in their right to health.

The Global Fund requires more funds – and it has to be made sure that they are directed towards the places where they are most needed. Here, aidsfocus.ch cooperates with international networks committed to strengthening the Global Fund, with the partners of aidsfocus.ch in the South and the NGO-representatives on the Board of Global Fund. Aidsfocus.ch expressed its concern about strengthening the Swiss contribution to the Global Fund also to Martin Dahinden, the director of SDC. Moreover, it entertains a policy dialogue with the SDC-representative on the Board of the Global Fund. On the occasion of the annual meeting of aidsfocus.ch in December of 2012 it invited Global Fund as well as SDC representatives to discuss the role and opportunities of civil society participation in the Global Fund. The most recent highlight was the Round Table with Mark Dybul of May 6, 2013 in the Federal Palace in Berne; here, aidsfocus.ch brought in a civil society perspective to the dialogue.

Here as well as elsewhere it is vital to repeatedly communicate the concerns and interests of our partners in the South. Aidsfocus.ch is in the process of discussing with SDC a joint action to evaluate and improve the Country Coordinating Mechanismen, in order to secure the effective use of the Global Fund means for the benefit of the people affected.

We depend on your cooperation and on the support of your partners in the South in order to realise an effective and accountable policy dialogue: We need first-hand information on how the Global Fund functions locally and what can be done to improve it. The steering group and coordination of aidsfocus.ch welcomes your information and inputs.

Helena Zweifel Coordinator aidsfocus.ch Executive Director Network Medicus Mundi Switzerland

Geneva, 6 May 2013 - The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria welcomed an announcement from Switzerland that it intends to increase its contribution to the Global Fund. Swiss Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter said that Switzerland would increase its contribution for 2013 to 10 million Swiss francs from an initial pledge of 7 million Swiss francs, an increase of 43 per cent. He also indicated that Switzerland wanted to make a big increase in its support to the Global Fund in the 2014-16 period but did not confirm a figure. "This sends a very strong message ahead of a replenishment conference that the Global Fund will be holding with its donors in the autumn." said Dr. Dybul.

http://www.theglobalfund.org

Since its establishment in 2002, the Global Fund has supported more than 1,000 programs in 151 countries, providing AIDS treatment for 4.2 million people, anti-tuberculosis treatment for 9.7 million people and 310 million insecticide-treated nets for the prevention of malaria. International efforts as channeled through the Global Fund have been critical; by end 2012 Global Fund-supported programs had provided 1.7million HIV-positive pregnant women with treatment to prevent transmission to theirchildren, 250 million HIV testing and counseling sessions, the purchase and distribution of 4.2 billion condoms, and more than 19 million basic care and support services have been provided.

http://www.theglobalfund.org

Aidspan is an international NGO based in Kenya whose mission is to reinforce the effectiveness of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by serving as an independent watchdog of the Fund and its grant implementers. Aidspan's vision is that the Global Fund will raise and disburse adequate money to fight AIDS, TB and malaria worldwide, with the Fund and the implementers of its grants being fully transparent, fully accountable, and achieving the greatest possible impact. The Global Fund Observer (GFO) contains news, analysis and commentary articles written by Aidspan about the Global Fund and related issues.

http://www.aidspan.org

The Powerpoint presentations of the speakers - Marjorie Opuni (UNAIDS), Farai Mahaso (BHASO(, Sanghamitra Iyengar (Samraksha) and Jochen Ehmer (SolidarMed) - as well as the photo gallery are accessible online. In order to work approach the vision of a world without AIDS, it takes the commitment, dedication and cooperation of all. The “New investment framework for the Global HIV response” puts priority on the most effective program activities for prevention and treatment which need to be accompanied by ‘critical enablers’ that make these programs work. (April 2012)

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Geneva, 14 May 2013- The Federal Councillor for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, Didier Burkhalter announced the government’s intention to increase its annual contributions to UNAIDS for 2013, 2014 and 2015 during the official visit of UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé to the Swiss capital of Bern. Such contribution reaffirms Switzerland’s position among UNAIDS' top 10 donors. Mr Sidibé commended Switzerland’s contribution to the global AIDS response and celebrated the country’s critical role as a member of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) in shaping the future of AIDS within the post-2015 development agenda.

http://www.unaids.org

Geneva, 21 May 2013 — UNAIDS reports more than 7 million people now on HIV treatment across Africa - with nearly 1 million added in the last year - while new HIV infections and deaths from AIDS continue to fall. UNAIDS’ Update highlights key elements of the AIDS response in a number of African countries. South Africa, for example, is rapidly scaling up access to HIV treatment, with a 20% increase in the number of people receiving therapy from 2011-2012 alone. Sixteen countries now ensure that more than three-quarters of pregnant women living with HIV receive antiretroviral medicine to prevent transmission to their child.

http://www.unaids.org

Education is the foundation for the success of all HIV programming. Individuals need the requisite knowledge, attitudes and skills to adopt healthy behaviours and to act against discrimination. This report by UNESCO highlights key findings from the 2011-2012 HIV and AIDS Global Progress Survey as well as other recent research, to provide a picture of how countries' education sectors are responding to the challenges of HIV and AIDS, what progress has been made since 2004, as well as to point out the main policy implications of the current situation. The report highlights some of the critical action points that need to be addressed to improve the effectiveness of the education sector's response. (2013)

http://unesdoc.unesco.org

Stigma, discrimination and underfinancing - these have been found to be the widespread causes in governmental and donor neglect in the fight against HIV among gay men, men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people (GMT) in southern Africa. The report focuses specifically on Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Laws criminalising same-sex sexual practices persist in all these countries despite nearly a decade’s worth of investment in HIV programmes, the report asserts. Furthermore, widespread homophobia among government officials and religious figures remains a formidable barrier to the implementation of HIV programmes. (2013)

http://www.iol.co.za

This discussion paper examines why Islam matters in prevention efforts for HIV, what Islam and Muslim scholars say about MSM and transgender people, as well as how this impacts on the lives of MSM and transgender people and their access to health services. The discussion paper includes recommendations, including: develop an understanding that it is necessary, when working on MSM and transgender issues in countries where there is a Muslim context; use positive religious text in media (TV, radio, blogs, publications) to oppose harsh orthodox approaches that are not respectful of human rights; provide training to relevant stakeholders, including health service providers, on how to best work with MSM and transgender people within a Muslim context. (2013)

http://apcom.org

The Lancet, 18 May 2013 - Excess maternal mortality across Africa, and in southern and eastern Africa in particular, is widely attributed to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Advanced HIV infection is associated with substantial increases in the risk of death, both during pregnancy and post partum. Many policy makers and researchers do not view ART as an intervention to improve obstetric outcomes. However, increasing coverage of ART is an important strategy to reduce pregnancy-related deaths at a population level in countries where the prevalence of HIV infection is high, and, in turn, potentially to help to achieve MDG 5 in southern Africa. (The Lancet, May 2013: Women deliver)

http://www.aidsfocus.ch
http://download.thelancet.com

Achieving social protection for people and households affected by HIV is a critical step towards the realisation of universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support. Evidence shows that HIV-sensitive social protection can reduce vulnerability to HIV infection, improve and extend the lives of people with HIV, and support individuals and households. Social protection plays a critical role in helping people overcome the structural inequalities that drive the HIV epidemic and that serve as barriers to treatment, testing, schooling and other essential services. (May 2013)

http://www.aidsalliance.org

Europe's financial crisis and rising xenophobia are complicating access to medical treatment for undocumented migrants, according to a new report by the international NGO Médecins du Monde (MdM). Undocumented migrants with HIV/AIDS are one of the most vulnerable groups in Europe today. Undocumented migrants have very limited access to healthcare services, receiving only emergency care in many EU member states. Those with HIV/ AIDS often face insurmountable barriers to accessing prevention, diagnosis and treatment, both of the virus and of other illnesses arising from their health condition. (2013)

http://www.irinnews.org
http://www.mdm-international.org

Partner organisations: AIDS & Child, Caritas Switzerland, CO-OPERAID, Déclaration de Berne, FEPA, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, Gemeinschaft St. Anna-Schwestern, 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 (SwissTPH), Tear Fund, Terre des hommes Foundation, terre des hommes schweiz, and World Vision Switzerland.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch