THE ELECTRONIC BULLETIN OF THE SWISS PLATFORM FOR HIV/AIDS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION June 2007

„I know what I want“, „No means no“, „It is me to tell what’s going on with me “ – the girls on the posters make it very clear. It gives me a good feeling to be greeted every morning by strong and self-confident girls. The posters decorate the open-plan office at the Murbacherstrasse, which Medicus Mundi Switzerland shares among others with the Pippilotta Agency. This organization launched the poster campaign „Respect is a duty – for all“. The aim of the campaign was to discuss the issue of sexual violence in the public and to communicate pictures of strong and courageous girls and women.

To learn to say „no“ if someone gets too close is also one of the goals of Sinani in South Africa – a Partner organisation of terre des hommes switzerland that focuses on the psychosocial support of children that have become victims of violence.

Here as much as there, the mechanisms of sexual violence are similar, even if violence in Southern Africa is much more present and pronounced. And in view of the HIV-prevalence of almost 20 per cent of the normal population, its consequences are certainly much more fatal.

And here as much as there, children and youth are strengthened and supported in their self-esteem – an important step on the way to a non-violent society that is based on mutual respect.

Helena Zweifel Coordinator aidsfocus.ch

INFORMATIONS FROM THE SWISS COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE - AIDSFOCUS.CH: DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT 2007 - POSITIVE MOTHERHOOD. DOCUMENTATION OF AIDSFOCUS CONFERENCE ONLINE - AIDS&CHILD;: PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE - MSF: CONFRONTING THE HEALTH CARE WORKER CRISIS

BRIEFS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD - NEAR-GLOBAL NELFINAVIR (VIRACEPT) RECALL VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION - ZAMBIA: AIDS DRUG RECALL CREATES PANIC - SOUTH AFRICAN AIDS CONFERENCE SIGNALS NEW UNITY - WHO AND UNAIDS ISSUE NEW GUIDANCE ON HIV TESTING AND COUNSELLING - UNICEF: BORN FREE CAMPAIGN

G8 - POVERTY OF AMBITION LIMITS G8 FIGHT AGAINST AIDS - G8 COMMIT TO PREVENTING MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION OF HIV - G8: KEEP YOUR PROMISES ON GLOBAL AIDS – ACT NOW - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HIV AND AIDS

NEW RESOURCES - HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMMES AND HIV AND AIDS: A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO MAINSTREAMING - POOR, YOUNG AND FEMALE: THE NEW FACE OF THE HIV EPIDEMIC - SOUTHERN AFRICA: DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN FUELS HIV/AIDS - ENHANCED PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN AFFECTED BY AIDS - COMMON CAUSE, COLLECTIVE STRENGTH - HIV/AIDS AND LOCAL ACTION

EVENTS (IN ENGLISH) 27.08.2007 | AIDSFOCUS.CH: PEER REVIEW GROUP MAINSTREAMING HIV/AIDS 01.12.2007 | WORLD AIDS DAY 2007: FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP

"Towards a future generation without HIV and AIDS!" The participants of the aidsfocus.ch conference on “Positive Motherhood. Opportunities and Challenges of HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care” (26 April 2007 in Berne) representing aidsfocus.ch partner organisations committed themselves to work together with their partners towards the goal of a future generation of children born without HIV and AIDS.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Documentation of the aidsfocus.ch conference "Positive motherhood - Opportunities and challenges of HIV prevention, treatment and care" - now online. The papers presented as well as additional papers will be published in the reader of the conference, the Bulletin of Medicus Mundi Switzerland No. 105 (August 2007).

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Aids & Child is organizing the 1st European Keyworker Conference from 7th to 9th September 2007, in Zurich, Switzerland. With this conference, Aids & Child hopes to build a strong professional network of HIV/AIDS keyworkers and health professionals who are dedicated to helping young people affected by the disease.

http://www.aidsundkind.ch

MSF began providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2000 and has today reached over 80,000 people in more than 30 countries. However, efforts to further increase access to treatment and maintain and improve quality of care are coming up against a wall due to the severe shortage of health workers. This is contributing to unnecessary illness and death. The impact of the human resource crisis is witnessed by MSF across southern Africa, the epicentre of the AIDS pandemic. Health workers are overwhelmed, overworked, and exhausted.

http://www.msf.org

1. June 2007 - The World Health Organization (WHO), drug companies, drug regulators, NGOs and national governments have been working together to minimise the disruption of antiretroviral therapy to individuals affected by the near-global recall of nelfinavir (Viracept) by Roche. Although it was initially thought that the recall only affected Europe following the alerts issued by Roche, it has, in fact, affected every country in the world with the exception of the United States, Canada and Japan. (aidsmap news)

http://www.aidsmap.com

Lusaka, 19 June 2007 - Contamination of the AIDS drug, Viracept, has created panic among HIV-positive Zambians on antiretroviral therapy, who fear other AIDS drugs may not be safe. Purity Mwamba, an HIV-positive housewife: "If Viracept could be contaminated, other ARVs could be." Zambia's health minister, Brian Chituwo, last week announced the immediate discontinuation of the drug, mainly used in second-line treatment, and ordered health workers to explain the incident to affected people. (PlusNews)

http://www.plusnews.org

1. June, 2007 - Unlike previous conferences in South Africa, the Third South African AIDS Conference in Durban in June featured a minimum of political conflict between government and civil society. Instead delegates gathered to celebrate the successful agreement of a new national plan on AIDS that has broad support across all sectors of society. Last week’s conference adopted a consensus declaration confirming its support for the plan, and highlighting a number of urgent issues that need to be addressed.

http://www.aidsmap.com

London, 30 May 2007 - WHO and UNAIDS issued new guidance on informed, voluntary HIV testing and counselling in the world's health facilities, with a view to significantly increasing access to needed HIV treatment, care support and prevention services. The new guidance focuses on provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (recommended by health care providers in health facilities).

http://www.who.int

Every minute of every day, a baby is born with HIV, passed on by his or her mother during pregnancy, labour or upon delivery. There is a terrible injustice to some of the most vulnerable children, in our poorest countries, being denied a chance of life. The campaign led by UNICEF sets out the goal of increasing from just 10 to 80 per cent by 2010 the number of HIV-positive mums who receive help to have babies Born Free from HIV. (2007)

http://www.unicef.org.uk

1. June 2007 - In the final summit communique, the G8 has announced a package of measures and commitments that, while representing some limited progress in some fronts, ultimately falls far short of meeting G8 promises of achieving Universal Access to HIV Treatment, Prevention and Care by 2010. Most notably, they have failed to deliver sufficient funding or ambitious enough treatment targets. NGO’s also criticised the inclusion of an unambitious treatment target, which commits to provide treatment for only 5 million people in Africa ‘over the next few years’. (Press release by Stop AIDS Campaign)

http://www.ua2010.org

1. June 2007 - For the first time the G8 has officially responded to the plight of nearly half a million babies born with HIV. In their official communiqué, G8 leaders acknowledged the importance of preventing mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) by stating their intention to contribute substantially towards the goal of universal coverage of PMTCT programmes by 2010. (Press release by UNICEF)

http://www.unicef.org.uk

In the newly released policy briefing “G8: Keep Your Promises on Global AIDS, Act Now”, World Vision calls on G8 leaders to prioritize children; ensure universal access to care, prevention and treatment; and set up a high-level group that will oversee and monitor progress on G8 commitments to fight AIDS. (2007)

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

On the 23rd to 24th May the international VENRO Conference “Responsibilities of Governments and Civil Society in the Fight Against HIV & AIDS in Africa - The Way Forward to 2015” took place in Bonn. 150 participants from 15 countries called on the EU and the G8 to increase their engagement in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The final Communiqué of the conference:

http://www.prospects-for-africa.de

This manual, produced by Oxfam, is intended to build staff skills in addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability to HIV infection and the consequences of AIDS, particularly in rapid-onset humanitarian emergencies. Although aimed at managers in the planning stage, it also suggests how to mainstream HIV throughout the emergency project cycle and specific sectoral responses. It explains both how HIV affects emergencies and how emergencies affect HIV, as well as potential vulnerable groups. (2007)

http://www.oxfam.org.uk

This issue of Global AIDS Link from the Global AIDS Council examines the impact which HIV and AIDS are having on young girls. It examines the factors, such as poverty, gender norms and cultural practices, which are making girls particularly vulnerable to HIV. The publication includes reports from a range of countries and regions, including Zimbabwe, China, East Africa and Latin America. (2007)

http://www.globalaidsalliance.org

Gender parity is the key in the fight against HIV/AIDS, according to a new report ‘Epidemic of Inequality: Women's Rights and HIV/AIDS in Botswana and Swaziland’, released by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR). Four key factors contribute to women's vulnerability to HIV/AIDS: their lack of control over sexual decision-making, including the decision to use a condom; the prevalence of HIV-related stigma and discrimination; gender-discriminatory beliefs (associated with sexual risk-taking) and a failure of traditional and government leadership to promote the equality, autonomy, and economic independence of women.(IRIN 2007)

http://www.plusnews.org

This companion paper to “The Framework for the Protection, Care and Support of Orphans and Vulnerable Children Living in a World with HIV and AIDS” discusses the protection issues facing children affected by AIDS, outlining the actions needed to reduce their vulnerability. It calls for enhanced social protection, legal protection and justice, and alternative care, underpinned by efforts to address the silence and stigma that allow discrimination, abuse and exploitation of children to continue. (UNICEF 2007)

http://www.unicef.org

This report by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance is an assessment of the impact of support groups of women and children in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi States and was carried out by means of a participatory evaluation. It provides some interesting insights into the working, dynamics and usefulness of such support groups and was seen by community participants as a two-way learning process, not merely an extractive tool for data collection. (2007)

http://www.aidsalliance.org

The May 2007 issue of “The Drum Beat” looks specifically at HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention efforts that stem from local and community action. It provides: a few examples of projects and activities; a number of articles, interviews, papers, and presentations that explore empowerment of communities and individuals to act on their own behalf; and a selection of support resources for those whose work focuses on local and community action for HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

http://www.comminit.com

Bern | The Swiss Red Cross is inviting partners of aidsfocus.ch to the next peer group meeting. The focus will be on sharing of experiences and information on monitoring and evaluation of mainstreaming HIV and AIDS. Participants preferably have participated in the SDC training module or studied one of the toolkits in order to make sure that we share a common basic understanding of the concepts.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

worldwide | The theme for World AIDS Day 2007 and 2008 is “leadership”. This theme will continue to be promoted with the campaigning slogan, “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.” Leadership as a theme follows and builds on the 2006 theme of accountability.

http://www.worldaidscampaign.info

aidsfocus.ch is a project set up by Medicus Mundi Switzerland. aidsfocus.ch is sponsored and shaped by 31 partner organizations who support the aims and activities of the platform through their financial contributions, expertise and commitment.

Partners: AIDS & Child, Bethlehem Mission Immensee, Caritas Switzerland, cinfo, CO-OPERAID, Déclaration de Berne, Doctors without Borders, FEPA, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, Gemeinschaft St. Anna-Schwestern, HEKS, IAMANEH Switzerland, International Federation of the Blue Cross, INTERTEAM, Kindernothilfe Schweiz, medico international Switzerland, mediCuba-Suisse, mission, REPSSI, SolidarMed, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Aids Federation, missio, mission 21, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund, Swiss MIVA, Swiss Red Cross, Swiss Tropical Institute, Tear Fund, Terre des hommes Foundation, terre des hommes schweiz, and World Vision Switzerland.