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

1. February 2011

At the International AIDS Conference 2010 in Vienna, the central issues were the recognition of human rights in the context of HIV and Aids, including the right of men who have sex with men (MSM), lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders etc. to health and a self-determined life. Frightening news has arrived from Uganda: David Kato, one of the leading activists for equal rights for homosexuals in Uganda, has been murdered on January 26, 2011 in his house in the capital Kampala. Women and men, lesbians, gay, heterosexuals, bisexuals and transgender mourn for their friend, colleague and human rights activist.

Many people in Uganda feel insecure by the assumption that David Kato was murdered because of his sexual orientation. In Uganda, homosexual relationships are illegal – as in many African states. Who dares to be openly gay or lesbian may have to face discrimination and violence. David had received threats on his life after his picture had featured the front cover of the Ugandan tabloid „Rolling Stone“ demanding death to homosexuals.

The year before, David Kato had successfully lodged an appeal against an internationally objected draft legislation, calling among others for the death penalty for sexually active HIV-positive homosexuals. AIDS activists had also objected the draft legislation, fearing that men having sex with men would be driven even more into underground, away from HIV-prevention, treatment and care. Even the Ugandan government defines MSM as "most at risk" population.

Sexual Minorities Uganda and the Ugandan Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Community urge the police and the Ugandan government to clear up the facts of David’s death. They call upon all religious leaders, politicians and media to stop demonising sexual minorities in Uganda; otherwise, a climate of violence would be created against homosexual people.

aidsfocus.ch is equally shocked by the murder and the fact that people are still discriminated and threatened because of their sexual orientation. aidsfocus.ch shares the concerns that discrimination excludes especially people who are living with or are affected by HIV to an even greater extent – thus pushing on the AIDS epidemic.

How can and should aidsfocus.ch commit itself here? At the aidsfocus.ch Conference in April 2010, we started discussing discrimination of homosexual people in Uganda. However, it remained unsolved how to proceed. Is it enough to commit ourselves to tolerance and compassion with and by the means of our partners in the global South and to support local organisations in their work against human rights violations? What do you think about his? We are looking forward to receiving your feedback.

Helena Zweifel Executiv Director Medicus Mundi Switzerland Coordinator aidsfocus.ch

Kampala, 26 January 2011 - Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) and the entire Ugandan Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Community stands together to condemn the killing of David Kato and call for the Ugandan Government, Civil Society, and Local Communities to protect sexual minorities across Uganda. David has been receiving death threats since his face was put on the front page of Rolling Stone Magazine, which called for his death and the death of all homosexuals.

http://www.sexualminoritiesuganda.org

On 26 January 2011, David Kato, a human rights activist from Uganda and member of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) was bludgeoned to death. The HIV/AIDS Alliances calls for action for the protection of the LGBT community in Uganda: Write to the Ugandan authorities calling on them to set a prompt and impartial investigation on David Kato’s killing, publicly condemn the killing and reject any manifestation of hatred against the LGBT community. Express your solidarity with the LGBT community in Uganda by sending a statement of remembrance and solidarity.

http://www.aidsalliance.org

1. February 2011 - Over 70 religious representatives and 25 organizations have issued a statement in response to the violent death of David Kato in Uganda, calling on religious leaders "to speak, act and urge their faithful to reach out in compassion towards those who are marginalized for any reason and to resist all attempts to promote intolerance and hatred." Peter Prove, Executive Director of the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA), noted that from the experience of the EAA's HIV and AIDS campaign, discrimination against people on the margins of society, such as men who have sex with men, drug users and sex workers, have fueled the HIV pandemic because it discourages individuals from receiving the information and services for prevention and treatment that they need.

http://www.e-alliance.ch
http://www.aidsfocus.ch

In Kampala, Uganda, men who have sex with men who have suffered homophobic violence or abuse are five times more likely to be HIV-positive than other men. Just under 40% of men had ever been physically abused, four out of ten had been blackmailed at some point, and a quarter had been forced to have sex. Men who have experienced homophobic violence or abuse are five times as likely to have HIV as others. Owing to the hostile social environment, men who have sex with men can be difficult to reach. (2010)

http://www.aidsmap.com

Bern | The interactions between sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV are widely recognized by international organisation such as UNAIDS, IPPF, WHO, and SDC. Sexual and reproductive ill-health and HIV share root causes, including poverty, gender inequality, gender based violence and social marginalization of the most vulnerable populations. At the local level, many NGOs already work in an integrated manner. However, in many countries, sexual and reproductive health and HIV programmes still run in parallel. What are the barriers? Is it that different donors prioritize one area as opposed to others? How can comprehensive services be made youth friendly and meet the needs of youth? Based on experience of aidsfocus.ch partner organisations and their South partners and following up discussions on the global level, the conference will discuss challenges and strategies of linking HIV and reproductive health and rights in policy and practice. Information and registration:

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

The Kwa Wazee project "Cash transfer and psychosocial support for older people and their grandchildren" in Nshamba (Tanzania) gives evidence that cash transfer (as financial capital) has the potential to build human capital and social capital. While “human capital” designates the ability of people to be productive, i.e. to acquire skills, knowledge and physical and other capabilities, the core idea of the concept of “social capital” is that if the amount of human interaction increases, people are more likely to help one another and to start identifying and defending their rights. (2010)

http://www.kwawazee.ch
http://www.aidsfocus.ch

In this short film on Youtube in French and English (05:20 min), Christo Greyling, Global advisor on HIV and AIDS and faith based partnerships with World Vision International, speaks about his very personal relation to HIV and AIDS. At the occasion of the aidsfocus.ch conference 2009 in Bern on the topic „Culture and Condoms“, Christo Greyling shared the experiences of the work with faith leaders of all religion, sensitizing and informing the on the issue of HIV and AIDS and their role to play in the response: “Standing together to fight a common enemy”. (2010)

http://www.youtube.com
http://www.medicusmundi.ch

--------------------------------------------------------------- INTERNATIONAL NEWS

--------------------------------------------------------------- MORE HEALTH WORKERS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE HIV/AIDS TARGETS

Bangkok, 2 February 2011 - With the current number of health workers worldwide, most developing countries will not be able to achieve Millennium Development Goal 6, which includes universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment by 2015, according to a 2011 World Health Organization (WHO) report which reviewed progress in five countries. In addition to bolstering community health workers to take on HIV care and prevention, the report recommended: - Not neglecting HIV prevention programmes at the expense of investing in human resources to increase HIV interventions. - Keeping health workers in remote areas. - Improving overall management of human resources, which the report concluded was weak and overly bureaucratic in all the countries analyzed except Thailand. (PlusNews)

http://www.plusnews.org

Johannesburg, 31 January 2011 - A recent flurry of news reports on fraud in grants made by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has thrown the spotlight on the extent to which graft in recipient countries plagues the funding body. Since then, Germany has suspended its US$250 million pledge pending a full investigation into the corruption; Ireland is stalling on its pledge, and Sweden has warned that it will not pay its contribution to the Fund unless more is done to prevent the misuse of money by recipient countries.(PlusNews)

http://www.plusnews.org

Nairobi, 29 December 2010 - This has been an exciting year for the fight against HIV, with dramatic developments in biomedical HIV prevention and a record five million people receiving life-prolonging treatment. It has also been a year fraught with funding difficulties and the continued discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS and other marginalized groups. Here are the picks from PlusNews coverage: Microbicide breakthrough; ARVs for prevention; Two-hour TB test; Treatment 2.0; Patent pool's first licence; Easier travel; Universal Access; Funding crisis; Anti-MSM sentiment; Threats to India's generics industry. (PlusNews)

http://www.plusnews.org

Zambia is a poor country with a severe shortage of health workers, but it is closer to achieving universal access to antiretroviral treatment by the end of 2010 than many of its equally resource-limited neighbours. About 78 percent of Zambians eligible for antiretroviral (ARV) drugs were receiving them by mid-2010 - just 2 percent shy of the universal access target of 80 percent ARV coverage. In terms of the new WHO guidelines, Zambia reached 64 percent treatment coverage by the end of 2009, ranking it fourth on the continent for ARV access after Rwanda, Botswana and Namibia. (PlusNews 2010)

http://www.plusnews.org

Doris Chebet has never had a say in her life; married off at 14, she has always taken orders, first from her own family, and now from her husband's. Chebet, now 18, fell pregnant at 15. "Married adolescents are at greater risk of HIV infection because many of them are not only naïve but face sexual violence; many are in polygamous unions and they are never able to negotiate safe sex, because they don't have the skills to do it and... are married to people who are much older than they are, which prohibits partner communication," said Pamela Odolo, a programme officer at the AIDS, Population and Health Integrated Assistance. (PlusNews)

http://www.irinnews.org

January 2010 - Two young women are aiming to travel by bike from England to Thailand. They want to GATHER ‘VOICES’ – opinions from young people saying why they think HIV/AIDS continues to devastate lives. The VOICES project is an oral history project that visits schools, or groups of young people who have an opinion to share regarding the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. They also want to raise money for the support of the Camillian Social Centre in Rayong Thailand and Food Chain providing nutritional support to chronically ill people living with HIV/AIDS in London.

http://onelittlewheel.com

This resource pack aims to build a common understanding of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV linkages and provide an overview of the current status of SRH and HIV linkages among key partners. It contains useful resources for organizations advocating for this issue. These materials are generic products of the Interagency Working Group on SRH & HIV Linkages and are designed to suit a variety of audiences and purposes. As the SRH and HIV linkages agenda is a dynamic field, this pack is a living document that is meant to be modified and adapted to respond to changing needs. (2010)

http://www.srhhivlinkages.org

Zimbabwean women reported significantly less risky sexual behaviour than their counterparts in Tanzania, despite being almost four times more likely to be HIV-infected, a comparative study has found. In the Journal of the International AIDS Society, the researchers described the “unexpected phenomenon” revealed by the data gathered on the women’s sexual behaviour. On virtually every indicator, the Tanzanian women reported more risky behaviour from having had a casual sexual partner in the last 12 months to early sexual debut to being in a polygamous relationship. (2020)

http://www.plusnews.org
http://www.jiasociety.org

1. January 2011 - The Lancet Infectious Diseases published evidence from a World Health Organization-led study. The study showed that giving pregnant women living with HIV a combination of three antiretroviral (ARV) drugs from the last trimester, through delivery and six months of breastfeeding can reduce the risk of their babies being infected with HIV by more than 40%. The study, named Kesho Bora which means ‘a better future’ in Swahili, was conducted between June 2005 and August 2008 in five sites in Burkina Faso, Kenya and South Africa. (UNAIDS)

http://www.unaids.org

Innovations in governance are among the signature achievements of the AIDS response and these innovations have transformed the lives of people living with and affected by HIV. This is one of several key points covered in a compilation co-guest-edited by UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé, published on 20 December in a special issue of Global Health Governance. The overview paper, “People, Passion & Politics: Looking Back and Moving Forward in the Governance of the AIDS Response”, presents a seven-point AIDS governance action agenda. (2010)

http://ghgj.org

Based on the latest data from 182 countries, this global reference book provides comprehensive analysis on the AIDS epidemic and response. The UNAIDS report 2010 shows that the AIDS epidemic has been halted and world is beginning to reverse the spread of HIV. New HIV infections have fallen by nearly 20% in the last 10 years, AIDS-related deaths are down by nearly 20% in the last five years, and the total number of people living with HIV is stabilizing. (2010)

http://www.unaids.org

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, INTERTEAM, Kindernothilfe Schweiz, Kwa Wazee, medico international Switzerland, mediCuba-Suisse, missio, 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 and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Tear Fund, Terre des hommes Foundation, terre des hommes schweiz, and World Vision Switzerland.

http://www.aidsfocus.c