BULLETIN ÉLECTRONIQUE DE LA PLATE-FORME SUISSE «VIH/SIDA ET COOPÉRATION INTERNATIONALE» juin 2006

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Chère lectrice, cher lecteur,

Ces jours-ci, le ballon rond est le roi des médias et le sujet de conversation par excellence. Il est question de victoires et de défaites, de vainqueurs et de perdants – et en cette époque extraordinaire, même les perdants peuvent instantanément, grâce aux tirs au but, se muer en vainqueurs et devenir les héros de la nation.

Dans un tout autre registre, les grand-mamans de Tanzanie sont les héroïnes de la nation – tout en étant des perdantes: âgées, pauvres, souvent lâchées par le réseau social et non perçues comme un groupe cible par la coopération au développement. Et au lieu de pouvoir goûter tranquillement leurs vieux jours auprès de leurs enfants en bénéficiant d’une rente de vieillesse ou d’une retraite, elles doivent veiller sur des petits-enfants de plus en plus nombreux.

J’ai mis en vedette ce mois-ci une petite initiative efficace lancée en Tanzanie, issue de la «community of practice» helvétique: Kwa Wazee, une sorte de filet de sécurité pour les personnes âgées dans le besoin. Une pension modeste mais régulière permet aux grand-mamans de mener une existence digne auprès de leurs petits-enfants. Je suis impressionnée de voir tout ce qu’il est possible de faire avec des moyens restreints mais utilisés judicieusement.

Helena Zweifel Coordinatrice aidsfocus.ch

UN PROJET EN VEDETTE - KWA WAZEE – A SECURITY NET FOR OLD PEOPLE IN NEED

NOUVELLES DE LA « COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE » SUISSE - MMS-BULLETIN NO. 101: JEUNES, PERSPECTIVES DE VIE ET PRÉVENTION DU VIH ON YOUTH AND HIV PREVENTION - GLOBALER FONDS: DIE EIDGENÖSSISCHEN RÄTE NEHMEN FORDERUNG DER HILFSWERKE AUF - AIDSFOCUS.CH: PEER REVIEW MEETING MAINSTREAMING HIV

L’ACTUALITÉ EN BREF - CONGO: LE VIH À L’HEURE DE LA COUPE DU MONDE DE FOOTBALL - HIV TERMINOLOGY GUIDELINES FROM UNAIDS - 2006 HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON AIDS - INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY DENOUNCE UN MEETING ON AIDS AS A FAILURE - UNGASS DECLARATION FAILS TO DELIVER NEEDED COMMITMENTS ON AIDS - WORLD LEADERS JOIN FORCES WITH SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY IN UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE

NOUEVEAUX RESOURCES ET LINKS - 2006 RAPPORT SUR LÉPIDEMIE MONIDALE DE SIDA - THE WORLDBANK: THE RATIONALE FOR MAINSTREAMING HIV/AIDS IN AGRICULTURE & RURAL DEVELOPMENT - ANALYZING CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION IN COUNTRY-LEVEL HIV/AIDS UNGASS 2006 REVIEWS - EXCHANGE MAGAZINE – NOW ONLINE - LIVING ON THE OUTSIDE – NATURE AND IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS-RELATED STIGMA - HIV, HEALTH AND YOUR COMMUNITY. A GUIDE FOR ACTION - YOUTH INFONET NO. 25

MANIFESTATIONS 07.07.2006 | AIDSFOCUS.CH: AIDSBETROFFENE KINDER: WENN IHNEN DAS LAND GERAUBT WIRD 13.08.2006 | XVIE CONGRÈS SUR LE VIH/SIDA – AIDS 2006 23.08.2006 | STI: MAINSTREAMING HIV IN THE HEALTH SECTOR 31.08.2006 | VIVRE ET TRAVAILLER DANS UN CONTEXTE MARQUÉ PAR LE SIDA 31.08.2006 | MMS: CHALLENGES IN COMMUNITY ACTION FOR HEALTH

KWA WAZEE – A SECURITY NET FOR OLD PEOPLE IN NEED

In Tanzania there is no such thing as a state-guaranteed pension for old people. Instead, children have traditionally supported their parents when they get too old to provide for themselves. However, this social system has been shattered by the consequences of the pandemic HIV-Aids with its millions of casualities, wherein numerous old people have lost their children and with them their social security. To make matters worse, the elderly suddenly find themselves having to look after high numbers of orphans left behind by their own deceased children. What’s more, the precarious and often catastrophic plight of these old people has been practically unnoticed until now. Indeed an entire generation of grandmothers and grandfathers seem to have been largely forgotten, as the majority of international aid, which first targeted the AIDS crisis a decade ago quite understandably continues to focus on medication, prevention and maybe programs for orphans.

In the rural area of Kagera near Lake Victoria in Tanzania, the HIV AIDS infection rate is one of the highest in Africa. One out of five children have lost one or both parents. Nearly 60 percent of the orphaned children are subsequently reared by their grand-parents. In such circumstances, providing grandmothers with a small monthly pension seemed the best way to both alleviate the distressing poverty of the old people and considerably improve the welfare of the children in their household.

It was also critical to base the project on the existing networks of the Women Saving and Credit Association (WOSCA) and on the orphans’ organization VSI, who are able to select those grandmothers most in need, and who also have the logistical experience to implement and administer a pensions’ scheme.

Kwa Wazee, which started in November 2003 with a very small number of beneficiaries, has since gradually extended to over 300 grandmothers, who were caring for over 400 orphans by the end of 2005. The experience on the ground since Kwa Wazee began is most encouraging, as feedback from the elderly beneficiaries, as well as by observers in their neighbourhoods, clearly shows that even the modest pension provided by Kwa Wazee makes a significant difference in the lives of the supported grandmothers as well as the children in their care.

http://www.kwawazee.ch

Reader zur aidsfocus-Tagung vom 21. April 2006 in Bern: "The Right to Know and the Will to Act. Youth and HIV Prevention”. Das Bulletin gibt Einblicke in eine Vielfalt interessanter Ansätze und Fallbeispiele zur HIV-Prävention mit Jugendlichen. Über die Texte der Tagung hinausgehend enthält es einen breiten Fächer von Berichten zu Formen, Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Prävention. ABC, ABCD, SAVE und weitere Konzepte der Präventionsarbeit werden kritisch beleuchtet und eröffnen die Diskussion.

http://www.medicusmundi.ch

1. Juni 2006 - Nach dem Ständerat hat nun auch der Nationalrat eine Motion überwiesen, die vom Bund mehr Geld für den globalen Kampf gegen Aids, Tuberkulose und Malaria verlangt. Damit stellen sich die eidgenössischen Räte hinter eine zentrale Forderung der Kampagne „Afrika braucht Medikamente — jetzt!“ von Bethlehem Mission Immensee und HEKS. In der Motion verlangten die Ständerätin Madeleine Amgwerd (CVP, Jura) und die Nationalrätin Rosmarie Zapfl (CVP, Zürich) vom Bundesrat, den jährlichen Beitrag an den globalen Fonds zur Bekämpfung von Aids, Tuberkulose und Malaria von 5 auf 25 Millionen Dollar zu erhöhen.

http://www.parlament.ch

Short Report of the first meeting, 12.6.2006: World Vision Switzerland (WV) invited for the first meeting of the peer review group on mainstreaming HIV and AIDS. Since 2001, WV international has the so-called “HIV/AIDS Hope Initiative” which aims at contributing to the HIV response through focusing on prevention, care and advocacy. WV Switzerland and International support both mainstreamed HIV activities and HIV specific activities. The discussion was structured around 4 themes: Is what WV is doing really mainstreaming, Workplace Policy, monitoring and evaluation, and creating synergies.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Brazzaville, 29 juin - Il n’y a rien de tel que la coupe du monde de football, qui attire de milliers de spectateurs au Congo, pour faire passer les messages de prévention contre le VIH, selon le Conseil national de lutte contre le sida (CNLS). «Le sida est là, il faut s’en préserver en utilisant les préservatifs», «La protection contre le sida c'est vous-même», affirment les sportifs dans les spots télévisés qui passent actuellement en boucle à l’occasion des matches retransmis par les chaînes locales de télévision depuis le 9 juin dernier, au grand bonheur des jeunes Congolais. (IRIN PLUSNEWS)

http://www.plusnews.org

The term HIV/AIDS has been used for a long time to cover everything to do with HIV infection. It is really quite inappropriate. AIDS is a syndrome that can result in death. HIV is the virus that infects people. It is important that we think what we are saying when we are talking about HIV or AIDS.

In May 2006 UNAIDS produced editors notes for authors to guide the use of expressions related to HIV and AIDS as well as other issues related to the epidemic. As language shapes beliefs and may influence behaviours, considered use of appropriate language has the power to strengthen the response to AIDS.

http://data.unaids.org

1. June 2006 - The special United Nations General Assembly meeting (UNGASS) to assess the progress made in combating AIDS since it issued its Declaration of Commitment culminated in the adoption of a political declaration aimed at reaffirming and expressing recommitment to the full implementation of the Declaration in the coming years. “Is all this enough? When we are dealing with a human disaster as great as HIV/AIDS, those who say more is needed can never be wrong. But I believe we can be proud of what we have achieved. We have recommitted; we have raised the bar; we have made new, important and specific commitments; and we have put this issue once again at the top of the global agenda.” Said Assembly President Jan Eliasson in his closing remarks.

http://www.unaids.org

1. June 2006 - Civil society groups from around the world denounced the final UN Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, released after marathon negotiations during the UN High Level meeting on AIDS this week. “Once more we are disappointed at the failure to demonstrate real political leadership in the fight against the pandemic” said The Most Revd Njongonkulu Ndungane, the Anglican Archbishop of Capetown. The United States was particularly damaging to the prospects for a strong declaration.

http://www.ungasshiv.org

Geneva, 7 June 2006 - The political declaration of the 2006 High-Level Meeting on AIDS (UNGASS) fails to establish concrete commitments to strengthen the response to the epidemic and adequately address the needs of HIV professionals, according to Helene Gayle, President of the International AIDS Society (IAS). Despite intensive input from the large numbers of civil society representatives at UNGASS, member states refused to put in place new targets aimed at expanding treatment, prevention and care services, and strengthening the health care workforce needed to deliver them.

http://www.iasociety.org

Toronto, 29 juin 2006 - Les organisateurs du XVIe Congrès international sur le SIDA (AIDS 2006) ont annoncé aujourd’hui que ce rassemblement proposera plus de 400 séances, réunions et ateliers avec des débats sur les avancées scientifiques importantes concernant les questions politiques actuelles entre les leaders politiques, scientifiques et communautaires et ceux situés en première ligne de l’épidémie.

Les séances nouvellement intitulées ‘Principaux défis’ offriront un échange d’information et de compétences et se focaliseront sur les efforts réussis en termes de réponse aux principaux compétences et se focaliseront sur les efforts réussis en termes de réponse aux principaux défis suivants : Accélérer la recherche pour mettre fin à l’épidémie ; Accroître et maintenir les ressources humaines pour élargir l’accès aux traitements et à la prévention ; Renforcer l’implication des communautés touchées ; faire émerger un nouveau leadership pour faire progresser la réponse ; et mettre à profit les leçons apprises sur le terrain.

http://www.aids2006.org

Ce Rapport 2006 de l’ONUSIDA sur l’épidémie mondiale de SIDA présente l’ensemble de données le plus complet jamais rassemblé sur la riposte des pays à l’épidémie de SIDA.

Les principaux résultats de cette analyse mondiale détaillée sont les suivants : - Des progrès importants ont été faits depuis la Session extraordinaire de 2001, mais on note une forte diversité entre les pays et régions dans la riposte au VIH. - La plupart des pays disposent maintenant d’une base solide sur laquelle édifier une riposte efficace au SIDA, grâce à l’intensification de l’engagement politique et de la coordination entre les partenaires à l’échelon des pays. - Pourtant, la riposte au VIH comporte encore de graves lacunes.

http://www.unaids.org

Information about the scale of the problem of HIV/AIDS in rural areas in South Asia is scarce, but survey findings in selected areas show that rural areas are not immune. For example in Tamil Nadu, India, a prevalence of 6.7% has been found. The vulnerability and risk of rural populations to HIV/AIDS is influenced by: Migration, access to health services, literacy and awareness, gender, marginalized populations, and selling and buying sex.

http://siteresources.worldbank.org

This report, published by CARE International, explores civil society experiences and lessons learned in the country-level review processes of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on HIV/AIDS. It draws on surveys conducted in Cambodia, Kenya, Malawi, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Civil society interviewees reported that they did not fully participate in the process, and that in most cases this was due to the limited capacity, staffing and funding of the review process. Other problems included that: stigma and discrimination acted as a barrier to participation; monitoring and evaluation was weak; and the relevance of UNGASS was not clear to some participants.

http://www.care.org

In this issue particular attention has been paid to the issue of integration of HIV/AIDS in development programmes, especially those strengthening the livelihoods of HIV-positive individuals and affected households. Exchange is a magazine on HIV/AIDS, sexuality and gender in developing countries. It is published quarterly by the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in collaboration with Oxfam Novib (the Netherlands) and SAfAIDS, Zimbabwe. Exchange is available in English, French and Portuguese. (March 2006)

http://www.exchange-magazine.info

This Speak Your World primer provides a brief overview of the discussions that took place as part of the HIV Stigma Project and sets out a definitive position with specific recommendations about how, based on the evidence from the eForum, HIV stigma can be tackled. This report adds richness and vitality, for it is derived from a range of experts, commentators and people living with HIV/AIDS, and hopefully enables fresh insights into what is proving to be the most intractable feature of the HIV epidemic.

http://www.hdnet.org

This comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to combating HIV is equally useful in a rural village in southern Africa, a major city in Thailand, or a Peace Corps worker's backpack. Designed for people confronting HIV in places with few medical resources, it is easily accessible to those without advanced technical knowledge and without prior training in the care of people with AIDS or in the prevention of HIV. Topics include: biology of the virus, strategies for prevention, symptoms and epidemiology of the disease, counseling for people with HIV and their families, how to care for people with HIV, and even writing grant proposals. (Hesperian Foundation, 2006)

http://www.hesperian.org

This issue of the electronic newsletter produced by FHI/YouthNet features 10 program resources available online, as well as summaries of a number of peer-reviewed articles featuring research on reproductive health from Brazil, Cote d'Ivoire, El Salvador, India, Iran, Kenya, Marshall Islands, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and a global data review. (June 2006)

http://www.fhi.org

Olten | aidsfocus.ch: Kinder, die durch den frühen Tod der Eltern durch Aids zu Waisen gemacht werden, müssen nicht nur mit diesen traumatischen Erfahrungen fertig werden, einigen (vielen?) wird auch das Haus und Land – ihre Überlebensgrundlage – genommen. Oder Frauen werden nach dem Tod ihres Mannes vom Land verjagt bzw. werden ihres Eigentums beraubt.

Die Arbeitssgruppe „aidsbetroffene Kinder“ von aidsfocus.ch lädt PartnerInnen von aidsfocus.ch und weitere Interessierte ein zur nächsten offenen Arbeitsgruppensitzung zum Thema „Eigentumsrechte von aidsbetroffenen Kindern“. Dabei geht es um den Austausch von Informationen und Erfahrungen zur Problematik sowie möglichen Ansätzen und Strategien als auch um die Frage, wie die Problematik im Rahmen von aidsfocus.ch aufgenommen werden soll.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Toronto, Canada | Le Congrès sur le VIH/SIDA le plus important au monde fournit un forum international, ouvert et indépendant permettant l’échange des idées, des connaissances et des travaux de recherche qui alimenteront les programmes de lutte contre le VIH/SIDA et renforceront les efforts de prévention, de traitement et de soins dans le monde entier.

http://www.aids2006.org

Bienne | Le sida n'affecte non seulement chaque aspect de la vie des populations concernées, mais il a également un impact considérable sur la vie et le travail du personnel expatrié de la CI. Ce séminaire de cinfo a pour objectif d’accompagner les participant-e-s afin qu'ils/elles puissent mieux gérer ce défi.

http://www.cinfo.ch

Geneva | Medicus Mundi Switzerland Workshop at the Geneva Forum "Towards Global Access to Health": Three illustrations will permit to discuss specific aspects of questions regarding community action for health:

• Scaling up peer-education programmes. The example of HIV-prevention in Douala, Cameroon - Scaling up grassroot level health projects. The example of the VHAI in India - Arising awareness about HIV/AIDS in the NGOs' work. The example of Memory Work at the level of aidsfocus.ch

http://www.medicusmundi.ch

aidsfocus.ch, la Plate-forme suisse «VIH/sida et coopération internationale» est un projet de Medicus Mundi Suisse. 28 organisations partenaires et la Direction de Développement et Coopération (DDC) participent avec une contribution financière.

Les partenaires d'aidsfocus : Action de Carême, Aide Suisse contre le Sida, Bethlehem Mission Immensee, Caritas suisse, cinfo, CO-OPERAID, Croix-Rouge suisse, Déclaration de Berne, EPER, FEPA, Fondation Terre des hommes, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, Féderation Internationale du Croix-Bleue, Gemeinschaft der St. Anna-Schwestern, IAMANEH Suisse, INTERTEAM, Institut Tropical Suisse, Médecins Sans Frontières, medico international suisse, mediCuba-Suisse, missio, mission 21, MIVA Suisse, REPSSI, Sida & l’enfant, SolidarMed, Swiss Aids Care, Tear Fund, terre des hommes suisse, World Vision Suisse.