Our Young Emerging Leaders (YEL’s) commemorate International Youth Day (August 12), focusing on building “Green Skills for Youth – working towards a sustainable world.” Our YELs express their personal reflections of this recognition on their advocacy work within their communities in relation to the HIV response.
Vertical transmission of HIV occurs from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. UNAIDS reports that in 2022 about 130,000 new HIV infections occurred among children globally. Eastern and Southern Africa region has witnessed a notable decline of 61% new HIV infections among children, nonetheless the rate of vertical HIV transmission after breastfeeding is still estimated to be 8.6% underscoring the need to support mothers and parents to adopt safe pregnancy and breastfeeding practices and ensure zero vertical transmission during this period.
GNP+ in collaboration with ICW, Y+ Global, and Prevention Access Campaign, is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week 2023 to raise awareness on the optimisation of HIV treatment to end vertical transmission of HIV. We shall engage parents in consultations this week to inform and learn from our communities lived experiences.
We plan to utilise the findings from the consultation together with scientific evidence of Undetectable=Untransmissible (U=U), and the guidance from the recently launched WHO Policy brief on Viral suppression for advocacy, to promote safe pregnancy, safe breastfeeding and healthy quality lives for children of mothers and parents living with HIV.
These efforts will strengthen community led advocacy to address legal, social, cultural, and economic barriers that prevent access and adherence to treatment, and attaining the highest possible quality of life.
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is celebrated on 1-7 August every year. This year the theme is “Enabling breastfeeding: making a difference for working parents”. WABA coordinates the global World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) campaign that aims to inform, anchor, engage and galvanise action on breastfeeding and related issues. WBW was started in 1992 to generate public awareness and support for breastfeeding.
‘End Paediatrics AIDS In Children’ – EPIC is an advocacy initiative that aims to build stronger partnerships, harness advocacy messages collaboratively, and ensure heightened visibility for issues of paediatrics and children affected/infected by HIV in global, regional, and country-level platforms of influence.
Guided by the new GNP+ strategic plan, ‘For Our Health and Rights,’ strategic priority two on our health and well-being, The Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) treatment access work is strengthened by the collaborations and joint partnerships with our sister networks; International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) and the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global).
What an incredible whirlwind at the Women Deliver 2023 Conference in Kigali, Rwanda! As GNP+, we stood firm in promoting gender equality with a lens on girls and women living with HIV in all their diversity. With six thousand delegates from across the world, including advocates, policymakers, civil society, donors, the private sector, and UN agencies, Women Deliver facilitated inspired connections and collaboration, advancing towards a more gender-just world.
Hosted in Africa for the first time, the main conference agenda, unfortunately, marginalised HIV. However, throughout the week, GNP+ and other civil society organisations emphasised the vital role of girls and women living with HIV in all their diversity and their potential to sustain gender equality solutions. Amidst an action-packed programme, here are some favourite moments that left a lasting impact on us:
In collaboration with the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global) and the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW), GNP+ conducted a closed consultation to discuss the meaning of achieving gender equality for girls and women living with HIV in all our diversity. The session focused on how feminists could amplify and build upon existing movements for girls and women living with HIV, working together for reproductive justice, gender equality, and improved SRHR outcomes.
GNP+ highlighted its role in the Global Fund Cycle 7 during a side event on gender equality advocacy. We developed tools for community engagement in identifying priorities and providing input for funding requests. Other speakers from the Global Fund, Y+ Global, and Women4GlobalFund joined in emphasising the importance of community systems in an effective HIV response, particularly for marginalised groups, and overcoming gender and human rights barriers to accessing HIV services.
At Fondation Botnar’s electrifying session, Ctrl+Alt+Advocate, GNP+ joined forces with Restless Development and Amnesty International to champion youth-led online activism for digital rights. Shedding light on the impact of human rights violations, we aligned with our strategic plan, engaging communities in research to harness digital technologies’ immense benefits, which include better care and health information access while addressing privacy, exclusion, and misinformation risks.
Love Alliance, alongside WRADA and ILGA World, organised a side event that delved into the conference’s theme, creating a space to educate movements on the anti-gender movement. The event stood in solidarity with movements facing challenges due to the anti-gender opposition and offered solutions to counter it. GNP+ highlighted the #NotACriminal campaign, which unites key populations from discrimination and gender-based violence, and advocates for evidence-based legislation in place of harmful laws.
Frontline AIDS hosted a side event, HIV is a feminist issue, which involved Christine Stegling, the Deputy Director of Policy, Advocacy, and Knowledge at UNAIDS. Christine shared hope, highlighting the possibility of ending AIDS. However, she stressed the vital need for resources, political commitment, and the prioritisation of discussions on HIV at the centre of Women Deliver.
As GNP+ reflects on the impactful moments at the Women Deliver 2023 Conference, we renew and strengthen our commitment to gender equality. Our efforts have focused on girls and women living with HIV in all their diversity, championing meaningful support for women living with HIV-led organisations, youth-led digital activism, and solidarity against the anti-gender movement. Recognising that Women Deliver is still a challenging and limited space for diverse communities, especially marginalised populations such as transgender women and sex workers, to access and navigate, the conference created powerful momentum for knowledge-sharing and building alliances to address pressing challenges.
As intersectional feminists and Women Deliver Young Leaders, we returned home reaffirmed and proud of the solidarity displayed by the PLHIV community and its continued commitment to fight for human rights and gender equality for all. We look forward to reaching out and connecting with organisations, collectives and partners that share our vision and inspire our work.
In true feminist solidarity,
Bruna Martinez and Nomtika Mjwana, on behalf of the GNP+ Team
The passing of the draconian Anti-Homosexuality Act by Uganda’s Parliament in March 2023, has attracted worldwide attention to the issue of criminalisation of our communities, in particular LGBTIQ+ people.
Since then, Uganda is witnessing a true humanitarian crisis, as the law is fuelling stigma, discrimination and violence targeting people because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Yet, Uganda is not an isolated case.
For years, we have called out a deliberate strategy implemented across Africa by global anti-gender and anti-rights movements, supported by governments, media, and education sectors, and characterised with defamatory and populist rhetoric targeting specific communities.
This human rights crisis is spreading rapidly across the continent, with countries like Kenya, Burundi, Ghana, Senegal or Tanzania, considering surrogates of the Ugandan law, which directly contributes to the closure of civic space, disruptions in HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programming, ultimately threatening community livelihoods.
Forty years of AIDS response has taught us that punitive and discriminatory laws targeting communities of key populations lead to substantially higher prevalence of HIV and reduced access to testing and viral suppression. Structural barriers such as criminalisation of key populations results in further stigma and discrimination, thus creating significant barriers to HIV prevention and treatment services, while jeopardising decades of investments by the global community. Enacting punitive and discriminatory laws, against evidence and against commitments taken in the global AIDS response, further acts as a deterrent to foreign direct investments and international support in the countries themselves, thus undermining sustainable economic development and broader well-being of all citizens.
As Love Alliance, in the same spirit of togetherness, support and resilience, we applaud the brave individuals and organisations, which despite the challenges that LGBTIQ+ individuals face, are demonstrating extraordinary courage in the face of adversity. We praise activists who have initiated litigation to challenge the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 (AHA 2023) and hope the Constitutional Court will demonstrate its independence by repealing this retrograde piece of legislation and ensure the right to health for all.
This resilience is a testament to the power of love and hope, and we will continue to work hand in hand with them, tirelessly, to break down barriers and promote inclusivity. We stand in solidarity with communities in their fight for human rights, and we will not rest until everyone is treated equally, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and until we end stigma and discrimination.
Given the broader span of this grave human rights crisis, we believe the response should go beyond Uganda and address the challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ individuals throughout Africa.
As Love Alliance, in order to effectively meet the relief needs of our communities, we are evaluating our response mechanisms and will scale up our support to communities in the light of this unprecedented crisis. Together, we will work towards ensuring that everyone has access to the healthcare they deserve, particularly SRHR, HIV and human rights-based services.
We call on partners and funders such as UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to expand investments in funding for service delivery and advocacy in defiance of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill, but also and future similar bills under consideration in other countries across Africa. In doing this, a particular focus should be put on increasing funding for LGBTIQ+ and other key populations platforms and mechanisms, whose efforts are pivotal in organising a coordinated community-led response and mitigating the harmful impact of this human rights crisis on access to services and on the right to health for all.
We appeal to leaders of foreign governments to outline clear diplomatic consequences for Uganda in response to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and for other countries that are considering replicating it. Donors should immediately announce comprehensive reviews of all aspects of their funding to Uganda, including by considering strategic aid cuts to specific sectors that have failed to demonstrate respect for human rights, while ensuring that the people do not suffer the consequences of harmful political decisions of the government. Donors should urgently direct funding to community-led organisations and human rights defenders, to support programmes that aim to protect civic space, challenge stigma and discrimination and uphold human rights for all.
The journey towards equality and the recognition of LGBTIQ+ rights may be long but the unwavering hope and resilience demonstrated by communities keep us moving forward. We stand by the side of our communities in the pursuit of a future where everyone has the freedom to express their true selves, and enjoys equal access to healthcare and a life free of discrimination. Together, we are making it a reality.
The Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) applauds the UNAIDS global AIDS update, “The Path that Ends AIDS,” which highlights the significant advancements made by Botswana, Eswatini, Rwanda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe in achieving the 95-95-95 goals. These countries have demonstrated a commendable commitment to prioritising people and communities in their policies and programs, leading the world in the journey to end AIDS by 2030. Notably, East and Southern Africa, where substantial funding investments have been made, have witnessed a remarkable 57% decrease in new HIV infections since 2010.
Yet even in these most successful countries, as well as in many others, the achievement of these testing and treatment goals belie a stark reality: a significant number of people and communities – including women, girls, and key populations – are still being left behind across sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa and beyond. Due to gender and other inequalities, violence, stigma, discrimination, and harmful laws, women, girls and key populations are not able to access HIV testing, prevention, treatment and related SRHR services
The criminalisation of people living with and at higher risk of HIV further exacerbates the challenges. Many countries continue to limit access to HIV-related and other essential health services for these marginalised populations. Outdated laws that criminalise their behaviors persist worldwide, perpetuating the vulnerability of key populations and impeding efforts to control the pandemic. From criminalising drug use and sex work to consensual same-sex intercourse, transgender identity, and HIV non-disclosure, these discriminatory laws are the focus of equally important targets – the 10-10-10 – which are far from being realised. GNP+ continues to urge countries to join the Global Partnership for Action to Eliminate all forms of HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination and to heed our ‘Not A Criminal’ campaign and calls for HIV Justice Worldwide.
“Governments should revise and repeal laws that criminalise people living with HIV and key populations, ensuring a human rights-based approach to HIV. Policies promoting comprehensive sex education, harm reduction programs, and access to healthcare without discrimination are vital to human dignity, as well as helping to curb the epidemic.” – Cedric Nininahazwe, Global Advocacy Manager at GNP+.
While significant strides have been made in treatment availability, tragically, millions of people living with HIV still lack access to life-saving medications. In 2022, AIDS claimed a life every minute, and approximately 9.2 million individuals worldwide were not receiving HIV treatment. Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa face particularly slow progress in providing treatment. Stigma, discrimination, criminalisation, and a lack of trust in health services further hinder access, particularly for key populations. Just as tragically, children and adolescents living with HIV continue to suffer from inadequate treatment coverage, resulting in approximately 84,000 children losing their lives to the HIV pandemic in 2022 alone.
GNP+ emphasizes the crucial importance of community involvement and leadership, particularly among people living with HIV and key populations. Out of the 193 UNAIDS member states, only five have successfully reached the 95-95-95 targets, underscoring the urgent need for increased commitment. The invaluable expertise, skills, and unwavering determination of these communities are essential in driving national and global efforts. Governments must prioritise the meaningful involvement of people living with HIV, not only in the HIV response but also in broader health and social justice objectives.
A persistent significant hurdle is the widening funding gap in the global HIV response. Analysis by UNAIDS reveals a direct correlation between increased HIV funding and a decline in HIV incidence. Regrettably, regions with the largest funding gaps, such as Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, are making the least progress in responding to the HIV epidemic.
With less than seven years remaining until 2030, urgent action is indispensable. GNP+ expresses deep frustration, anger and concern over new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, emphasizing the critical need for adequate resources and financing to achieve and sustain the progress made thus far.
Sbongile Nkosi, Co-Director at GNP+ underscores the urgency, stating, “It is time for all stakeholders to step up and take action. We need robust support, increased funding, and collaboration to make this a reality. Let us unite in our resolve to end AIDS and ensure that no one is left behind on this journey.”
Ending AIDS by 2030, calls for unwavering political will, increased funding, and a strong commitment to tackling inequalities, stigma, discrimination and criminalisation. It is crucial that communities most impacted by HIV take the lead in delivering and monitoring services. Only through strengthened partnerships, unwavering commitment, adequate financial resources, and a strong political will, can we overcome the existing barriers and strive toward a world free from AIDS as a public health threat.
Join us in advocating for intersectional and transformative gender equality solutions
The fight against HIV is systemic, cutting across social, political, legal, and economic barriers that worsen the marginalisation of our communities. Gender inequality and traditional gender norms play a significant role in driving the epidemic. It is important to recognise that the impact of these factors can differ across cultures and religious beliefs.
Despite HIV medical advancements and global efforts spanning four decades, AIDS remains the leading cause of death among women and girls aged 15 to 49. Shockingly, even now, 4,000 girls are estimated to be newly infected every week. Women in all their diversity, including adolescent girls, young women, female sex workers, lesbians, and trans and queer women, bear the brunt of these new infections.
Adolescent girls and women living with HIV, despite often being excluded from feminist spaces, have valuable contributions to make in feminist discussions. Gender and sexuality have always been central to the experiences of women activists in the HIV movement. The diverse experiences of women living with HIV have fostered solidarity among marginalised groups, putting the HIV movement at the forefront of challenging the patriarchy, generating innovative solutions to shift power, and engaging men and boys through dialogue.
As the world progresses and new technologies are created every day, girls and women, in all their diversity, also face specific challenges when it comes to digital health and their rights. Human rights violations in the digital realm and limited access to digital tools exacerbate their vulnerable position and must be addressed from a rights perspective.
GNP+ celebrates the leadership and long-standing partnership of adolescent girls and women living with and affected by HIV in all their diversity. We invite feminists to join us at Women Deliver 2023 in advocating for truly intersectional and transformative gender equality solutions, drawing on the expertise of adolescent girls, young women, female sex workers, lesbians, and trans and queer women.
Learn more about our engagement at Women Deliver here.
Events at Women Deliver 2023:
Achieving gender equality – What does it mean for women living with HIV (Closed Event)
A reflection session with women living with HIV. How can we amplify and build upon existing movements of Women Living with HIV working towards reproductive justice, gender equality, and improved SRHR outcomes.
18 July 2023 at 2-4pm
Lemigo Hotel, KG 624 St, Kigali, Rwanda
__________________________________________
The 7th Replenishment’s outcomes and the need for effective advocacy for gender equality: Engaging young women to action
A panel discussion what are the key actions to ensure that funding – and quality interventions – are effectively directed to gender transformative actions and how women, especially young women, can be meaningfully involved in Global Fund processes.
19 July at 7am
Four Points by Sheraton, Kigali, Rwanda
__________________________________________
Ctrl+Alt+Advocate: Youth-Led Online Activism for Digital Rights
A collaborative effort between Amnesty International, GNP+, Restless Development, and Fondation Botnar. In this session, we will delve into the world of youth-led online activism, exploring the crucial role that young people can and should play, and how organisations can effectively encourage their involvement.
19 July at 11:30am
Kigali Convention Centre, Room AD11
__________________________________________
Countering the anti-gender movement with #LoveAlliance
The side event will draw on the theme of the conference in creating a space to educate movements on the anti-gender movement, be in solidarity with movements that are currently facing challenges due to the anti-gender movement and offer solutions on countering the anti-gender movement.
19 July at 5pm
Kigali Conference Centre Room MH 2.1
To advise on the direction of the Love Alliance programme and to promote the programme’s mission the Love Alliance seeks seven candidates who will have a seat on the Activists Advisory Committee.
The Activists Advisory Committee is part of the governance structure of the Love Alliance and the main independent expert and community advisory body to the Strategic Board of the Love Alliance. The Activists Advisory Committee will be made up of a group of a minimum of five and a maximum of nine expert members. Its core tasks are to conduct reviews and provide forward-looking advice to the Strategic Board on strategic matters.
Aidsfonds as administrative lead has the primary responsibility for the management of the grant. The Love Alliance Strategic Board will have final responsibility for the overall strategic direction of the partnership and for overseeing the implementation of the Love Alliance.
Interested to know more? Candidates may self-nominate, or be nominated by others no later than 21 July 2023. Please send nominations to Lovealliance@soaaids.nl.
Application Deadline: July 14th 2023
The Communities Delegation to the Unitaid Board represents people living with and affected by HIV, TB and Malaria and those co-infected with HIV and HCV, at Unitaid Board and Committee level. The Communities Delegation aims to be transparent, accountable and to prepare communities at grassroots and country level to engage in Unitaid work, working to raise awareness to increase the debate about the Unitaid work areas that directly affect those living with the diseases at country level, especially in the global south.
Since 2015 the Communities Delegation reconstituted itself to serve its seat on the Unitaid Board and is hosted by GNP+ based in Cape Town, South Africa. For more information about the Delegation’s mission, vision, goals and charter, please find our Delegation Handbook here.
The Communities Delegation is currently inviting applications for membership from people living with HIV, affected by tuberculosis, malaria and those co-infected with HIV and HCV for the period 2023-2025. The Delegation would like to increase its representativity by recruiting additional members from under-represented countries and disease areas.
The Terms of Reference for the Delegation members can be found in the Delegation Handbook with a description of the selection process. Please note that Delegation membership involves regular policy analysis and input into Board processes and grant proposal reviews and that the working language is English.
Community members living with the diseases from Unitaid-implementing countries in West and Central Africa, Latin America, South-East Asia and Western Pacific, as well as community experts in viral hepatitis, IP, Malaria, Cervical Cancer and Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) are strongly encouraged to apply. We would particularly welcome applications from countries with important Unitaid investments such as Uganda, India, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, DRC, Ethiopia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Lesotho, Peru, Senegal, Benin, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Philippines, and Cambodia but candidates from other countries will also be considered. You will find an overview of all current Unitaid projects and implementing countries here.
Interested community members with the above expertise and criteria are invited to submit the Application Form via email to wvandevelde@gnpplus.net. The deadline for submissions is July 14th COB.
Please share this call for applications within your networks.
Many thanks,
Wim Vandevelde Liaison Officer,
Communities Delegation to Unitaid Board
The Global Network of People Living with HIV is deeply concerned about the new anti-LGBTQ bill recently passed by the Ugandan parliament. We would like to highlight its devastating consequences towards the health of our constituency, the people living with HIV in Uganda, and urge President Museveni not to sign this bill into law.
Uganda is one of the successful countries in the fight against the AIDS epidemic, this success shown by a significant reduction of new HIV infections from 88 000 in 2010 to 54 000 in 2021, as well as reduction of AIDS-related deaths from 51 000 in 2010 to 17 000 in 2021. Further, in 2020, only the Government of Uganda had invested US$ 462, 799, 745 from their domestic budget to fight HIV and AIDS.[1]
This achievement is threatened by this new bill, whose impact will create barriers for many people living with HIV, to access treatment that is needed to prolong their lives and ensure quality of life. Consequently, many people who are highly impacted by HIV will go underground and refuse to seek health services, including HIV prevention services. The country risks backtracking on gains that have been realised so far towards achieving Global AIDS 95 – 95 – 95 targets. People living with HIV who have achieved viral suppression can no longer have the ability to sustain their treatment, those with higher risk of acquiring HIV will no longer access prevention and diagnostic services due to fear of prosecution.
Decades of research show punitive legislation targeting people living with HIV and Key Populations fuels stigma, discrimination, inequality, and the risk of violence. People who are criminalised are more likely to acquire HIV because criminalisation makes them less able to access health services, to prevent HIV infection. For this same reason, they are also less likely to know their HIV status, be on treatment, or be virally undetectable. When people are virally undetectable, HIV treatment has lowered the level of the virus in their blood to levels so low, that they can no longer transmit HIV. The Uganda PLHIV Stigma Index study report published in 2019 showed that 10.87% of participants were advised not to mother/father a child by a healthcare worker.[2] This number will increase dramatically with the signing of this bill.
Our 40 years of experience in fighting the AIDS epidemic have shown that, once you lose control of this epidemic, you will not have the ability to protect the general population from HIV infection and will severely impact political and economic stability in Uganda. Countries making the most progress in their national HIV programmes are ones that have adopted most of the laws and policies recommended by evidence, while those that have not done so, continue to report growing epidemics and rising death rates. Countries with constitutional rights to health, report better health outcomes than those that do not recognise or implement these rights.
We strongly believe that our effort in combating the HIV epidemic must be based on science and evidence, instead of prejudice or bias and therefore, we would like to convey our sincere ask for the government of Uganda to revisit the recently passed anti-LGBTQ bill for the sole purpose of humanity and ensuring quality of life for people living with HIV in Uganda.
We thank you for your attention.
Signed,
The Global Network of People Living with HIV
Download this statement here: Download Statement
[1]UNAIDS DATA 2022. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; 2022. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
[2] NAFOPHANU (2019), The PLHIV Stigma Index, Country Assessment, Uganda
The Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) is delighted to announce the appointment of Florence Riako Anam as our new co-Executive Director from 1st April 2023. She joins existing co-ED Sbongile Nkosi to form a dynamic duo of strong African women at the helm of the network, advocating globally for the rights of people living with HIV in all our diversity.
This decision follows a rigorous and participatory internal search process, in recognition of the rich pool of skilled and talented staff already present within GNP+. Sbongile notes:
“Florence has demonstrated her vision and skills as a transformational feminist leader in her contributions to the development of the new GNP+ strategy and governance evolution, and in leading our largest multi-country programme collaboratively with partners at national, regional, and global levels to fight stigma and criminalisation and push for access to treatment. I look forward to working shoulder to shoulder with her as we champion our shared mission.”
Florence, based in Kenya, was Programme Manager of the Love Alliance at GNP+ from January 2021, also leading our EPIC (End Paediatric AIDS in Children) initiative. She believes that global advocacy around HIV is facing a critical moment that must be met with bold action. For Florence, such action must be rooted in our communities, while demonstrating strategic understanding of the global architecture that is shaping the future of the HIV response:
“The HIV movement is collectively experiencing extraordinary challenges in remaining relevant in a rapidly changing world. To address these challenges, I strongly believe GNP+ needs to go back to the roots of AIDS activism, to reinvigorate the communities of people living with and affected by HIV and mobilise them to protect hard-won gains. We must motivate our teams and organisations to innovate and create the change necessary to grasp the opportunities that lie ahead of us. At the same time, we must take our rightful place in decision-making spaces through meaningful engagement to determine the priorities for the global response.”
According to GNP+ Board Co-Chairs Rodrigo Olin and Valeriia Rachynska, “Florence’s level of professionalism and expertise in advocacy, strategy and operations, her track record of close collaboration with our partner networks of people living with HIV and key populations, and her existing strong connections with WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF, PEPFAR and the Global Fund, make her ideally equipped to help lead the crucial next phase of GNP+’s work to promote the rights and dignity of all people living with HIV.”
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Love Alliance is an international partnership working towards a world where the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of all people are realised. On this International Women’s Day:
“We recognise the role of digital spaces, technology and innovation in advancing gender equality, supporting women to access information and services, build community and movements. ”
“We claim visibility, voice, and power, and exercise self-love and self-care while building a more resilient world.”
We live in an increasingly technological world. Digital solutions have the potential to bridge countries, continents, language and logistical barriers. Lack of access to technology can be a barrier to accessing information, education and employment opportunities.
Women who may already be socially and economically marginalised, face high rates of Gender-based violence (GBV), and routinely have their sexual and reproductive health and rights denied may continue to face exclusion, harassment and rights violations in the digital space.
This includes sex workers, LBTQ womxn, adolescent girls and young women, women living with HIV, women who use drugs and women with disabilities.
Digital innovation and technology are crucial for gender equality. Women in their diversity need access to a safe and inclusive digital world that provides knowledge and skills which are central to socio-economic development and empowerment, access to information and services tailored to their specific needs. Specifically, we need:
How are we realising this through Love Alliance?
Networks of people living with HIV welcome the recent Dar-es-Salaam Declaration on ending AIDS in children, which includes bold new commitments — including ring-fenced funding to diagnose and treat pediatric HIV. Still, without more meaningful representation of children, women living with HIV and, particularly new mothers within the response, the global community risks squandering its chance to turn the tide against a neglected epidemic.
Today, only about half of children living with HIV are on life-saving treatment, according to UNAIDS’ latest global AIDS update. As a result, nearly one in five people who die of AIDS-related illness are children, according to 2021 figures.
The heads of state and health ministers of 12 African countries recently adopted the Dar-es-Salaam Declaration on ending AIDS in children. The document was the product of the first meeting of the Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children, which includes countries, donors and global networks of people living with HIV; namely the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW), Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global), and the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+).
ICW, Y+ Global and GNP+ (the global networks), applaud the declaration and the ambitious targets included in the country plans that accompany it. The global networks now call upon donors and domestic governments to fund these goals.
“Historically, programmes to safeguard children living with or affected by HIV have been made in rooms without donors and because of this, many plans have gone unfunded,” explained GNP+’s Florence Riako Anam. “With Global Fund and PEPFAR as Global Alliance partners, I believe that plans to support and care for women and children stand a better shot than ever of being backed up by sound country plans.”
“The alliance and the declaration harness a unique opportunity,” she said. “Now is the time to invest in seizing this moment.”
Still, the global networks warn that the alliance’s true impact will depend on its ability to meaningfully incorporate children and women living with HIV, particularly new mothers.
“The Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children has made admirable efforts to representatives of people living with HIV with the help of international networks,” said Y+ Global’s Maximina Jokonya. Jokonya coordinates the HER Voice Fund to increase the engagement of adolescent and young women in Global Fund processes. “However, the voices of new mothers still remain under-represented in global discussions.”
Following this, the global networks now call on partners to ensure women living with HIV who have recently become mothers and are accessing services are included in decision-making platforms. For example, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has this year included community representation slots for breastfeeding mothers as part of planning meetings to produce the 2023/24 Country Operation Plans (COPs). These plans outline how U.S. donor funding will be spent, including priorities and targets.
The global networks call on other donors, including the Global Fund, to guarantee the same level of engagement in their national application processes to ensure that the lived experiences of women living with HIV, particularly new mothers, are reflected in planning.
“Research shows that a woman’s risk of HIV infection is four times higher than that of her peers in the six months after she delivers,” Jokonya explained. “At the same time, women and families are negotiating new realities around breastfeeding, caregiving, family planning and relationships after birth that can all have a bearing on a woman’s HIV risk and that of her child in the first two years.”
She concluded: “If we don’t understand this lived reality, we can’t effectively diagnose, treat or care for children affected by HIV or their mothers.”
The global networks continue to play a crucial role in the alliance, partnering with others to provide community input into consultations and the ultimate declaration. This follows successful advocacy by networks earlier last year that led to the creation of a Community Oversight Taskforce within the global alliance to ensure community-led monitoring of its work. Additionally, people living with HIV pushed for the addition of a fourth pillar of work for the alliance to address social and structural barriers to diagnoses and treatment — including gender inequality.
More recently, the trio developed a community monitoring checklist to guide alliance countries in creating effective, efficient, and responsive programming. This includes real representation of women and other key populations within national platforms and dedicated funding to develop new leaders within these communities.
Networks of people living with HIV call on governments and donors to mainstream the checklist into both PEPFAR COPs and the Global Fund’s latest funding cycle.
“We have helped shape the Global Alliance and have ensured that human rights, community engagement and gender equality are pillars of the Alliance,” said Lillian Mworeko of the International Community of Women living with HIV in Eastern Africa. “We believe that women- and key population-led responses are key to ending AIDS in children.”
The Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children aims to prevent new HIV pediatric infections and ensure that by 2030 all HIV-positive children can access lifesaving treatment. As part of this work, the alliance also aims to avert new HIV infections among breastfeeding and pregnant women or — for those already infected — ensure access to treatment. Currently, the alliance comprises 12 countries: Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The alliance also includes UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Global Fund, PEPFAR, Pediatric-Adolescent Treatment Africa (PATA) and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
As part of its annual celebration of the Love Positive Women movement, GNP+ had the opportunity to interview dynamic young Tanzanian activist Pudensia Mbwiliza. Pudensia, aged 27, is based in Mwanza with her partner and 19-month-old son. In addition to her work as a lay counsellor or “expert client”, she juggles multiple leadership and governance roles. She is Chair of the Network of Young People Living with HIV in Tanzania (NYP+), as well as a Board member of the National Council of People Living with HIV. She also serves on the Tanzania National Country Co-ordinating Mechanism (CCM) as a representative of young people with HIV.
Pudensia’s work recently led to her involvement in the Global Alliance to end AIDS in Children by 2030, a new international collaboration – including GNP+, ICW and Y+ Global among its partners – to address the glaring disparity in progress between adults and children. The initiative aims to prevent new infant HIV infections and ensure that every child living with HIV has access to treatment by the end of the decade. Earlier this month, ministers and officials from the inaugural twelve African countries leading the Global Alliance, together with community representatives, UN agencies, stakeholders and partners,[1] gathered in Dar es Salaam to discuss progress and plans. The resulting Dar es Salaam Declaration for Action to end AIDS in Children sets out a series of commitments to achieve the initiative’s ambitious aims.
Pudensia spoke powerfully on stage to the gathered dignitaries to advocate for positive mothers and their children, drawing on her own experience as well as NYP+’s close involvement in the process leading up to the Declaration. As she notes, “We held many conversations with our peers and colleagues, sharing information and ideas as young people. I am proud that we have reached the point where every child can be born HIV-free. We are at the forefront and we are going to make it happen!” While she sees the Declaration as a positive step and statement of intent, Pudensia is very keen that words are translated into deeds. “Ministers can talk, but we need to see the action! Dealing with politicians often means there is a very long line before a decision is reached. Meanwhile, HIV is still killing our children and young people.”
Pudensia knows first-hand the impact of HIV on families. She was only 9 months old when her mother passed away; through fear, her father was unwilling for his daughter to know her own status. Even after going for a test in early adolescence and learning the result, it was more than four years before Pudensia started accessing ARVs. “I had no-one to share this with, no-one behind me with support or advice.”
Even now, Pudensia admits, “I may seem confident on the outside, but I also need support. Like any human being, I face some stresses and I don’t always feel secure. All of us need other people to share things with.” Her go-to technique to relax at home is to sit back and watch an action movie, with the Transporter series being her favourite – “I even named my son Jason after the star, Jason Statham!” She has high hopes for her child’s future. “Many of us are HIV-positive because previously, there was no plan to help those waiting to be born. Now, my son is HIV-free and I want his whole generation to be free.” Prospects are also much brighter for those living with HIV: “I want to say to all the young people living with HIV out there, we can have it all – marriage, children, a job, a future – as long as we adhere to our treatment. Let’s also learn to accept our status, and tell others about it, so that we can live a free and positive life. If I am not fine with it, who else is going to be fine with it?”
It takes a lot of discipline to fulfil Pudensia’s competing responsibilities, while still ensuring time for her family – a challenge many women can relate to. Two hours each day can easily be swallowed up just reading CCM emails. “They send so many of them – and they’re all long!” Currently, with Tanzania in the process of preparing a Global Fund request, time management becomes even more vital. Of course, that is just one of the challenges she faces. According to Pudensia, working in the HIV space can be difficult. Sometimes she and fellow activists are accused of telling their stories to gain money or attention for themselves. Instead, she emphasises, “I’m just trying my level best to help my peers live with HIV in a positive way.” Lack of resources for this work is compounded by a shortage of income-generating opportunities for young people: “We have lots of ideas for working with youths, adolescent girls and young women, in rural areas for example, but without the funds we can’t reach them.”
From her experience as a positive young activist, leader and mother, Pudensia knows that collaboration is key. “None of us can make it on our own. We need to join together so our collective voices can be heard.” That is why GNP+ and Aidsfonds, through the EPIC initiative to end paediatric AIDS in children, are supporting young moms, dads and communities to develop strong advocacy initiatives and speak up for children. With the skills, energy and commitment of Pudensia and others like her, the twin goals of enabling young people to live happy, healthy lives with HIV and ending AIDS in children are within reach. A mother’s love is unbreakable – and when amplified through solidarity and channelled into focused activism, it is surely unbeatable.
[1] Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Vice President and Minister Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe, Ministers of Health or their representatives of Angola, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, representatives of SADAC, the East African Community, the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS, UNICEF, WHO, Networks of People Living with HIV, Global Fund, PEPFAR, PATA and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
IAS – the International AIDS Society – and its Conference Committee are optimizing community participation and accountability through a transparent selection process that will rotate conferences across the five regions of the world. Out of the next six conferences, five will take place in the southern hemisphere. This increases to seven, if one also considers AIDS 2028 and AIDS 2030 that are set to take place in Asia Pacific / Africa, following the logic of the global rotation.
The Global Networks of People living with HIV (GNP+), Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE), International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW), Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global) and ASHA Foundation fully support this decision.
As civil society partners, we have worked to ensure robust community participation at the biennial International AIDS Conference, IAS Conference on HIV Science and HIV Research for Prevention Conference. We have advocated for conferences to be held in countries where the rights of key populations are respected, where there is local government support, and where long-term viability is upheld.
As a community, we have learnt the lessons of the AIDS conferences in recent years. We continue to advocate that communities are at the centre of political participation and decision making at all major political and scientific conferences on HIV and AIDS. This includes a call on decision makers to address the barriers that prevent community engagement, as well as a call on IAS to strengthen the civil society space with a participatory and representative approach from communities, researchers and policy makers. We understand the barriers to meaningful participation of our diverse communities of people living with HIV and people in key populations, and we understand the challenges facing communities in the global south.
We are committed to advancing community engagement efforts to overcome these challenges and ensure the meaningful participation of people living with HIV. Efforts will be developed in the coming months to facilitate, communicate, discuss and simplify community engagement processes and increase activist ownership of the political and scientific spaces within these conferences.
Together, we are working to ensure accessibility for our diverse communities around the world. Please look out for upcoming initiatives driven by civil society this year.
Nothing about us without us!
Read IAS Statement here: https://www.iasociety.org/news/ias-announces-global-rotation-all-its-conferences
Four decades into the HIV pandemic, draconian laws stand between people and treatment
1 December 2022 — Today, people living with HIV and key populations are criminalised in some form in nearly every country in the world — putting them at increased risk of violence and restricting their access to healthcare.
UNAIDS’ recent “In Danger” report shows that 134 countries criminalise HIV transmission, non-disclosure of or exposure to HIV — at least two dozen other countries allow for prosecutions under other laws. Similarly, in nearly 40% of countries, being in a same-sex relationship is either partially (24) or completely (39) illegal.
Almost 90% of nations globally criminalise drug use in full, according to a 2021 international review.
From the 211 countries and dependencies mapped by the Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP)’ Global Mapping of Sex Work Laws, 193 criminalise one or more aspect of sex work . A further 15 countries and dependent territories have a system of legalisation, where sex work has been legalised by introducing restrictive laws/regulations to control the sex industry. In these countries, many sex workers remain criminalised because of the creation of a two-tier system of legalised/regulated sex work and illegal sex work.
Criminalisation increases the risk of HIV infection among key populations, such as young women; gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM); people who use drugs and sex workers. Key populations are up to 36 times more likely to acquire HIV compared to the general population, according to 2021 UNAIDS figures.
Meanwhile, access to HIV prevention services for key populations, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), remains low or — in the case of transgender people in Africa — non-existent. Similarly, harm reduction services, or services to reduce the negative consequences of drug use, remain scarce.
“Bad laws don’t protect people,” says the Global Network of People Living with HIV’s (GNP+) Florence Riako Anam, the programme manager for Love Alliance. The Love Alliance works to improve the health and rights of marginalised people who are most affected by HIV.
“Instead, decades of evidence show the criminalisation of people living with HIV and Key Populations makes them targets for violence — and the virus — while putting prevention, care and support out of reach,” she continues.
Criminalisation can be deadly for women and their children
Laws that criminalise HIV transmission disproportionately affect women and can increase vulnerability to gender-based violence.
“Women are more likely to be the first within their relationship to discover they have HIV, usually due to HIV testing in the antenatal setting” explains Charity T. Mkona, chairperson of the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW). “As a result, women face blame for ‘bringing HIV into the relationship’ even as these women may be experiencing violence or be unable to negotiate safe sex.” Women living with HIV experiencing violence may face physical and emotional violence, displacement and other economic impacts. Criminalisation can become one more tool of the abuser.
Worryingly we are seeing a wave of criminalisation particularly of mothers living with HIV with regards to breastfeeding despite long-standing evidence about the health benefits of breastfeeding for children and increasing scientific evidence that for people effectively utilising antiretroviral treatment, breastfeeding — or chestfeeding — poses a low risk of transmission.
Criminalisation of transmission is counterproductive, reducing help-seeking avenues for women living with HIV who are experiencing violence, while increasing barriers to healthcare and women’s vulnerability to power and control tactics utilised by abusive partners.
We are not criminals
At the International AIDS Conference in July, the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) launched the “Not A Criminal Campaign” to decriminalise HIV non-disclosure, exposure and transmission; same-sex relationships; sex work and drug use. The “Not a Criminal” campaign is a partnership between GNP+, HIV Justice Network, Y+ Global, the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW), NSWP, INPUD, Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE) and Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights (MPact).
As part of the “Not A Criminal” Campaign, we demand countries replace laws that are barriers to HIV prevention and treatment with evidence-based legislation to protect our communities from criminalisation, discrimination and gender-based violence and support the creation of independent human rights institutions. Additionally, the campaign calls on United Nations agencies and donors to develop strong, coordinated, and high-profile mechanisms to monitor progress on these member states’ commitments.
“Every day, young people in all our diversity are criminalized because of our health status and sexuality, and denied our inherent rights as human beings,” Tinashe Rufurwadzo, director of programmes, management and governance at the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global). “Our leaders are silent, and our national policies are ignorant and negligent of our needs.”
Scientists, United Nations bodies agree: Support us, don’t criminalise us
Decades of research show punitive legislation targeting people living with HIV and Key Populations fuels stigma, discrimination, inequality and the risk of violence.
People who are criminalised are more likely to acquire HIV because criminalisation makes them less able to access health services to prevent HIV infection. For this same reason, they are also less likely to know their HIV status, be on treatment or be virally undetectable. When people are virally undetectable, HIV treatment has lowered the level of the virus in their blood to levels so low that they can no longer transmit HIV.
But we also know that decriminalisation can be a powerful tool to empower communities and reverse inequalities. For example, decriminalising sex work could avert between a third and almost half of all new HIV infections globally among workers and their clients, found a 2014 study published in The Lancet.
Meanwhile,nearly two dozen of the world’s leading HIV scientists and major United Nations agencies like UNAIDS have already called on countries to repeal the regressive criminalisation of HIV. UNAIDS also supports the decriminalisation of drugs for personal use.
The world continues to miss global targets to end AIDS
The HIV epidemic is far from over and yet the world’s response continues to fall short. Previously, the world committed to ensuring that 90% of people living with HIV knew their status, 90% of those diagnosed were on treatment and that 90% of those on treatment were virally suppressed.
Although 81% of people knew their HIV status as of 2020, only 67% were on treatment and even less (59%) were virally suppressed. Inequalities persist among key populations and extend to children living with HIV, only about half of whom were on treatment, shows UNAIDS’ latest global report.
Yet, the world continues to witness the slow adoption of global commitments to address stigma, discrimination, criminalisation, and violence for people living with HIV, Key and vulnerable populations worldwide.
“Four decades into the HIV pandemic, the evidence is crystal clear: Countries with regressive laws have poorer HIV programme outcomes,” Anam says.. “Bad laws” continue to fuel the inequalities that prevent the world from ending the AIDS pandemic. The time to act for a more equitable future is now.”
To support our calls for decriminalisation and receive alerts about the Not a Criminal campaign, sign up for alerts from GNP+
For thousands of young women and girls, motherhood is not a joyous occasion. This Universal Children’s Day and amid a tide of teen pregnancies fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, countries, donors and communities must recommit focus and resources for young women and girls. Communities should safeguard women and girls from harmful social practices while civil society ought to speak out against the triple threats of HIV, pregnancies and gender-based violence (GBV) among adolescent girls to ensure children reach their full potential.
At 18, Lucy Wanjiku Njenga’s life felt like it was about to begin.
“I was in the prime of my life, I had finished high school and won two beauty pageants,” says Wanjiku Njenga, who grew up in a Nairobi informal settlement. “It was such an honour because it showed me that I could do anything I put my mind to, which isn’t a message you get when you’re living in that environment.”
She continues: “I didn’t just want to survive, I wanted to do something with my life.”
Wanjiku Njenga was still dreaming of moving out and finding a job when she discovered she was pregnant.
She remembers: “My world just came crashing down.”
Within two years, she would be diagnosed with HIV and lose her infant son to AIDS-related illnesses. But in 2015, Wanjiku Njenga founded Kenya’s first network of adolescents living with HIV, Sauti Skika. Almost a decade later, she is now the founding director of Young Women Voices, a community-based organisation working to empower adolescent girls and young women living with or affected by HIV. Both Sauti Skika and Young Women Voices are members of the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+).
“Sometimes I wish I knew then that it was okay for me to walk into a facility and get contraceptives without feeling so judged,” Wanjiku Njenga says. “It’s unfortunate that even today, many young women and girls still find themselves in that exact situation: Overwhelmed and unsupported, including by health services that do not respond to their needs.”
Subhead: The time to act is now: COVID-19 led to spikes in teenage pregnancies
One adolescent girl or young woman was newly infected with HIV every two minutes in 2021, UNAIDS reports.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions to key HIV treatment and prevention services and put millions of girls out of school. For these and other reasons, the pandemic fostered spikes in teenage pregnancies and GBV, notes UNAIDS in its latest global report, appropriately entitled, “In Danger.”
In South Africa, teenage pregnancies rose by nearly 60% in some areas during COVID-19’s first year. Similarly, researchers in Uganda reported a 28% jump in pregnancies among adolescent girls early in its outbreak. Unable to buck the trend, Kenya recently launched a campaign to end what the country is calling the “triple threat:” HIV infections, adolescent pregnancies and GBV.
This triple threat risks denying young girls the opportunity to finish school, increasing vulnerabilities and inequalities. Research shows that ensuring that girls complete secondary education can slash their HIV risk by up to 50%. Combining a high school education with a right-based package of services can reduce that risk even further.
Young women and girls continue to battle user fees, stigma, lack of services
In a recent listening session with GNP+, girls spoke of the hardships of teenage pregnancies and how it was difficult for them to imagine being anyone’s mother at their age. Some girls reported pregnancies as early as 13.
In the session, young, HIV-positive women from across the continent not only recounted gaps in psycho-social support but also treatment and care.
In Nigeria, user fees at some facilities continue to prevent women and their children from accessing care. Stigma and discrimination remain prevalent, women told us, and led to delays in accessing viral load testing and services for the prevention of vertical transmission.
Young women spoke of the lack of services, particularly in rural areas, for post-exposure prophylaxis and the early infant diagnosis that could have helped save Wanjiku Njenga’s young son. Many wanted to see more peer prevention and treatment navigators at health facilities and in the community.
Subhead: Fund those closest to communities
As the world celebrates Universal Children’s Day, it must act urgently to provide young women and girls with rights-based responses that protect them from abuse and enshrine their right to comprehensive sex education, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. To enable women and girls to claim these rights, HIV programmes have to move outside of their traditional scopes of treatment literacy and support to address lived realities of poverty and hunger.
Despite regional commitments to comprehensive sex education, it remains poorly and unevenly implemented in Africa. Comprehensive sex education, both in and out of schools, has been shown to delay sexual debut, decrease the frequency of sex and number of partners among sexually-active youth and increase the use of condoms and contraception, according to a 2018 research review by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
“Countries must act urgently to enforce and strengthen laws and services, recommitting to a rights-based response,” says Maximina Jokonya, HER Voice Fund coordinator at the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global). “Donors, meanwhile, must fund organisations led by communities and young people affected by HIV that are best placed to reach young women and girls with the support they need.”
To this end, GNP+ and Aidsfonds launched the End Paediatric AIDS in Children (EPIC) initiative at the 2022 International AIDS Conference to demand sustained and urgent action to realize the global pediatric HIV commitments in the Global AIDS Strategy and the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, adopted at the 2021 UN High-Level Meeting on AIDS.
Food, sanitary pads, school fees: It’s time HIV responses addressed girls’ lived realities
During COVID-19, hunger in many countries in which our networks work skyrocketed. Meanwhile, schools — sometimes a safer place than home for many girls — closed. Around the world, our member networks responded by providing food parcels or helping young girls return to school when facilities re-opened.
“COVID-19 made everything worse,” says Wanjiku Njenga, who does regular community outreach among young women in her community. During the peak of COVID-19, demand soared for food, school fees and sanitary pads, she adds. “People still have not recovered.
Traditionally, the HIV response has been focused on access to medicines. However, more recently, programmes have expanded to begin to understand and address the biological, behavioural, social and economic drivers of young women’s heightened HIV risk. Early results of interventions are both promising and complex — and may be increasingly so as new, digital health tools are incorporated in the era of COVID-19.
“At 18, pregnant and confused, I would have wished that someone had listened to what I needed — not only providing me with the information I needed but also empowering me in ways that could have allowed me to provide for myself and my child,” Wanjiku Njenga says.
“The HIV sector must renew its focus on children within the response, designing programmes that amplify their voices and meet their needs,” she concludes. “Because when children are having children, it’s systems that have failed — not girls.”
Launched at AIDS2022, the EPIC initiative joins forces to highlight the urgent need to re-commit focus, resources, and action to end AIDS in children by 2030. EPIC is just the latest way Aidsfonds and GNP+ kept children on the agenda at the world’s largest gathering of HIV activists, scientists, and donors.
Under the umbrella of the EPIC, Aidsfonds and GNP+ collaborated on the following key events on paediatric HIV advocacy at the meeting:
The session was organised by GNP+ and Aidsfonds and focused on the experiences of transitioning children to pDTG with perspectives from the community, donors, clinicians, and programme managers. The talk centered on community voices, including parents, caregivers, and key populations. Facilitated by an implementer at SAfAIDS, the discussion was attended by Ministry of Health officials, donors, implementing partners, civil society, and women living with HIV. Together, participants identified key challenges, successes, and lessons learned from the pDTG roll-out in many African countries.
UNAIDS, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched the new Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030. The Alliance also includes GNP+, Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global) and the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW). The trio of networks is joined by Alliance partners, including Aidsfonds, other civil society organisations, governments of affected countries, and major donors like the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria.
The Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 will mobilise leadership, funding, and action around four key pillars:
Twelve countries have joined the alliance in the first phase: Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, alongside UNAIDS, UNICEF and the WHO, is expected to host African heads of state to discuss the Alliance before the end of the year.
Read more about the Global Alliance here.
The Global Fund’s seventh Replenishment campaign came to a close last week, seeing an investment of US$14.25 billion in pledges from governments and private sector donors. This year the Global Fund’s seventh Replenishment made an investment case call of at least US$18 billion from donors to support low- and middle-income countries to get back on track to end AIDS, TB, and Malaria as public health threats by 2030.
However, 20 million lives living and affected by the three diseases were dealt a blow, when the target of US$18 billion was not reached due to countries like the UK halting their pledge at a very critical stage of the pledge. Without the pledge from the UK, the replenishment is short of US$3.75 billion. As the Communities Delegation has indicated, ‘if the pledges stop at US$14 billion and the target of US$18 billion is not reached, it means only 15.5 million lives will be saved and 4.5 million lives will end prematurely.’
“GNP+ is calling for a renewed commitment from worldwide leaders to continue saving lives. More than ever, efforts need to continue to end HIV, TB, and Malaria. People around the world continue to face the effects of inequalities, social injustice, and lack of access to health services and health promotion”, Rodrigo Olin, GNP+ Board co-chair.
According to the Global Fund 7th Replenishment Investment Case report, ‘If we fail to step up investments in fighting HIV, TB, and Malaria, we must accept that we are effectively abandoning the 2030 goals to end these diseases as public health threats. Even worse, we risk surrendering the gains we have collectively fought so hard and invested so much to achieve, leaving people to die and entire communities behind. The economic costs of prolonging the fight against the three diseases far outweigh the additional investments needed. The cost of lives will be measured in millions.’
“Our HIV response progress has been losing momentum, resources for HIV are decreasing and inequalities are widening. The global HIV targets were missed and the pandemic continues to grow. The Global Fund has saved 44 million lives since its creation 20 years ago, meeting the target of US$18 billion will allow it to save over 20 million lives in the upcoming 3 years”, Sbongile Nkosi, GNP+ Co-Director.
We applaud the 73 governments and private sector donors including the US, Korea, South Africa, Kenya, and many others who have headed the call and risen to the challenge, and raised their pledge to meet the 30% increase. Their efforts to get the world back on track and save millions of lives are commendable, now we call on their counterpart the UK to play their part, stand by their commitment, close the financial gap and show strong commitments to end AIDS, TB, and Malaria.
12 August 2022 International Youth Day — Globally, almost half of countries do not involve young people in policy making or strategies related to their health, UNAIDS data shows. Today, the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+ Global) and the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) announce the creation of their Young Emerging Leaders (YEL) program, to build an elite squad of young advocates to engage and influence global policy and health governance spaces.
The work is the latest initiative from the civil society coalition, the Love Alliance.
Every day, 1,110 young people between the ages of 15 and 24, become newly infected with HIV, according to UNAIDS’ latest global AIDS update, entitled “In Danger.” In 2021, a young woman or adolescent girl contracted HIV every two minutes. AIDS-related illnesses remain a leading cause of death among young girls and women aged 15 to 29. Meanwhile, young people who are sex workers, use drugs or are transgender — as well as gay men and other men who have sex with men — also remain at high risk of infection. They also remain underserved by traditional HIV care and treatment services.
For almost four decades, young people have fought to become HIV advocates, peer educators, service providers and even researchers. They have struggled — often without resources — to ensure young people are at the centre of policies, programmes and funding to address their needs.
Still, young advocates remain poorly represented in local and international decision-making platforms. In a 16-country survey by the youth coalition Young Pact, nearly 70% still do not include young people in Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs) that decide funding, for example.
“Young people from key populations remain under-represented at almost all levels of decision-making spaces that impact our health and rights,” says Tinashe Rufurwadzo, Y+ Global Director of Programmes, Management and Governance. “Now more than ever, the world needs the leadership of young advocates to ethically and meaningfully engage and represent us in the policy dialogue and health governance spaces.”
Today on International Youth Day, Y+ Global and GNP+ announce the creation of their YEL program, to strengthen the representation of young people on global platforms, such as the United Nations General Assembly, World Health Organization and the Global Fund.
The YEL program is being implemented by Y+ Global and GNP+ with initial funding from the Dutch-funded Love Alliance program. This program will collaborate with Love Alliance member organizations to create a strong team of 15 YEL advocates primarily from the Love Alliance countries: Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Burundi and Burkina Faso. A few positions will be available for advocates outside of Africa, specifically from Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. The program is open to advocates 25 years and younger.
“Increasing the representation of young people within the global HIV response is challenging,” explains Love Alliance Program Officer, Aline Fantinatti. “Many young advocates struggle to gain the technical expertise and confidence to engage in important platforms meaningfully. Those that do, are often overstretched and often unrealistically expected to represent the diversity of young peoples’ voices.”
Fantinatti continues: “The YEL program aims to fill that gap deliberately and sustainably.”
YEL advocates will access specially tailored online learning modules, covering areas such as HIV treatment, funding flows and public advocacy. YEL advocates will also meet monthly in “Moments of Truth” peer-to-peer learning sessions. In these meetings, advocates will share challenges, solutions and lessons learned from their own work.
Advocates will be paired with Community Advocacy Technical Experts (CATEs) for one-on-one, hands-on coaching. Our specially selected community advocacy experts will not only provide individual coaching to participants but will work to facilitate YEL advocates’ access to national or regional meetings and other spaces.
The YEL programme’s inaugural class will run until December 2023, when they will participate in a graduation ceremony and retreat at the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA). Graduates will become coaches to the next generation of YEL advocates.
“Effective advocacy depends on strong and vibrant advocates who have the capacity, resources, support, and motivation from their communities, to show up, engage and represent,” GNP+ Programme Manager Florence Anam, said. “The YEL program will help grow an elite squad of advocates to do just that.”
For more information, contact:
Tinashe Rufurwadzo, Y+ Global Director of Programmes, Management & Governance / trufurwadzo@yplusglobal.org
Florence Anam, GNP+ Programme Manager / friakoanam@gnpplus.net
More than 134 countries still criminalise HIV transmission
International AIDS Conference, Montreal — Nearly every country criminalises HIV transmission, same-sex relationships, sex work and/or drug use in some way. These laws push HIV-affected communities underground and away from HIV prevention, treatment and care. Today, the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) launches a new campaign to repeal these laws.
The recently launch UNAIDS ‘In Danger’ reports shows that 134 countries criminalise HIV transmission, non-disclosure of or exposure to HIV — at least two dozen other countries allow for prosecutions under other laws. Meanwhile, a 2021 international review found that almost 90% of nations globally criminalise drug use in full, while about three-quarters similarly police sex work. In nearly 40% of countries, being in a same-sex relationship is either partially (24) or completely (39) illegal.
“All over the world, punitive laws, policies and practices feed discrimination and make us vulnerable to violence – from the state and others,” says Andrew Spieldenner, executive director of MPact, Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights. “Our work, our sex, our gender, our joy and what we put in our body should not be up for others to judge, legislate or abuse.”
Outdated and discriminatory laws against those most affected by HIV continue to fuel discrimination and a lack of access to healthcare, including HIV prevention, care and treatment services.
“Criminalising sex workers, our clients and others who support our work creates precarious working conditions and exacerbates exploitation and our vulnerability to HIV and other poor health outcomes,” explains Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) Global Coordinator Ruth Morgan Thomas. “Stigma and discrimination that are rooted in criminal and other punitive laws create significant barriers that limit access to both health and justice.”
Research shows that about 12% fewer people living with HIV in countries that criminalized same-sex relationships, sex work or drug use knew their HIV status as of 2021. On average, these countries also had 10% fewer people who were virally suppressed. When someone living with HIV is virally suppressed, it means that antiretroviral treatment has brought the level of HIV in their blood down to levels so low that they can no longer transmit the virus.
“People who use drugs are intimately aware that criminalising people and communities always generates wider harms,” says Judy Chang, executive director of the International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD). “The global war on drugs is a war on people who use drugs and has led to mass deaths, incarceration, and social injustices that disproportionately impact Black, indigenous and people of colour and women.”
Chang continues: “The recent US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade and remove federal protections on the right to abortion has forced us all to envisage a world in which women seeking autonomy over their own bodies and lives are criminalised. This is our lives every day.”
“Criminalization is sometimes framed as a tool to protect women who are experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual assault. But in reality, these laws increase stigma and discrimination against women and girls living with HIV and place us at increased risk of violence,” says Charity T. Mkona Chairwoman of ICW Global.
Today, GNP+ joins with networks representing young people, women, the LGBTI+ community, sex workers and people who use drugs to launch the “Not A Criminal Campaign” to decriminalise HIV non-disclosure, exposure and transmission; same-sex relationships; sex works and drug use.
The “Not A Criminal” Campaign is a partnership between GNP+, the HIV Justice Network, Y+ Global, the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW), the Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP), INPUD, Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE) and Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights (MPact).
As part of the “Not A Criminal” Campaign, organizations are demanding countries replace bad laws with evidence-based legislation to protect our communities from criminalization, discrimination and gender-based violence, and support the creation of independent human rights institutions. Additionally, the campaign calls on United Nations agencies and donors to develop strong, coordinated, and high-profile mechanisms to monitor progress on these member states’ commitments.
“Far from being a legitimate public health tool, criminalisation of our behaviours, choices and identities is about the enforcement of an oppressive morality through policing our bodily autonomy,” HIV Justice Network Executive Director Edwin Bernard says. “This punishment of our vulnerability also means we won’t be able to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.”
In 2015, nations committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. A promise complemented by the adoption of the Global AIDS Strategy and the 2021 UN Political Declaration on HIV.
Yet, the world continues to witness the slow adoption of and refusal to implement global commitments to address stigma, discrimination, criminalisation, and violence for people living with and most affected by HIV worldwide.
“Every day, young people in all our diversity are criminalized because of our health status and sexuality and denied our inherent rights as human beings,” Tinashe Rufurwadzo, Y+ Global director of programmes, management & governance. “Our leaders are silent, and our national policies are ignorant and negligent of our needs.”
Erika Castellanos is the interim executive director of Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE).
She says: “Criminalization affects us all — it hurts us, it kills us, and we need to address it in a united, communities response”
A list of countries criminalising HIV transmission, same-sex relationships, sex work and drug use can be found here.
Below is a graphic from the latest UNAIDS ‘In Danger’ report showing the numbers of countries that criminalise HIV transmission, same-sex relationships, sex work and drugs.
For media interview, please contact:
Cedric Nininahazwe, GNP+ Global Advocacy Manager / cnininahazwe@gnpplus.net
Florence Anam, GNP+ Programme Manager / friakoanam@gnpplus.net
Lesego Tlhwale, GNP+ Communications Manager / ltlhwale@gnpplus.net
