Improving the Standard - partnerships between UNAIDS and the Faith-Based Community

1. Improving the Standard - partnerships between UNAIDS and the Faith-Based Community Sally Smith Civil Society Partnerships and Ayoko Bahum- Wilson EHAIA/WCC Presentation to the Christian Pre-ICASA Symposium

2. About UNAIDS • Set up in 1996, UNAIDS is a joint programme of cosponsoring organizations of the United Nations • Created to provide coordinated UN support to countries • Cosponsoring organizations: UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNDCP, ILO, UNESCO, WHO, World Bank, WFP

3. UNAIDS Cosponsors UNAIDSSecretariat

4. UNAIDS Cosponsors • UNAIDS’ Cosponsors work together through the UNAIDS Secretariat to expand their outreach and form strategic alliances with: • public sector including uniformed services • private sector • civil society, especially networks of people living with HIV and faith-based organizations

5. UNAIDS at country level • UNAIDS is increasing it’s staff presence at Regional and country level. • Regional Support teams now established in Johannesburg, Dakar, Cairo and Bangkok. • Increased number of UNAIDS Country Coordinators, Partnership and Social Mobilization officers and Monitoring and Evaluation officers recruited and placed in countries

6. Working with FBO’s • Global Regional and National approaches • Christianity • Islam • Hinduism • Other faiths • Interfaith approaches, UNICEF WCRP

7. Who do we work with? • ANERELA+ • Lutheran World Federation • World Council of Churches - Ecumenical HIV/ AIDS initiative in Africa EHAIA. • Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance • Roman Catholic Church • Anglican Communion • Baptist World Alliance • Presbyterian • Orthodox • Evangelical networks - ACET • Viva • Micah

8. What are the messages? • The churches have been at the forefront of the response, especially in Africa- providing care and support • Increasingly, churches and their health care institutions are getting involved in testing counselling and treatment scale-up and support • Religion has a major role to play in helping families and communities cope with the impact of HIV in peoples lives • Churches have a key role to play in stigma eradication.

9. What are the messages? • Break the silence • Advocacy • Leaders to speak out • Inreach • End stigma and discrimination • End ignorance • End isolation • Outreach • Organize services and support for women, youth and children • Support churches and projects in their response to HIV and AIDS • Collaborate • Ecumenical • Interfaith • International • National

10. Break the silence • Leaders are already breaking the silence on HIV • There is still more to be done • HIV has profoundly changed the world • A new look at theology and preaching through HIV spectacles is needed • Preaching or teaching on sexuality? • Is HIV on an organizational priority? • Is my church a safe place for people to declare their HIV status? • For UNAIDS church leaders are a hard to reach group!

11. Inreach • End stigma: The assurance of a loving welcome, care and support within the church when someone declares their HIV status to their brothers and sisters in Christ. (This must also apply to HIV+ pastors, UNAIDS works with ANERELA+) • End ignorance: Provide accurate information and strategies on how to remain abstinent, faithful and protect oneself from HIV infection when at risk for every church member. • End isolation: A compassionate set of care and support services for every family in the church living with HIV

12. Outreach • Home based care • Orphan care • Care for the carers • Prevention education and services • Youth work • Women’s work • VCT ARV provision

13. Join in Global and National level processes which involve civil society in HIV action • International HIV and AIDS NGO networks • Country level partnership forum • GFTAM Country coordinating mechanism • National AIDS Council • UNAIDS country offices • UN Agencies country offices • The world AIDS campaign • Three ones • UNGASS reporting process • Global Coalition on Women and AIDS

14. Useful contacts Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance. EAA: http://www.e-alliance.ch/ Contact EAA for information on Toronto pre-conference Ecumenical HIV AIDS initiative in Africa (WCC) http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/mission/ehaia-e.html World Council of Religions and Peace http://www.wcrp.org/ World AIDS Campaign http://worldaidscampaign.info/index.php/wac/wac UNAIDS http://www.unaids.org/en/default.asp GCWA http://womenandaids.unaids.org/

15. UNAIDS civil society partnerships unit staff contact details • Chief: Andy Seale sealea@unaids.org • GIPA: Kate Thomson thomsonk@unaids.org • Faith based groups: Calle Almedal almedalc@unaids.org • Involvement of civil society in UNGASS, Three ones, GCWA: Sally Smith smiths@unaids.org

16. Three Ones National response is NOT government response Fully representative ‘One Coordinating Authority’ Involvement in planning and M&E Capacity building around role and potential of civil society for all national stakeholders

17. UNGASS 2006 National Reporting Global Report – civil society chapter Shadow Reports UNGASS event – Resolution Recife Meeting and Report

18. Universal Access Steering Committee Consultation and communication UNGASS Meeting

19. Global Coalition on Women and AIDS Share partners, values and approaches Mutual support around strategy and partnership action Internal ‘UN’ advocacy on gender, GIPA and human rights

20. How do we Work? Partnership Values • Clarity, accessibility, transparency and multi- way communication • Coherence in strategic planning and action • Recognition of the strengths and potential of all partners • Commitment to investing in partnership based on shared goals • Willingness to challenge and to be challenged constructively • Passion, audacity, engagement and activism • Sharing, learning and leadership • Respect for diversity for all regardless of sex, age, religion, ethnicity, social or economic status, sexual orientation or HIV status and a respect for a human rights based approach

21. How do we work? Partnership Principles • in-reach before out-reach (UN Positive Staff Group example) • full participation and involvement of people living with HIV • a human rights based and gender sensitive approach • the involvement of all key populations • partnership based on action • prioritization of global strategic partnerships that can be replicated or have impact at country level - learning lessons from the grassroots initiatives that can be transferred or applied at global level • optimal use of external partners in applying the Three Ones • long-term commitment to building the strengths and capacity of all parties • the notion that every interaction presents an opportunity to learn something new and move the response forward

23. UNAIDS at country level • At country level, UNAIDS works through the UN Theme Groups on HIV/AIDS • These help UN agencies coordinate their support to national responses • They are made up of Cosponsors but often include host governments, aid agencies, other UN agencies, NGOs and people living with HIV