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

1. March 2011

In Togo, approximately half of the population is younger than the age of 15. HIV and AIDS, premature unwanted pregnancies (age 9) and their consequences, sexual violence as well as harmful practices such as female genital mutilation threaten health and life of the young. „Children and young people between 10 and 24 of age are curious to know what happens elsewhere “, acknowledges Blaise Sedoh, national HIV-coordinator of the Togolese Red Cross. „The young and adolescents perceive their parents and their own communities as oppressors not listening to the young and their needs. Youth must be given information and advice and taught how to communicate with adults.“

UNFPA, various state institutions and local NGOs have set up youth centres dealing with the subjects of sexual and reproductive health and HIV corresponding to the needs of youth, the so-called „Centres Conviviaux et d’Écoute de Jeunes“. These centres are venues where the young people can turn to and get information on issues that makes them vulnerable: HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, unemployment, prostitution, dropping out of school, etc. Each centre also has a health specialist discussing with them the topics of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and AIDS and – if the young people ask for it – showing them options such as access to an HIV-test and accompanying them.

According to Blaise Sedoh, the centres have been successful in developing a constructive cooperation of international and government institutions with local NGOs – such as the Togolese Red Cross - having built community structures geared to the needs of youth. Here, the young people can meet in an informal atmosphere and they have learned to speak frankly about their health problems. Thus, they are taught a responsible attitude to sex and many of them are ready to check on their HIV-status.

Togo took up the claim about population issues at international conferences and developed a policy for reproductive health already in 2001. Togo also serves as a good example for the necessity and impact of youth-friendly centres linking together questions about HIV-prevention and sexual and reproductive health. Unfortunately, at present such centres are an exception – for lack of awareness, financial commitment or political will. Hence, today almost half of all newly infected people worldwide are young people between the age of 15 and 24 , and complications during pregnancy, birth and illegal abortion represent the number 1 killer of young women between 15 and 19 years of age.

aidsfocus.ch is convinced that promoting and linking HIV and reproductive health is a relevant concern. The aidsfocus.ch Conference on „HIV, Sexuality and HIV. Linking HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights“ on April 7, 2011 in Berne will serve as a forum to exchange know-how and experiences as to the issue as well as to discuss possible strategies. You are most welcome to join. Please find useful information and the registration form on our website: http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Helena Zweifel Coordinator aidsfocus.ch Executive Director Medicus Mundi Schweiz

A young girl might want to prevent a pregnancy and protect herself from HIV. A woman living with HIV might be pregnant and at risk of dying during childbirth, she may have HIV and can't get contraception, and her child may die of HIV or malaria. Where does she get the necessary information on contraception and the prevention of sexually-transmitted infection, counselling, testing and treatment?

The interactions between sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV are widely recognized by international organisations such as UNAIDS, IPPF, WHO and SDC. Sexual and reproductive ill-health and HIV share root causes, including poverty, gender inequality, gender-based violence and the social marginalization of the most vulnerable populations. Human rights are key in the linking approach, in particular the right to health and life for all.

Based on the experience of the partner organisations of aidsfocus.ch, and following up on discussions held at a global level, the conference will discuss challenges and strategies of linking HIV and reproductive health and rights in policy and practice. Information and registration:

Time and venue: 9.00 - 17.00 Uhr, kornhausforum, Kornhausplatz 18, Bern. Information and registration:

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

1. February 2011 - As the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day approaches on 8 March, the HIV/AIDS Alliance is renewing its call for greater integration of HIV and sexual and reproduction health services. With only four years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), it will be critical into ensure political and financial commitments are in place to strengthen healthcare systems so they can support a continuum of care and support for women and children. The Alliance published a Good Practice Guide on the integration of HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

http://www.aidsalliance.org
http://www.aidsalliance.org

Worldwide, the reproductive rights of people living with HIV, continue to be denied and violated, including by policy makers and legislative bodies, and other authorities as well as health service providers and community members. During the April 2011 session of the Commission on Population and Development at the UN in New York, the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) will endorse a civil society session that will focus on the reproductive rights of women living with HIV. WGNRR is calling on all women living with HIV to share their experiences by sending them written testimonials, audio clips and video recordings (in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese)

http://www.wgnrr.org
http://www.aidsfocus.ch

1. February 2011 - HIV is the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age worldwide. For this to change, the global HIV response must fully recognize the significant role that gender inequality plays in increasing women and girls’ vulnerability to HIV. At a high-level consultation, jointly organized by UNAIDS, UNFPA and UN Women, influential experts, leaders and advocates came together to discuss how sexual and reproductive health, and the rights of women and girls living with HIV can be enhanced and protected.

http://www.unaids.org

New York, 1 February 2011 — Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the new Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, put forth his vision as the Fund’s leader, focusing on the challenges and the needs of the largest generation of young people. “Investing in youth, their reproductive health and gender equality can help put countries on a path to accelerated economic growth and equitable development,” he said. Advancing the right to sexual and reproductive health remains at the heart of UNFPA. (UNFPA)

http://www.unfpa.org

Kakamega, 24 February 2011 - The bold branding of HIV care centres in Kenyan hospitals stops many HIV-positive pregnant women from accessing vital HIV treatment that could protect their children from infection for fear of stigma. "The idea is to make the maternal and child health clinics a one-stop shop for the family - even fathers are provided these services should they need it," Hadija Naliya said. The clinics provide counselling, testing, reproductive health services, nutritional support and initiation on treatment and care to parents and children. (PlusNews)

http://www.plusnews.org

Basel, 24 February 2011 - Health Action International (HAI) Europe, in collaboration with Berne Declaration, HAI Africa, HAI Asia Pacific, Third World Network and Knowledge Ecology International, have urged the pharmaceutical company Novartis to put an end to its five year legal actions in India regarding the patenting of the anticancer drug Glivec. The NGOs also called on the Swiss company to refrain from attempting to influence the Indian government over laws and policies that would hinder access to medicine.

http://www.evb.ch

For the first time, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are being included in addition to HIV. The principal aim is to clearly reduce the number of new infections with HIV and other STIs and to avoid subsequent consequences with an adverse effect on health. It is intended to bring about a cultural change over the next few years – after receiving a positive diagnosis, informing ones partner voluntarily should become a matter of course as people come to appreciate the true need for this. (2010)

http://www.bag.admin.ch

HIV and AIDS are a hard reality in a number of countries involved in International Cooperation (IC). It affects not only every aspect of the lives of the people concerned, but also considerably impacts the life and work of IC expatriate personnel. This seminar taking place on the 5 Mai 2011 in Biel has the objective of working with participants so that they can better manage this challenge.

http://www.cinfo.ch

1. February 2011 - The President of the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly Mr Joseph Deiss convened the first formal meeting on the preparations for the 2011 High Level Meeting on AIDS with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and the event co-facilitators. Mr Deiss has urged countries to participate in the event. “I call on all nations to unite at the High Level Meeting on AIDS. Together we can chart the future of the AIDS response,” wrote Mr Joseph Deiss.

http://www.unaids.org

Geneva, 23 February 2011 - Three decades into the AIDS pandemic it has become clear that churches, non-governmental agencies and governments need to redouble their efforts to combat the disease and its effects, said the central governing body of the World Council of Churches (WCC) during its meeting in February 2011. In one of its most effective programme initiatives, the WCC has created and distributed an estimated 50,000 copies of books aimed at tackling the steep pastoral and theological challenges of AIDS in Africa.

http://www.oikoumene.org

1. February 2011 - Information about the spread of HIV in the Middle East and North Africa region has been extremely limited. As a major contribution to increasing knowledge of AIDS in the region, the World Bank recently convened a discussion to highlight the first ever comprehensive scientific analysis of the epidemic. HIV infection has already reached all corners of North Africa and the Middle East. There are substantial differences in the way the virus is spread across the region and various risk contexts are present. The epidemic has become generalized in Djibouti and Sudan, though prevalence in the general population in most other countries is low. (2011)

http://www.unaids.org

1. February 2011 - The themes and preoccupations of stories submitted by young people in six African countries should be looked at to inform HIV prevention programmes, researchers write in the journal Social Science and Medicine. With rates of condom use being low in these populations, programmes need to better understand barriers and facilitators of condom use, information needs and appropriate communication strategies. (2011)

http://www.aidsmap.com

London, 9 February 2011 - Fear of infection and mass social change have driven a huge decline in HIV rates in Zimbabwe, offering important lessons on how to fight the Aids pandemic in the rest of Africa, scientists said on Tuesday. In a study in the journal PLoS Medicine, British researchers said Zimbabwe's pandemic was one of the biggest in the world until the rate of people infected with HIV almost halved, from 29% of the population in 1997 to 16% in 2007.

http://www.mg.co.za
http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Johannesburg, 7 February 2011 - South Africa is preparing to take HIV testing into the classroom as part of its national voluntary HIV testing and counselling (VCT) campaign, but testing kids is controversial and implementing the programme is fraught with challenges – just ask those already doing it. Activists from the Durban-based Yezingane Network of children's organizations met with national Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and identified consent and confidentiality as two of the main challenges. (PlusNews)

http://www.plusnews.org

Gender and sexuality have long been recognised as key factors affecting the dynamics of the HIV epidemic. There are a growing number of HIV and broader health initiatives that not only highlight gender issues, but also aim to change harmful norms and practices. However, there are few approaches to achieve gender transformation, and many organisations have struggled to overcome the controversies, sensitivities and structural barriers that impede progress, concludes the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in its study. (2011)

http://www.aidsalliance.org

Advocacy and investment on behalf of children affected by AIDS have had an impact, and the goal of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015 appears within reach. But for every problem solved or advance made, new challenges and constraints have arisen. It is estimated that more than 1,000 babies continue to be born with HIV every day, many of them destined to die before age two if they do not receive medication. (2010)

http://www.unicef.org

These guidelines to UNAIDS’ preferred terminology have been developed for use by staff members, colleagues in the Programme’s 10 Cosponsoring organizations, and other partners working in the global response to HIV. Language shapes beliefs and may influence behaviours. Considered use of appropriate language has the power to strengthen the global response to the epidemic. These guidelines is a living, evolving document that is reviewed on a regular basis. (2011)

http://data.unaids.org

This paper examines the potential of community health worker (CHW) programmes, as proposed by the 2008 World Health Organisation (WHO) document Task Shifting to tackle health worker shortages, to contribute to HIV prevention and treatment and various Millennium Development Goals in low-income countries. The WHO, however, has neglected to emphasise the importance of the community embeddedness of CHWs, found to be of critical importance to the success of past CHW programmes, states the report. (2010)

http://www.informaworld.com

Partners: Afro-European Medical and Research Network, AIDS & Child, Caritas Switzerland, cinfo, CO-OPERAID, Déclaration de Berne, FEPA, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, Gemeinschaft St. Anna-Schwestern, HEKS, IAMANEH Switzerland, INTERTEAM, Kindernothilfe Schweiz, Kwa Wazee, medico international Switzerland, mediCuba-Suisse, missio, SolidarMed, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Aids Federation, Missio, Mission 21, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund, Swiss MIVA, Swiss Red Cross, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Tear Fund, Terre des hommes Foundation, terre des hommes schweiz, and World Vision Switzerland.

http://www.aidsfocus.c