The Drum Beat 149: Special - Exchanging information for HIV/AIDS

COLLABORATION & EXCHANGE FOR HIV/AIDS ORGANISATIONS

'twinning against AIDS' - is a project seeking input from around the world on how best to enhance the exchange of information, skills, and experience on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and support. The project seeks your ideas about how Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs) can be used to strengthen and further develop the capacity of organisations responding to the global AIDS crisis to share their experiences, learn from each other, and develop more effective tools in their work.

TWINNING SURVEY

'twinning against AIDS' seeks to gather ideas informed from as wide a set of experiences as possible through a survey available on-line and via e-mail. It is supported by a website and a discussion forum through which interim results of the survey will be available and further comments welcomed.

You can fill out the survey - through the 'twinning against AIDS' web site survey section.

'Twinning' refers to a formal, substantive collaboration in which 2 or more AIDS Service Organisations (ASOs), NGOs, research and other institutions anywhere in the world come together to contribute to each others work and to learn from each other's experiences.

'twinning against AIDS' is a project of the Interagency Coalition on AIDS & Development (ICAD) and The Communication Initiative guided by an international steering committee with representatives from the Global AIDS Action Network, the Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations (APCASO), Policy Research International, Health & Development Networks, Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA (ACCSI), Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Organizaciones No Gubernamentales con Servicio en VIH/SIDA (LACCASO), the OneWorld Africa AIDS Channel, ICT4D at the International Research Development Centre (IDRC), Panos West Africa, and the VSO Regional AIDS Initiative of Southern Africa (RAISA). It is supported financially by CIDA.

TWINNING CASE STUDIES

1. AIDS Law Project - Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network Partnership (collaboration on specific initiatives) The AIDS Law Project, based in South Africa, and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network have a formal partnership agreement through which they work together to improve awareness and understanding of the legal, ethical and human rights impact of the global spread of HIV/AIDS; to promote regular communication between both organisations at management and operational levels; and to undertake joint activities in the areas of research, publications, the creation and support of networks, conferences, and other educational activities. The agreement calls on the partners to promote the partnership within their respective organisations and to integrate the partnership into their workplans. It encourages affordable personal contact between staff from the 2 organisations through meetings at international HIV/AIDS events. Contact Mark Heywood, Head AIDS Law Project, Centre for Applied Legal Studies 125ma3he@solon.law.wits.ac.za OR Ralf Jürgens, Executive Director, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network ralfj@aidslaw.ca

2. Haemophilia Foundation Victoria - Hemophilia Association of the Philippines for Love and Services (a project involving information and technical exchanges) The Haemophilia Foundation Victoria (HFV), in Australia, and the Hemophilia Association of the Philippines for Love and Services (HAPLOS) formalized a twinning partnership during a visit in 1999 by two HFV delegates to the Philippines. The two organisations agreed to a set of working priorities and developed a joint three-year action plan. They plan to exchange information on administration and programming. HFV plans to provide assistance to HAPLOS on developing e-mail communication, setting up an office, investigating sources of funding, developing information materials and organising a conference. Contact Jennifer Ross, Executive Director, Haemophilia Foundation Australia fhaust@haemophilia.org.au haemophilia website OR Violeta Magsuci, Hemophilia Association of the Philippines for Love & Services ustpedia@pacific.net.ph

TWINNING RESOURCES

Beyond Our Borders: A Guide to Twinning for HIV/AIDS Organisations - a source of basic information on planning and implementing twinning projects.

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HIV COMMUNICATION & THE PANOS INSTITUTE

The Panos Institute is producing a report on HIV Communication outlining the different ways in which organisations in the North and the South use communication projects in the response to HIV/AIDS.

In the report, The Panos Institute will argue that there are many valuable communication initiatives running in this field but that some approaches fail to build on the lessons that should have been learnt in the response to HIV. They will show how some initiatives can even undermine locally driven responses to HIV/AIDS by taking the emphasis away from sustainable community action, using inappropriate messages or channels of communication or by unwittingly reinforcing HIV related stigma and prejudice.

A key question within this document will be "who drives the response to HIV/AIDS" - looking at communication activities as both a help and a hindrance for community empowerment. Using examples in Uganda, Senegal, and Zambia they aim to show how open public dialogue and debate can and should inform and catalyse an effective, locally driven response to HIV/AIDS. In tackling this subject they will be drawing upon the experiences and perspectives of individuals and organisations in the south to form a constructive critique of international HIV/AIDS policy. They are also working directly with donors to gain a picture of their work with HIV Communication.

PANOS SURVEY

With the support of The Communication Initiative, Panos is conducting an online questionnaire in order to gauge needs and priorities in relation to HIV/AIDS communication programming around the globe. The results and findings will be featured in the forthcoming Panos Report and in other media materials on this issue that are produced with their media partners Interworld Radio and Gemini and/or Panos Features.

Click here for this questionnaire in English.
Contact aids@panoslondon.org.uk for further information.

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THE XIV CONFERENCE

XIV International Conference on AIDS will be July 7-12 in Barcelona, Spain, with a theme of 'knowledge and commitment for action'. The framework of the meeting aims to facilitate participation from around the world, particularly the most affected areas such as sub-Saharan Africa, South & Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America & the Caribbean. Contact aids2002@aids2002.com

Satellite meetings on specific issues related to HIV/AIDS will take place on-site and in other locations around the world. Just a few include:

Satellite Session: Time to Treat - Transforming Aids Treatment from Right to Reality

Oxfam International Satellite Session on mainstreaming HIV/AIDS

USAID Satellite Session: Addressing Stigma & Disclosure: Fresh Approaches and Lessons Learned from the Field

Satellite meeting: "Scaling up a comprehensive response to prevent HIV transmission to pregnant women, mothers and their children"

USAID Satellite Session: What is the future of prevention in the era of ARVs and vaccine and microbicide trials?

Satellite Session on Adherence at AIDS 2002

USAID Satellite Session: New Approaches in HIV/AIDS Programming

USAID Satellite Session: Scaling Up: Grounded Realities

OneWorld Spain presentation on the AIDSChannel - a multimedia portal. This will touch on AIDS Radio, AIDS TV, and an introduction to the Spanish/Catalan AIDSChannel. There will also be a poster presentation. Contact Catherine Ndashe Phiri, AIDSChannel Editor catherine.phiri@oneworld.net

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