UNGASS REPORT 2005 - Calling Civil Sociaty Response

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

In June 2001, in the United Nations General Assembly Special Session

(UNGASS) on HIV/AIDS, 189 Member States adopted the Declaration of

Commitment on HIV/AIDS (DoC). The DoC reflects global consensus on a

comprehensive framework to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of

halting and beginning to reverse the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2015.

The national governments that signed the DoC have to periodically submit

progress reports to UNAIDS Secretariat in Geneva. Indian government, through

National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), will be submitting the India UNGASS

Report by end December 2005. With support from UNAIDS, bilateral organizations

and civil society organizations, Futures Group is assisting NACO in preparing

the national report.

The India UNGASS Report will have a description on the following- Status at a

glance, overview of the AIDS epidemic, national response to the AIDS epidemic,

major challenges faced and actions needed to achieve the UNGASS goals/targets,

support required from country's development partners, monitoring and evaluation

environment. The document will also report on the achievements of the core

indicators and additional tools like National Composite Policy Index and

National AIDS Spending Analysis.

More information on the construction of core indicators can be obtained from the

following link

http://www.unaids.org/en/events/un+special+session+on+hiv_aids/implementation+of\

+the+un+declaration+of+commitment+2006.asp

The DoC requires that, civil society, including people living with HIV and AIDS,

should be involved in preparing the national progress report.

Recently in October 27-28, 2005, Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS

(INP+) in collaboration with Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations

(APCASO) organized a meeting of Indian civil society entitled 'Scaling up

prevention alongside treatment: Using the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment'. In

this meeting, the civil society organizations were informed about the UNGASS DoC

and the role of civil society in contributing to and monitoring the national

report preparation.

Participants representing - civil society organizations attended this

meeting including Manas Bengal, SAATHI, Samraksha, St. s Trust, Humsafar

Trust, Naz India, Lakshaya Trust, DAI Welfare Societ, FXB, Positive Womens

Network, Freedom Foundation, Suder Foundation, HIV/AIDS Alliance, APAC-VHS, CPK,

Action Aid, NEIHRN, SASO, TTK, DMSC, Population Foundation of India and Lawyers

Collective.

As part of gathering data for UNGASS repot, Futures Group administered relevant

portion of the National Composite Policy Index

Questionnaire to this civil society representative group.

We are happy to share the analysis of the responses with the larger civil

society. This mail will be simultaneously posted in the following egroups-

AIDS-India, SAATHI, Solutions Exchange and HDNET.

Members of civil society are encouraged to review this part of the report and

give feedback and additional inputs. Please send in your comments and

suggestions to kchauhan@... before 20th November 2005.

National Composite Policy Index- Part B

I. Human rights

1. Does your country have laws and regulations that protect people

living with HIV/AIDS against discrimination (such as general

non-discrimination provisions or those that specifically mention HIV, that focus

on schooling, housing, employment, etc.)?

Yes

Comments: We have general non discrimination provisions and anti

discriminatory laws are being presented in the winter session of the

parliament.

2. Does your country have non-discrimination laws or regulations

which specify protections for certain groups of people identified as being

especially vulnerable to HIV/AIDS discrimination (i.e., groups such as IDUs,

MSM, sex workers, youth, mobile populations, and prison inmates)?

No

3. Does your country have laws and regulations that present

obstacles to effective HIV prevention and care for most-at-risk populations?

Yes

MSM Groups - Law 376, 377, IDUs possessing drugs and syringes are arrested

according to the law of possessing drugs and Immoral Traffic Prevention Act.

4. Is the promotion and protection of human rights explicitly

mentioned in any HIV/AIDS policy/strategy?

Yes

Comments:Policies are limited to paper and are not translated into program

level.

5. Has the Government, through political and financial support,

involved vulnerable populations in governmental HIV policy design and

programme implementation?

Yes

MSM,IDU, CSWs, Mobil Population, Women and Children

6. Does your country have a policy to ensure equal access, between

men and women, to prevention and care?

Yes

Comments: For ARV roll out program the government is trying to

ensure equal access to women. Also policy level implementation needs

contextual factors to be addressed.

7. Does your country have a policy to ensure equal access to

prevention and care for most-at-risk populations?

No

Comments: State AIDS Control Societies had set up TIs but no specific policy.

Female IDUs have less access. No specific service for female IDUs. No specific

policy for most at risk population. On the other hand Female IDUs have less

access and there is no specific service for them.

8. Does your country have a policy prohibiting HIV screening for

general employment purposes (appointment, promotion, training, benefits)?

Yes

9. Does your country have a policy to ensure that HIV/AIDS research

protocols involving human subjects are reviewed and approved by a

national/local ethical review committee?

Yes

This policy only ensures research funded by government. No regulation with

regard to research undertaken by the civil society.

-Involvement of civil society is minimal.

-There is no clear policy which is applicable to all research

9.1 IF YES, does the ethical review committee include civil society and PLHIV?

Yes

Comments: - IAVI, EC meeting in the SACs.

- If ER exists they involve civil society.

Very limited involvement.

10. Does your country have the following monitoring and enforcement

mechanisms?

Collection of information on human rights and HIV/AIDS issues and use of this

information in policy and programme development reform

No

Existence of independent national institutions for the promotion and

protection of human rights, including human rights commissions, law reform

commissions and ombudspersons which consider HIV/AIDS related issues within

their work

Yes

Establishment of focal points within governmental health and other

departments to monitor HIV-related human rights abuses

No

Development of performance indicators or benchmarks for compliance with human

rights standards in the context of HIV/AIDS efforts

No (However it has just been initiated)

11. Have members of the judiciary been trained/sensitized to HIV/AIDS and human

rights issues that may come up in the context of their work?

Yes (Limited fragmented programs in certain states but are not

continuous)

12. Are the following legal support services available in your country?

Legal aid systems for HIV/AIDS casework

Yes

State support to private sector laws firms or university based centers to

provide free pro bono legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS in areas

such as discrimination

No

Programmes to educate, raise awareness among people living with HIV/AIDS

concerning their rights

Yes

13.Are there programmes designed to change societal attitudes of

discrimination and stigmatization associated with HIV/AIDS to understanding and

acceptance?

- Overall, how would you rate the policies, laws and regulations in place to

promote and protect human rights in relation to HIV/AIDS?

(Rating on a scale of 1-10)

Year 2005 - Rating 5

Year 2003 - Rating 2

In case of discrepancies between 2003 and 2005 rating, please provide main

reasons supporting such difference: State AIDS Control Societies are more

proactive than 2003.

In 2003 they targeted only key population but family and community was not

involved

- Overall, how would you rate the effort to enforce the existing policies, laws

and regulations?

(Rating on a scale of 1-10)

Year 2005 - Rating 4

Year 2003 - Rating 2

II. Civil society participation

1. To what extent civil society has made a significant contribution

to strengthening the political commitment of top leaders and national policy

formulation?

Rating- 5

2. To what extent civil society representatives have been involved

in the planning and budgeting process for the National Strategic Plan on

HIV/AIDS or for the current activity plan (attending planning meetings and

reviewing drafts)?

Rating- 4

3. To what extent the complimentary services provided by civil

society to areas of prevention and care are included in both the National

Strategic plans and reports?

Rating- 4

4. Has your country conducted a National Periodic review of the

Strategic Plan with the participation of civil society in:

Yes Month:

August-October..... Year.2005.. This was done for the first time.

5. To what extent your country have a policy to ensure that HIV/AIDS

research protocols involving human subjects are reviewed and approved by an

independent national/local ethical review committee in which PLHIV and

caregivers participate?

Rating: 2

Overall, how would you rate the efforts to increase civil

society participation?

Year 2005 - Rating 6

Year 2003 - Rating 4

In case of discrepancies between 2003 and 2005 rating, please provide main

reasons supporting such difference:

NGOs such as IRV, YRG Care, Pop Council, Humsafar Trust and Government Agencies

such as NARI, NIMHANS and TRC have " institutional review board (IRB) " equivalent

to the ethics review committee. However not all involve marginalized groups or

PLHA. NACP-III has civil society involvement.

III. Prevention

1. Which of the following prevention activities have been

implemented in 2003 and 2005 in support of the HIV prevention

policy/strategy?

- A programme to promote accurate HIV/AIDS reporting by the media.

- A social marketing programme for condoms

- School-based AIDS education for youth

- Behaviour change communications

- Voluntary counselling and testing

- Programmes for sex workers

- Programmes for men who have sex with men

- Programmes for injecting drug users, if applicable

- Programmes for other most-at-risk populations*

- Blood safety

- Programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV

- Programmes to ensure safe injections in health care settings

Response- All activities have been implemented in 2003 and 2005.

Overall, how would you rate the efforts in the implementation of HIV

prevention programmes?

Year 2005 - Rating 6

Year 2003 - Rating 4

In case of discrepancies between 2003 and 2005 rating, please provide main

reasons supporting such difference:

- Civil society communication and participation has strengthened

and efforts to scale up programs have also been undertaken.

- NGOs and government between 2003-2005 have scaled up prevention,

VCT, PMTCT Interventions with sex workers, truckers and School AIDS

Education Programs.

- Significant investment has been made by DFID, USAID and National

Government on promoting HIV/IDDS information through media.

- Majority of the programs are being implemented by external

agencies and very less by the government.

Visibility is more in urban sectors only.

IV. Care and support

1. Which of the following activities have been implemented under the

care and treatment of HIV/AIDS programmes?

HIV screening of blood transfusion

2003- Yes

2005- Yes

Universal precautions

2003- Yes

2005- Yes

Treatment of opportunistic infections (OI)

2003- Yes

2005- Yes

Antiretroviral therapy (ART)

2003- No

2005- Yes

Nutritional care

2003- No

2005- No

STI care

2003- Yes

2005- Yes

Family planning services

2003- No

2005- No

Psychosocial support for PLHA and their families

2003- No

2005- Yes

Home-based care

2003- No

2005- No

Palliative care and treatment of common HIV-related infections: pneumonia,oral

thrush,

vaginal candidiasis and pulmonary TB (DOTS)

2003- Yes

2005- Yes

Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis among HIV-infected people

2003- Yes

2005- Yes

Post exposure prophylaxis (e.g. occupational exposures to HIV, rape)

2003- Yes

2005- Yes

Overall, how would you rate the care and treatment efforts of the HIV/AIDS

programme?

Rating 2005- 5

Rating 2003- 3

In case of discrepancies between 2003 and 2005 rating, please provide main

reasons supporting such difference:

-Provision for free ARV reflects government commitment.

-NGO and CBO are getting more funds for care and support

activities.

- VCTC and PPTCT services rolled out at district level. However

they should also be at

2. Does your country have a policy or strategy to address the

additional HIV/AIDS related needs of orphans and other vulnerable children

(OVC)?

No

2.1 Which of the following activities have been implemented under the OVC

programmes?

School fees for OVC

Rating 2003- No

Rating 2005- No

Community programmes

Rating 2003- No

Rating 2005- No

Comments: Only NGOs are working tin this area. But there are no programs

specifically for OVC.

Overall, how would you rate the efforts to meet the needs of OVC?

Rating 2005-1

Rating 2003-0

In case of discrepancies between 2003 and 2005 rating, please provide main

reasons supporting such difference:

Initiatives are undertaken by NACO and other agencies to design strategies for

OVC interventions.

Additional Comments by Civil Society

- In the private sector screening of blood transfusion needs to be

strengthened.

- Universal precautions are not ensured completely in private and

public sector.

- Limited government program are providing nutritional support.

- Treatment for OIs is provided only for one week

- ART is available only for limited population (12000 through govt

and 50,000 through NGOs.