Our experience of working with UNICEF Staff

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Greetings from RNP+!

Rajasthan Network of Positive people (RNP+) is a nodal organization of people

living with HIV/AIDS, working to improve the quality of life of PLWHAs and to

protect their basic rights.

The following is some of our experience in working with UNICEF Staff.

UNICEF giving the advertisement in news papers for Peer Counselor's (PC) job,

clearly shows that UNICEF (when I say UNICEF I mean the person who is directly

involed with the project.) has openly disclosed the confidentiality.

The other thing is that the advetisement was mentioned 12 pass as minimum

qualification required . However, the selection clearly indicates that PCs were

selected as per UNICEF wishes. 11 P C who have disclosed their HIV status in

the hope of getting the job, are jobless and one of them -Malla singh from Ajmer

died untimely due to shock.

To have Multi-Partner Inititive Project, we all sat together and had rounds of

discussions, we niether discussed nor writen in the project proposal about the

other networks who would be part of the project.

The roles and responsibilities of the partners have been clearly defined in the

project proposal.

However, UNICEF is trying to have monopoly with the hidden agenda, keeping other

partners in the darkness and playing a dirty game.

Which has made the project a matter of discussion instead of being a fruitful

for the community living with dreaded virus.

On September 12, 2007 soon after the meeting with all the partners at RSACS

under the Chairmanship of Project Director, RNP+ went to sort out problems with

head of the UNICEF- Dr Satish Sharma.

After listening the concerns, he asked us to come over to UNICEF office on

September 19, 07 and sort out the problems. Now the problems which has been

created by UNICEF should be sorted out too.

If UNICEF doesn't want to serve the community it has no right to harm the

community and if continues RNP+ will not hesitate to go for legal action.

RNP+ works, will work and die for the community and protect their basic rights

of the PLWHAs.

As a president of RNP+ I assure respective partners full cooperation from my

side and move ahead keeping in mind the welfare of the comunity.

With regards

brijesh Dubey

President RNP+

e-mail: <rnpplus@...>

[Guest guest]

Subject: Peer counselor initiative

Dear Forum,

This is in reference to my earlier mail posted on September 18th, 2007 , where

RNP+ shared their concerns regarding the peer counselor initiative project being

implemented in Rajasthan in partnership with UNICEF, CRS, World Vision and

RSACS.

Re: /message/7844

We had and meeting at UNICEF, Jaipur on September 19th, 2007 where we discussed

these issues in detail. In the light of discussion it was clear that all the

decisions were made with discussion and consent among the partners which have

been duly recorded and shared.

It was discussed that there are other examples of advertisements in newspapers

at the national level for placement of PLHAs and it has to be disclosed if there

is any kind of opportunity for a PLHA. The advertisement did not forced anyone

to disclose their identity.

Besides the qualification criteria mentioned for the PLHA to work as peer

counselor, other people who were already working as peer counselors, where also

informed about the interview. Due to some communication gap 11 persons did not

turn up for the interview. It has bee decided that the possibility of adjusting

these PLHAs would be further discussed based on the resources, category and

client load of the district.

We are happy to inform you that the issues that aroused due to communication gap

and have been sorted out.

As we share a common objective, we look forward to work together in high spirits

toward well being of the community.

With regards

Brijesh Dubey

President RNP+

e-mail: <rnpplus@...>