UNAIDS Commitment to Civil Society in India

[Guest guest]

To

Dr. Piot

Executive Director,

UNAIDS, Geneva

Subject: UNAIDS Commitment to Civil Society,

Dear Dr Piot,

It is always been a pleasure to interact with you as civil society

groups and people on the front line in the effort to cope with HIVAIDS

in our Country.

We are rather disappointed to learn of your recent visit to India

during which no time appears to have been allocated for civil society

and community organizations.

We are concerned that the UNAIDS country office appears to be focusing

on the elite sectors of society through which change maybe affected in

the realm of HIVAIDS. It is our firm belief as persons involved in the

socio-economic and humanitarian struggle that change can only be

sustained bottom up and interventions which bring care and support and

treatment to the anvil are the organizations which will have made a

difference.

We would like to ask the question " Is this the current position of

UNAIDS " or " Is this a momentary lapse of reason " .

Luke Samson

President, Indian Harm Reduction Network.

Dr.Chinkholal Thangsing

AHF Global – Chief Asia Pacific Bureau

President INDIA CARES

CC: 1. Mr. J.V.R Prasada Rao

2. Dr. Denis Broun

" Dr. C.Thangsing "

e-mail: <chinkholal.thangsing@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Luke,

Re: UNAIDS Commitment to Civil Society in India

/message/8533

You returned from overseas on 1 March and probably were not fully

informed of Dr Piot's programme in Delhi as you were away.

The high value UNAIDS places on their contribution, Dr Piot had three

important meetings with the civil society despite a relatively short

visit. He met the MSM and Transgender community and office bearers of

the positive networks in the country. In addition, he made an

extensive field visit, to Seva Ashram, to understand the practical

aspects of TB/HIV co-infection among destitute populations.

Please visit

http://www.unaids.org.in/new/PhotoCollection.asp?itemid=119 & chname=Photos

With best regards,

Ranjan

Ranjan Dwivedi

Technical Advisor, UNAIDS

A2/35 Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi, India-110029

Tel +91-11-41354545 Ext. 317; Fax +91-11-41354534

dwivedir@...; ranjandwivedi@...

www.unaids.org.in; www.ngogateway.org