India CCM Advocay Project

[Guest guest]

Dear Members!

The Treatment Monitoring & Advocacy Project which is home to the Missing the

Target series of reports on AIDS service delivery is engaged in a research

project called “CCM Advocacy Project”. It is a research project on civil society

engagement in Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCM).

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) was created to

increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases, and

to direct those resources to areas of greatest need. As a partnership between

governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities, the

Global Fund represents an innovative approach to international health financing.

About Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM)

Country Coordinating Mechanisms are central to the Global Fund's commitment to

local ownership and participatory decision-making. The CCM submits grant

proposals to the Global Fund based on priority needs at the national level.

After grant approval, they oversee progress during implementation. Country

Coordinating Mechanism include representatives from both the public and private

sectors, including governments, multilateral or bilateral agencies,

non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, private businesses and

people living with the diseases. For each grant, the Country Coordinating

Mechanism nominates one or a few public or private organizations to serve as

Principal Recipient.

About CCM Advocacy Project

The CCM Advocacy project is a seven country project: Argentina, Jamaica,

Cambodia, Uganda, Cameroon, Romania, and India. The aim of the project is to

increase meaningful participation of civil society in Global Fund Programming at

the country level and to study the role of civil society in the CCM. The project

is not focused solely on issues of civil society representation on CCM, but more

broadly on the ability of civil society to have significant impact on improved

Global Fund Programming.

We are happy to inform you that The India HIV/AIDS Alliance has been selected to

take up the CCM Advocacy Project in India.

A research template was developed in consultation with the seven country

research teams, and this template will be used to collect data as part of the

research study.

Research will include review of relevant documents and interviews with

approximately 20 individuals, including representatives from government, the

national AIDS council, civil society, affected populations, the principle

recipient, and other individuals.

The timeline for this research study is from April – July, 2008. The India

HIV/AIDS Alliance will engage in interviews, data collection, preparation of a

report, and media work.

The overall project will release a comprehensive report in July or August.

This report will be used as a advocacy tool at various levels to influence the

CCM for enhancing civil society participation in CCM.

In this context, we would like to invite larger civil society participation as

The Global Fund is the largest donor to fight against HIV/AIDS, and it is our

collective responsibility to see that the funds are utilised in realizing that

goal.

Hence, your participation is crucial in this research as the research findings

will be collated, analysed, and developed into a report. We are aiming to use

the findings as an advocacy mechanism at various levels to enhance civil society

participation in The Global Fund programming. We take this opportunity to

request you to respond to the central questions of the research which are as

follows:

1) How civil society members are selected for CCM membership?

2) Are they able to be meaningfully involved in program design and oversight?

3) What degree they represent the perspectives of broader civil society?

4) What supports are available to promote more effective civil society

engagement in CCM?

5) Is civil society able to have direct impact in improving the quality and

effectiveness of Global Fund-supported programs?

6) What are examples of civil society having this impact through CCMs, and what

factors made this possible?

7) What can be done to foster civil society’s role as an advocate for improved

Global Fund programming through its involvement in the design, monitoring and

evaluation of GF programs?

Your responses will be compiled and analysed to prepare a report.

Please post your responses very briefly and clearly for the analysis purpose.

The answers will be kept confidential with Alliance and results will not be

linked to specific respondents in the report.

Also, please mention your name, organisation’s name, place, as these details are

mandatory. No responses will be considered for analysis without the above

mentioned details.

For any clarifications, please write to pbuggineni@....

You may also reach me at 011-41633081.

Padma

Padma Buggineni

Senior Policy Officer

India HIV/AIDS Alliance

Kushal House, Third Floor

39 Nehru Place

New Delhi 110019. India

e-mail: <buggineni_padma@...>