An Open Letter to the India -Global Fund- CCM Chair

[Guest guest]

Letter to the India (Global Fund) CCM Chair

 

The India Country Coordinating Mechanism has had success in 7 rounds of calls

for proposals by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Success in

obtaining grants from the Fund has masked the dysfunction in the India CCM and

disquiet in relationships between the various stakeholders represented on the

CCM, particularly between the Government and Civil Society.

 

More often than not, Civil Society has been co-opted to fulfill the letter of

the guidelines for CCM's set out by the Fund. In the instances where Civil

Society representatives have sought equal participation in setting policy and

programmatic priorities for proposals submitted to the Fund, the response from

the government led national programs has been less than understanding of the

perspective from the grassroots.

The roles of the technical and development partners have also not been

encouraging of the equality of opinion between government and civil society.

 

As we await the official announcement of the results of the 8th round of grants

from the Global Fund Board Meeting in Delhi, advance communication to and from

the India CCM indicate a summary rejection of the proposal submitted from India.

Whether this is a reflection of the inadequacies of the proposal per se or of

the dysfunction of the India CCM that shines through the submitted proposal

remains to be analysed.

 

In the past, reminders have been sent to the India CCM to ensure equitable

participation and consultative processes for all stakeholders. Where CSO's were

represented through election processes, instead of respecting the

representatives and the contributions they might have brought to the table, the

attitude has been one of condescension and of ridicule.

This is not to say that all members of the CCM have held the same outlook to the

CSO representatives; however when representatives of government led national

programs have conducted themselves in such a manner, there have been no active

voices from other CCM members to set the tone right.

 

The rejection of the 8th round proposal and the 9th call for proposals from the

Global Fund provides an opportunity for introspection into the structural

dynamics of rebalancing the relationships and roles of Civil Society, Government

and CCM members in the unique mechanism of the Global Fund India CCM.

We note with concern that the India CCM has already chosen not to submit any

fresh proposal to the Fund in its 9th round, but instead rework the 8th round

proposal. Not addressing the above mentioned structural, multi-sector concerns,

and with no consultation with civil society;  to our mind predetermines the fate

of the reworked submission in the 9th round.

The CCM must have a wider consultative process with all stake holders before

these decisions are made.

 

We believe that every new Global Fund round and call for proposals presents a

unique opportunity for all stake holders to access much needed resources for

innovative interventions that would have a definitive impact in combating the

three diseases in country. A decision not to submit a fresh proposal may result

in far reaching, adverse implications in the fight against AIDS, TB, and Malaria

in India.

 

As signatories, we call for an open, transparent and accountable India CCM that

functions to the best interest of the nation.

 

Signed: (on behalf of the representative civil society constituents of the three

diseases, AIDS, TD, and Malaria)

Yours Sincerely

Ashok Rau / Freedom Foundation

Mathai / Global Health Advocates, India

Christy Abraham / ActionAID - Indian Coalition to Combat HIV / AIDS

Fr. Sebastian Ousepparampil / Catholic Health Association of India

Dr. Biddinger / Institute of Rural Health Studies

Manohar Elavarthi / Karnataka Sex Workers Union

Anjali Gopalan / Naz Foundation (Ind.) Trust

 

31 October 2008

Dr.Ashok Rau

Executive Trustee/CEO

Freedom Foundation-India, Nigeria, and Botswana

(Centers of Excellence- Substance Abuse & HIV/AIDS)

Head Office: 180, Hennur Cross, Bangalore - 560043, India

Senior Research Fellow, TheTerry Sanford Institute of Public Health,Duke

University(USA)

Visiting Faculty, Yale University (USA)

Adjunct Faculty, Drexel University College of Medicine (USA)

Phone (O) +91 80 25440134, 25449766, 25430611, (Direct) 25443114

Fax (O) +91 80 25440134

email:freedom@...

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Re: /message/9616

I must congratulate Ashok and the signatories of the " open letter " and hope that

others come out " open " who have supported the principles of good governance,

fair play and the space and voice which the civil society represents.

This is exactly what I have been saying for last so many months. Though my

construct, language, political correctness and articulation of the same might

have been different. (Someone actually said to me recently - what you

are saying is the correct and we all have been saying over the years but " how

you say it " matters).

CCM India and its advisors (the gang of UN agencies, Big Foundations, Bilaterals

and International NGOs) have actually done great harm to the civil

society by directly and indirectly silenced by virtue of the grantee

relationship they have forged.

They have actually made beggars out of the CSOs and gagged them in the name of

partnership and participation. Unfortunately many CSO have bought that argument

and rational of convenient arrangement.

We all know it how it is done, co-option has become an art with the govt and the

donors. CSOs do not speak up in foras where they should.

The other side  (Govt/donor)has shown and used them CSO as " trophies "  (read

tokens and rubber stamps) who stand by them thus blunting the edge CSO movement

and voice.

This is and has been more than clearly demonstrated in the CSO members nonspeak,

in the meeting of the India CCM.

 

The second aspect of the relationship between CSO and CCM India is the routing

the proposal through CCM.

Why should this be so? Invariably this would inhibit many who want to do good

work but are vary of Govt and the Gang.

There should be a space for CSO to participate in GFATM independent of the CCM

process. Technically speaking it exists but then it is not easy in its current

form and who wants to antagonise the current power structure.

 

CCM have gotten away with murder in previous rounds with no accountability,

transparency and performance.

Can you imagine $747 Million received and no reports available in public domain.

There are no reports available on either CCM India website or the Ministry,

Department websites? Of course they may be submitting utilisation of fund

reports to GFTAM but we are talking performance, having made a difference?

Spending money and not having a public scrutiny is criminal.

 

Coming to the rejection of Round 8 proposal, it is a testimony of two clear

things.

One, it shows that with all the technical assistance, expertise available to the

government and support from the gang (UN agencies, Bilaterals, Big Foundations

and International NGOs), their proposal has been rejected on Technical grounds

which shows that the so called TA and expertise is flimsy, fake and faulty.

May be they have no perspective of the ground reality and take things easy and

think they will get away it as previously. Some elements in the CCM, and its

" sub committees " have tried to scuttle CSO proposals on the technical grounds

but then they themselves have been slapped by the TRC of GFATM on technical

grounds!

I think the people involved from the steering committee, screening committee,

TRC and all members of CCM and the consultants hired to write the country

proposal should be taken to task for the shoddy job and making the country lose

the funds that could have been available to fight the diseases and strengthen

the programmes and processes.

This also shows that the meddling each of them does with their  personal vested

interests in the country proposal development (till the last day of submission)

makes the proposal inconsistent and weak. Their is a lot of internal give and

take and compromises powerful lobbies with CCM play to get their people,

projects and agendas move through.

The second aspect of why they lost this time was because the blatant misuse of

position and power got questioned this time by a section of civil society

which felt that " enough is enough " .

The rigourous and relentless questioning the unfair processes and procedures,

the non transparent and non accountability to the people, the evidence based

fact and figures which clearly point out the predetermination of outcomes (in

terms of PRs) and the favouritism to include some constituencies, overlooking

the conflict of interests, and finally standing up fearlessly and passionately

got noticed at different platforms and foras.

It may be tiring, frustrating, problematic and scary to stand up to the might of

the Government and Gang but if you know you are right and have the facts and

figures with you, nothing can stop you.

You have to believe in yourselves and do the right thing.

So " someone "  out there saw the " holes " in the process and said well, no more!

So the Government, its Advisors and the Gang are in the present situation where

their proposal is rejected which is a shame itself, but they do not seem to have

learnt their lesson.

Unfortunately they are trying to save face and covering up the issue  with

denial and dissmissve attitude of " this is a small issue and we shall make the

corrections and re-submit " .

I think this is the wake up call. Besides, as Ashok has pointed out why the

CSO be denided participation in either resubmission of R8 and why there should

be no new proposal call for R9.

Just because the Government and the Gang faultered and faultered bad.

This kind of adhoc, one sided and unfair practice should not be allowed to be

carried forward.

Friends, rise up now, bell the cat. speak up. It is good for you, it is good for

them, it is good for all of us.

P.S. I am still trying to work on my language and articulation. Bear with me.

 

Thanks

 

Dr Sanjeev Kumar

New Delhi India

e-mail: <sanjeevbcc@...>