Nguissali M.E. TURPIN�Executive Director, ENDA Santé, CSIH-WCA��Fatou Ndow�Programme Manager, CSIH-WCA

Human rights & HIV in WCA: Overview of situation, initiatives and recommendations

Outline

I. Successful HIV response

II. Decoding the year 2023

III. Current and past intiatives in WCA

IV. Moving forward: key recommendations

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"We will not enjoy security without development, we will not enjoy development without security, and we will not enjoy either without respect for human rights. »

- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan

The path to ending AIDS as a public threat

* The path that ends AIDS: UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2023.

AIDS response most successful when:

- it includes efforts to remove the underlying barriers (e.g. discriminatory criminal laws and policies, gender and other inequalities, stigma and discrimination, and human rights violations)

- when there are public institutions strong enough to sustain those efforts.

Recommended programme areas

To remove human-rights related barriers*

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Ensuring rights-based law enforcement practices

Improving laws, regulations and policies relating to HIV and HIV/TB

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Technical Brief: Removing Human-rights related Barriers Legal Barriers to HIV services. The Global Fund

2023…an unequivocal year

Worsening human rights contexts around the world

• Increasing conflict and violence
• Decreased legal protections
• Sustained/ increasing criminalization of historically marginalized communities.

Changing dynamics that reinforce the harms

• Unsufficient level of resources for HIV (fixed resources VS growing communities of PLHIV; other emerging threats to health)
• High burden of stigma among youth (cf. Stigma Index 2.0)*

in demonstrating that the fulfilment of human rights is central to improving the health of individuals and the communities of which they are a part.

* (GNP+) GNoPLwH. People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0. Global Report 2023

Current & past initiatives in WCA

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First of its kind: National + regional level

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Improving laws, regulations and policies relating to HIV and TB

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Increasing access to justice

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Supporting community mobilization and advocacy for human rights

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The Africa Regional Grant on HIV: Removing Legal Barriers

Key outcomes include:

• Successful strategic litigation in different countries (incl. Nigeria)
• Raising awareness and availability of evidence-based information on HR violations (Observatoire in Côte d’Ivoire, HR violations among PUDs in Nigeria)
• Involvement and linkages with key stakeholders in addressing stigma and discrimination (referrals for judiciary, medical and social support)

Current & past initiatives in WCA

The Key populations Investment Fund

Safe platform and opportunities for:

• Dialogue between CSOs aimed at re-defining approaches and programmes for key populations
• South to South experience sharing to promote African community-led HIV responses that ensure reach of all populations
• Networking between stakeholders who have an interest in progressive change and human rights

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Support the creation of an enabling environment within civil society and government in which services KPs need for health and well-being could be both provided and easily accessed. 

Current & past initiatives in WCA

• Programme security rarely seen as a priority by donors or approached systematically in work planning and programme implementation.

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• Increase in security incidents and the global context of violence against service providers and key populations

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URGENT NEED TO ADDRESS AT THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL AN ISSUE THAT ACTORS HAVE ALWAYS FACED AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.

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Safety & Security: Protecting implementers and improving programme outcomes

Key recommendations moving forward

• Re-ANALYZE

• Re-DEFINE

Re-THINK

Key recommendations moving forward

Develop multidisciplinary, inclusive and multilevel approach

• Encourage and support regional approaches - Regional grants have proved invaluable

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Build and sustain strategic partnerships

• Reengage with and include social facilitators
• Traditional, religious and local leaders as well as the media
• Human-rights actors and mechanisms

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Invest in human capital

🡪 A critical mass of people who can sustain these policies and strategies is required

Key recommendations moving forward

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Re-think programmes

• Prioritise safety and security in programmes
• Focus
• Domesticate strategies, such that these are sensitive to contexts

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Institutionalise the response

• Governments to integrate these issues in national social programmes and priorities

Document, document, document

• Directly affects efficiency, keeps a track of progress, identifies areas of risk

To learn more

THANK YOU