New Publication Provides Varied Perspectives on the Global Fund

Author:

David Garmaise

Article Type:

Article Number: 6

ABSTRACT A new publication, "Access, Accountability and Rights: Your Voices, Your Views on the Global Fund," contains articles prepared by the Key Correspondent (KC) Team, a network of community-based writers hosted by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. The articles are on five themes: women and children; human rights; saving lives and value for money; risk management; and country-level partnerships.

In Indonesia, the dependency of the government on foreign aid is a matter of great concern. Global Fund money is used by the government as an excuse not to allocate government funding for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. The fact that international funding is only temporary seems not to be considered, and the government seems in denial about the fact that, sooner or later, international funding will be discontinued.

These are the views of one author in a new publication called “Access, Accountability and Rights: Your Voices, Yo

ur Views on the Global Fund.” This 48-page publication was produced by the Key Correspondent (KC) Team, a network of more than 250 community-based writers from more than 50 countries hosted by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.

“Access, Accountability and Rights” contains articles prepared by the KCs from interviews they conducted during the period leading up to the Global Fund’s Partnership Forum meeting, held in June 2011 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The articles are on five themes: women and children; human rights; saving lives and value for money; risk management; and country-level partnerships.

Although country coordinating mechanisms (CCMs) is not one of the themes, there are many references to CCMs in the articles. One author wrote about limited civil society representation on CCMs. Another writer quoted an NGO representative as saying that the Global Fund should reduce conflicts of interest between CCM members, the majority of whom are sub recipients.

Alluding to the Global Fund’s core principle of country ownership, one writer prefaced his/her article by saying that that the question should not be “Is the Global Fund adequately supporting services for women and children in your country?” – rather, the question should be “Is your country doing enough to convince the Global Fund to adequately support services for women and children i

n your country?”

“Access, Accountability and Rights” is available on the aidsportal website here. The KCs also produced five video articles, which are available on YouTube, and on the aidsportal website here. More information about the KC team is available on the website of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance here.