CDATA[Author: Mudassar Shah
Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 6:00 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 3

Hi Warren,
 
I contribute very less but at least I contribute....
I fully agree with Shereen Many networks of people living with HIV do not give voice to women within the ranks. Given the "feminisation of the epidemic in SSA" with women bearing the brunt not just in terms of greater numbers of women living with HIV but also in having the bulk of responsibility for caring and support, it is critical that women are central to the development of policy and decision making forums.
I have mentioned the same idea in my first email but unfortunately it is not included or reflect in any way...
I am sorry if this policy is made only for Africa as I see most of this is related to to Africa and most of the examples are from Africa.........
 
I would love to include that the status of women living in my part of the world. I have explained in detai the liv conition in my early email.
 
Hope this time I will be able to get your proper attenion and replay.
 
Regards
Mudassar

 

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]

CDATA[Author: shereenu
Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 5:19 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 3

Editors note: This contribution came in during the conference and could not be posted immediately. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Hi Warren

Belated input from me. It may well be too late. As you know, I'm not in Mexico but wanted to contribute briefly to the Draft Policy.

Most importantly well done on a well communicated document on communication. Most of what I would have said, has been said so I'll cut to the chase. Under 4 - the closer you are the louder the voice. It mentions sex workers and also people living with HIV/AIDS as being central to policy making and investment/financial decisions. No question. But equally important are other marginalised groups such as men who have sex with men and also women in general. Many networks of people living with HIV do not give voice to women within the ranks. Given the "feminisation of the epidemic in SSA" with women bearing the brunt not just in terms of greater numbers of women living with HIV but also in having the bulk of responsibility for caring and support, it is critical that women are central to the development of policy and decision making forums.

hope you are all managing to keep sane amidst the mayhem

Shereen


-----Original Message-----
From: Valerie Grossman [mailto:mex17@comminit.com]
Sent: Tue 29/07/2008 06:22
To: ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
Cc:
Subject: [Mexico XVII] [1] Your Comments on Draft Policy and [2] Mexico Sessions su



This note from VAL GROSSMAN refers to the draft Policy paper derived from the comments in this forum to date. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

***

Hi Warren,
Regarding #4 of the Draft Policy- If this gets included and serious interest follows, I am interested on behalf of our organization. It is the only way I/we do any of the non-profit initiatives we are asked to help with. The basic understanding here is that those of the culture have the expertise, knowledge, and culturally appropriate ways to resolve their own issues. When the people are given, the opportunity to constructively problem solve, and support with implementation, issue resolution of previously insurmountable problems become possible.
Best regards,
Val Grossman
www.healthreachcanada.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Warren Feek [mailto:mex17@comminit.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:19 AM
To: ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
Subject: [Mexico XVII] [1] Your Comments on Draft Policy and [2] Mexico
Sessions submissions

Re: [1] Your Comments on the Draft Policy Document - Please Send and [2] Your Mexico Conference Sessions - Please Submit

Many best wishes to everyone and thanks to all for [a] the original suggestions for what this draft policy document should contain [b] the critique of the initial draft and [c] the Mexico Sessions submissions to date. Excellent stuff!

A couple of points and a reminder if I may:

1. A reminder - for all those conducting or participating in sessions at the
Mexico AIDS Conference to please enter the details of that event including
its policy objectives - at http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication The sessions already submitted - plus other relevant info can be seen at http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication

2. The original policy draft derived from the numerous and substantive
suggestions can be seen at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636

Please review and send your critique and if possible specific suggestions by replying to this email or emailing ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

3. Some of the suggestions already received include [see all the forum
contributions for the full set of inputs]:

***

-[Stress] Mainstreaming Gender and HIV & AIDS Education at all levels and categories of education Institution: Formal &Informal; primary-secondary-tertiary...levels?

- [Higher emphasis on supporting] energising and mobilising discontent and belligerence (against the disadvantage) as the pathway to empowerment

- [Stressing that] HIV Communication can never be effective if it is adressing the issue a single entity and ignoring to empathize with the concerned ones perpectives, their compulsion and degree of freedom to make choices.

- [Requesting] An additional item on Human Rights - suggested text is

8. Base the work on human rights principles Governments of all countries in the world have promised to honor at least one international human rights treaty and the principles of human rights, including sexual and reproductive rights, must be the basis on which all HIV/AIDS related work is based.
“Culture” and “social norms” must not be used as an excuse to ignore rights.


Example:

Despite cultural norms that women’s social status depends on their
role as biological mothers, many women do not want to bear large
numbers of children yet they have problems accessing modern
contraceptives, emergency contraception and safe legal abortion.
Other women, affected by beliefs attached to HIV/AIDS, have had
to face stigma and discrimination when they choose to become
pregnant despite a positive HIV-status. This has even led to proposals
to criminalize perinatal HIV transmission.

Specific Policy Proposal:

Ensure that all policies and interventions in the field of HIV/AIDS respect,

promote and fulfill human rights, including sexual and reproductive
rights.

- In Item 5 - Culture Rules - adding "including the use of ICTs and research
on folk communication media is important" within the recommendations

***

Over the next 4 days we all look forward to further critical review of and
substantive proposals for the draft policy document at
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636


Over the next week please do share your Mexico AIDS Conference events so
that we can all support each others goals at that important conference -
submit at http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication


Thanks and many best wishes - Warren

Site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->


Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

wfeek@comminit.com
1-250-658-6372 - office
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
www.comminit.com


***

To unsubscribe from this forum please reply to this email with "unsubscribe" in the subject line - thank you
]

CDATA[Author: deZalduondoB
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 3:16 am (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 0

FYI This may be of interest.  I know many colleagues working in the broader health sector are following the Mexico conference through this platform. 
-Brazey
 
__________________________________________________________________________
Barbara O. de Zalduondo, M.Sc., Ph.D.¦ Chief, Programmatic Priorities and Support, Division, Evidence, Monitoring and Policy Department
UNAIDS¦ 20 Avenue Appia ¦ CH-1211 Geneva 27 ¦ Switzerland ¦ Tel:+4122 791-1557 ¦ Fax:+4122 791 4746 ¦ Mobile:+4179 329-4081
E-mail: ');document.write('deZalduondoB');document.write('@');document.write('unaids.org');document.write('');//--> (deZalduondoB@unaids.org)
 
 

From: Mushtaque Chowdhury <abstracts@brac.net>
Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:23:35 +0600
To: abstracts<abstracts@brac.net>
CC: A. Mushtaque R. Chowdhury<mushtaque.arc@brac.net>; <faruque.a@brac.net>; Richard Cash<racash@hsph.harvard.edu>; ');document.write('grg.smith');document.write('@');document.write('brac.net');document.write('');//--><grg.smith@brac.net>; Victoria Fan<vfan@post.harvard.edu>
Subject: Deadline Extended for Call for Abstracts: International Conference on Scaling Up
Dear All,
 
The deadline for the Call for Abstracts for the International Conference on Scaling Up: An Essential Strategy to Attaining Good Health for All has been extended to 31 August 2008. Attached is the Call for Abstracts to the conference, which will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 3-6 December 2008. Please circulate this Call for Abstracts to all appropriate parties. We hope that you will lend your extensive experience and knowledge to the conference.

You may submit your abstract either by online form OR e-mail. Please use only one format:
(1) Online form: http://scalingup.wufoo.com/forms/international-conference-on-scaling-up/
(2) E-mail: Send your submissions to ');document.write('abstracts');document.write('@');document.write('brac.net');document.write('');//--> (abstracts@brac.net). In your submission, please include: Name, E-mail/Contact information, Organization, Organization Address, Title of Abstract, and Abstract Body (<250 words).


Regards,

Mushtaque Chowdhury
Dean, James P. Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University

Richard Cash
Senior Lecturer, Harvard School of Public Health

Faruque Ahmed
Director, BRAC Health Program
 
]

CDATA[Author: Warren Feek
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:24 am (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 3

To: All people in this Network in Mexico City for the AIDS Conference
From: Warren
Re: Meeting Up!

Hi to everyone and apologies to those not in Mexico City.

For those of you here in Mexico City at the AIDS Conference I wonder if we
could try another attempt at getting together. We had a small group on
Sunday at 11-30am - hope that we did not miss people but assume [and have
heard from some] that you were still travelling and/or were stuck in the
long registration lines and/or had difficulties getting to the Conference
Center that early given the transport arrangements.

Now that we are probably all here and settled in, can I suggest the
following as a meeting up arrangement:

Day: Monday August 4th
Time: 5pm to 6pm
Venue: The café at the top of the escalator on the 2nd floor - so - if you
were just entering the conference center then go up the escalator to 2nd
floor - then walk straight ahead - in front of you is a café seating area -
go left into that area - against the wall is a no smoking sign - I will try
to sit under that - and I will have my hat on!

Very much hope that this works for everyone. Please - if you see people
involved in communication on HIV/AIDS at the Conference - do let them know this meeting time and place - the more the merrier!

Best wishes - see you Monday at 5pm - Warren

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
1-250-658-6372 - office
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
www.comminit.com
_________________
Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative
1-250-658-6372
');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
]

CDATA[Author: jopet
Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 1:03 am (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 2

Warren et al,

Just to say that Jo Dorras, scriptwriter from Wan Smolbag Theatre,
Vanuatu was planning to be at your gathering on Sunday but after
having been told she didn't need a visa here, got stopped in Fiji
cos her British passport predated the electronic ones that LA only
accept now!

Anyhow, she will be there Tuesday morning and will be in the Pacific
section along with Siula Bulu who manages our clinics and peer
education programs. She would have a range of data and reviews. Jo is
there to discuss our work in theatre and film and in particular our
annual TV series Love Patrol that has proved popular in the region.
Sorry, we are currently shooting a series of this and I am very vague
on who is presenting what where but I think the Pacific has its own
space!? Please if you see her make contact and soothe her nerves!



On 03/08/2008, at 5:21 PM, Warren Feek wrote:

Quote: To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director -
The CI Mexico AIDS site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Forum Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

Best wishes to everyone. This note is for both those who are at the
Mexico
City Conference and those of you are back home in your places of work.

As a result of the policy themes process we have been asked to
collect -
from the presentations at the Mexico Conference - examples of
compelling
impact data related to the impact of social change/social movement/
social
norm/social mobilization communication programming and/or trends that
highlight the impact of these programmes and processes on HIV/AIDS
issues
and problems.

If you are presenting at the Conference and have such data could
you please
send it to me along with the title and time of both your
presentation and
the session in which you are presenting - plus [and this is evidently
important] the slide number in your presentation that features this
data. We
will of course respect all embargoes and will not share any of this
before
you present. But there is an opportunity to convey this data for
inclusion
in the conference outcomes so would be great to have it early to
prepare a
comprehensive case - thanks.


Likewise if you are not attending the Mexico City conference -
please do
send us either extracted data or the full research and evaluation
papers/studies - we will try to find a way to ensure it gets
included in the
process either in Mexico or in later processes - the more data we
have the
better - thanks.


On a related matter Panos have asked me to draft something for the
Monday
issue of the conference paper - Panoscope - will do that based on
the deas
from and crediting this forum and network

OK - for those in Mexico City - see you at the proposed meeting
point and
time on Sunday - details below - understand that some people are
arriving
later on Sunday so will email everyone after that meeting with our
proposed
gathering points - details of that first meeting:

INITIAL MEETING - Many of you may be attending the IPAS session being
convened by Susan Maguire " "CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS AND HIV/
AIDS"
that will be held on Sunday August 3rd from 10am to 11-30am in
Session Room
8, Level Two in the Conference Center. From the sessions submitted
I saw no
other conflicting session and no session following that.

SESSION ROOM 8 ON LEVEL TWO - 11-45AM - So [whether you are
attending that
session or not] can I suggest that the place to gather is after
that session
at 11-45am to the left of the doors as you look at Session Room 8
on Level
Two. I have been told that there is an open space there in which we
can
gather. Unfortunately meeting rooms are in short supply so we will
need to
improvise! Might be fun!

PURPOSE - The purpose of meeting is four fold [a] get to meet each
other [b]
copies of PANOSCOPE with the policy ideas included [hopefully - not
a done
deal yet] [c] some initial policy advocacy ideas - who do we
influence and
where and [d] establishing of a regular place to meet - somewhere
where
during the course of the day you may find another communication
person.


Thanks - best wishes - Warren




Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
1-250-658-6372 - office
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
www.comminit.com



]

CDATA[Author: Warren Feek
Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:36 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 2

To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director -
The CI Mexico AIDS site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Forum Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

Best wishes to everyone. This note is for both those who are at the Mexico
City Conference and those of you are back home in your places of work.

As a result of the policy themes process we have been asked to collect -
from the presentations at the Mexico Conference - examples of compelling
impact data related to the impact of social change/social movement/social
norm/social mobilization communication programming and/or trends that
highlight the impact of these programmes and processes on HIV/AIDS issues
and problems.

If you are presenting at the Conference and have such data could you please
send it to me along with the title and time of both your presentation and
the session in which you are presenting - plus [and this is evidently
important] the slide number in your presentation that features this data. We
will of course respect all embargoes and will not share any of this before
you present. But there is an opportunity to convey this data for inclusion
in the conference outcomes so would be great to have it early to prepare a
comprehensive case - thanks.


Likewise if you are not attending the Mexico City conference - please do
send us either extracted data or the full research and evaluation
papers/studies - we will try to find a way to ensure it gets included in the
process either in Mexico or in later processes - the more data we have the
better - thanks.


On a related matter Panos have asked me to draft something for the Monday
issue of the conference paper - Panoscope - will do that based on the deas
from and crediting this forum and network

OK - for those in Mexico City - see you at the proposed meeting point and
time on Sunday - details below - understand that some people are arriving
later on Sunday so will email everyone after that meeting with our proposed
gathering points - details of that first meeting:

INITIAL MEETING - Many of you may be attending the IPAS session being
convened by Susan Maguire " "CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS AND HIV/AIDS"
that will be held on Sunday August 3rd from 10am to 11-30am in Session Room
8, Level Two in the Conference Center. From the sessions submitted I saw no
other conflicting session and no session following that.

SESSION ROOM 8 ON LEVEL TWO - 11-45AM - So [whether you are attending that
session or not] can I suggest that the place to gather is after that session
at 11-45am to the left of the doors as you look at Session Room 8 on Level
Two. I have been told that there is an open space there in which we can
gather. Unfortunately meeting rooms are in short supply so we will need to
improvise! Might be fun!

PURPOSE - The purpose of meeting is four fold [a] get to meet each other [b]
copies of PANOSCOPE with the policy ideas included [hopefully - not a done
deal yet] [c] some initial policy advocacy ideas - who do we influence and
where and [d] establishing of a regular place to meet - somewhere where
during the course of the day you may find another communication person.


Thanks - best wishes - Warren




Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
1-250-658-6372 - office
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
www.comminit.com
_________________
Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative
1-250-658-6372
');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
]

CDATA[Author: sarapage
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:58 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 1

Dear Warren,
Many thanks for the policy document. As SAfAIDS, we have been quietly
following the discussions and our field experience strongly supports the
policy and investment recommendations that have been highlighted in the
policy document. We will do our part to ensure that it is disseminated
widely.

I unfortunately will not be in Mexico, but my executive director, Lois
Chingandu will be. Although I know from past conferences, it is a mad rush,
but perhaps you will bump into each other at the conference. SAfAIDS will be
holding to exhibitions ( one in the Global Village and one together with the
Regional Network of African HIV and AIDS NGOS- RAANGO ( this is a loose
network of all regional HIV organisations, includes the likes of Soul City,
SAT and SAfAIDS, among others). SAfAIDS will also be hosting two skills
building sessions and two launches of new materials (including a children's
treatment literacy toolkit (Aug 3 17:00), and a policy primer on home-based
care in Zimbabwe (Aug 6 at 17:00)- both launches will be held at the RAANGO
stand (stand 453).

I hope you travel well and enjoy the conference.
Cheers
Sara Page
Deputy Director
SAfAIDS



-----Original Message-----
From: Warren Feek [mailto:mex17@comminit.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 7:23 AM
To: ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
Subject: [Mexico XVII] Final: The Real Stuff!

To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director - The CI Mexico AIDS site
http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Forum Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

Re: FINAL: THE REAL STUFF


Hi to everyone and thank you, thank you, thank you - for your engagement and
your ideas. Below is the final version of the common theme and objectives
policy ideas paper to emerge from our discussions. You can alos see it in a
much better format at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636

I wish that we had a lot longer and perhaps we can come back to this after
Mexico and represent it as a more generic document.In this version I have
tried to square what might be an unsquareable [sic] circle. If you made
comments on the original draft your comments should be reflected somewhere
in this final version. I also tried to tidy up some inconsistency, poor
logic and design in the initial draft. And I tried to make it a lot sharper
[though more time would have been excellent here]. Finally I tried to keep
it as short as possible which may mean that some of your suggestions
contributed to this forum have been boiled down to one phrase or sentence.
This is of course inadequate but necessary - apologies if I did not fully
capture all points made.


Undoubtedly you will all find some things in here that you do not like. But
hopefully - as seemed to be the case with the initial draft from which 90%
remains - there is a lot on which we can all agree.


Please do feel free to use and amend this document in any ways that you wish
for your own policy advocacy.

Thanks - enjoy - and once again many thanks.


Warren

***



THE REAL STUFF!





Towards more principled and effective HIV/AIDS policy and investment action





Derived from their direct, day-to-day, in country and community, work
experience and analysis of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the community of people
and organisations using communication and media strategies to address
HIV/AIDS strongly encourages HIV/AIDS policy makers and funders to adopt the
following common themes and objectives as integral to their strategic
direction and financial investments.





These are derived from substantive programme experience, lessons learned
from addressing other relevant, major development issues [eg the civil
rights and womens movement] and evaluation and research data on these
approaches [see reference below].





THE REALITY





Though there may be just a few small signs of progress - see the UNAIDS
report released just before this Conference - the harsh reality remains that
HIV/AIDS continues to be a massive development issue upon which there has
been only the slightest possible dent from the [perhaps] hundred billion
dollars of investment over the past 20 years. In our view this is because
the HIV/AIDS policy emphasis has insufficiently included a central focus on
the core drivers of this epidemic - including multiple concurrent partners,
stigma, discrimination, transactional sex and other significant social and
economic factors.





HIV/AIDS is a complex issue in whatever context it manifests. It is the
communication community that best understand how to take effective action
within those complex dynamics. The following programmatic package is
essential for effective HIV/AIDS action across the full smorgasbord of
HIV/AIDS issues - as relevant to ART understanding and uptake as to changing
social norms around concurrent partnerships.





1. GO DEEP, GO LONG!





Even if a vaccine arrived tomorrow HIV/AIDS is still a long term issue
deeply entrenched in social, cultural and economic norms, beliefs and
contexts. There are no simple solutions. We need to think long term and
address the deep issues in each and every individual context.





Policy Suggestions: Work with children beginning to develop their skills at
discussing friendship, care, respect, emotional openness and other building
blocks for later healthy sexual relationships; Work in support of national
and local media focusing on ways in which stigma, discrimination and
prejudice can be removed from their coverage of HIV/AIDS issues and that
their publics can both receive more accurate information and be engaged in
debate on these important issues; Work at national, local and family levels
exploring healthy family dynamics that support dialogue on the really
difficult sex-related issues that drive the epidemic; Include a "social
drivers" component in all policy and funding initiatives





Investment Requirement: That 50% of all HIV/AIDS investments are focused on
the core beliefs, norms, policies and social and economic dynamics that
establish the context for the growth of HIV/AIDS issues





2. ALL HIV/AIDS IS LOCAL...and NATIONAL





HIV/AIDS scenarios differ from local context to local context and from
country to country. For too long the global HIV/AIDS community has supported
- sometimes inflicted - a few pre-established programming priroities and
patterns. That needs to change.





Policy Suggestions: A much higher emphasis on support for the judgments of
locally and nationally commenced HIV/AIDS initiatives, under autonomous
local/national leadership and decision making, establishing and implementing
the priorities and interventions they think will make a big difference. This
will more effectively harness a much broader range of local and national
resources, talents and energies relative to each unique context. Mistakes
will happen - but the organised global effort has hardly been mistake free!





Investment Requirement: Move quickly to a situation in which 50% of all
financial investment in HIV/AIDS action is for locally and nationally
commenced and managed HIV/AIDS focused groups and organisations





3. REFLECT: DEBATE!





The emergency style beginning to the AIDS response continues to set the
policy tone for the nature of the action that takes place. But many
countries are struggling [and have struggled for a long time] to reduce
HIV/AIDS rates in any significant way. Public and private reflection, debate
and dialogue are central components of all social change/movement processes
that have demonstrated progress and continue to have positive traction - eg
civil rights, tobacco, the womens movement, human rights, anti-apartheid.





Policy Suggestions: Now is the time to encourage, as a matter of formal
policy outlined by policy makers and funders, the engagement of all those
affected by HIV/AIDS or engaged in HIV/AIDS related action, to take a step
back, reflect on the issues and action to date and to debate the best ways
forward in their context.





Investment Requirenent: That funding be shifted from international and
nationally formulated "message" driven policy and communication processes to
support for programmes and processes that encourage countries and
communities to reflect, discuss and debate the analysis of the HIV/AIDS
situation in their contexts as a core component of the porogrammatic action.





4. THE CLOSER YOU ARE THE LOUDER THE VOICE





HIV/AIDS will only be significantly addressed when the response moves from
being driven by technical experts on the individual elements of the HIV/AIDS
problem, to being led by the people most affected. Technical should support
not lead. No major global issue that is rooted in significant cultural,
social norm and economic circumstances, as is the case with HIV/AIDS, has
ever been resolved without the voices of the people most affected being the
most prominent in describing the issues and defining the acceptable
response.





Policy Suggestions: Support genuine national and community consultations -
sadly many such processes at present have the look and feel of thinly
disguised selling of programmes and ideas rather than listening, learning
and supporting; Support moving people living with/directly affected by
HIV/AIDS from the margins of policy making and investment/financial
decisions to be central, "loud" and influential; Place a much higher
priority on supporting the voices and perspectives of sex workers in HV/AIDS
policy and decision making forums - local community, national and global
policy and decision making decision fora;





Investment Requirement: Double the present levels of financial and strategic
support for local, national and global networks of people living with
HIV/AIDS and ensure that those networks have prominent places in all
HIV/AIDS related decision making fora





5. CULTURE RULES





Different languages means different concepts and understandings; disease,
illness and death have very different explanations and meaning in different
cultures; the concept of "prevention" has a full range of meanings; and
hundreds of other examples. We are all to some extent captured by our own
culture - the norms, behaviours, expectations and beliefs that we ascribe to
such key HIV/AIDS strategy concepts as fidelity, abstinence, safety,
relationships, negotiation, authority, family, friendships, care, trust, etc
will all be informed and shaped by each of our cultures - and the
sub-cultures within those cultures.





Policy Suggestions: We can no longer afford to ignore these important
cultural differences and subtleties because they do not fit a global or
national plan of action. It is these cultural issues that have eroded and
undermined those plans. Many HIV/AIDS policies and strategies seem to treat
culture as neutral, irrelevant or an obstacle. Instead we should recognise
and embrace culture and work from that base in a discursive and reflective
manner seeking the changes required. This is real stuff.





Investment Requirement: Double the levels of financial investment in
communication processes that are rooted in local and national cultural
traditions and/or practices - for example from local decision making fora
and traditional drama forms to the modern language, art and music variations
of young people within those communities and common, important national
stories, symbols, icons and points of resonance.





6. TRANSFORM GENDER





A radical change is required in the way gender is communicated across all
HIV/AIDS communications: presently women are generally portrayed as passive,
submissive, and sexy but not sexual; men are generally portrayed as
dominant, aggressive, only wanting sex; and, language, music and color are
used to reinforce gender role perceptions. For example a gender analysis of
HIV communication campaigns in Latin America and the Caribbean demonstrated
sexual roles/relationships tend to be simplified, particularly fidelity. If
overall HIV/AIDS action is to be effective this communication pattern needs
to change.





Policy Suggestions: That a much higher emphasis be placed on analysis of the
gender perspectives in HIV/AIDS communications. That that analysis - in
concurrence with the other elements above - primarily involve people most
affected by HIV/AIDS and local and national actors. The results of those
analyses would then feed private dialogue and public debate on the gender
related HIV/AIDS issues and interventions.





Investment Requirement: Analysis and debate of gender perspectives should be
a central part of all HIV/AIDS funding processes.





7. OUR LIVES - OUR RIGHTS





There are numerous human rights issues at the core of the HIV/AIDS problem
and response. Confidentiality re health status; equitable access to services
and health products; free choice re sexual consent; gender equity;
reproductive rights; absence of discrimination re sexual preference; and
many other vitally important rights. These rights need to be not only
respected and advanced but to be central to an effective, long term HIV/AIDS
response. The ends will never justify the means when it comes to the
possibility of compromising human rights for imagined HIV/AIDS success.





Policy Suggestions: As an important element of both the "Reflect: Debate";
"Gender", "Culture" and "Voice" programme elements to facilitate and
introduce human rights issues and factors as part of those processes





Investment Requirement: Analysis and debate of humna rights perspectives
should be a central part of all HIV/AIDS funding processes.





8. COMMUNICATION SKILLS





Seeking long term norm changes; supporting local and nationally driven
action; facilitating reflection and debate; working across and within
different cultures; helping to amplify the voices, analysis and ideas of the
people most affected by HIV/AIDS; and, addressing the very sensitive gender
issues at play in HIV/AIDS requires very skilled communication personnel.
Harnessing these skills has proved problematic. Almost everyone regards
themselves as a communicator - because they can communicate. But this no
more makes them a communicator then saying everyone is an epidemiologist
because we can all count. And HIV/AIDS communication processes are too often
confused with communication product production: media releases, poster
design, video production, entertainment script writing, etc. That is not
communication.





Policy and Investment Suggestions: As a policy and funding priority the
identification and training of a significantly increased cadre of HIV/AIDS
communicators.





THE DATA





There is significant data to support the approach outlined above. That data
can be accessed and then reviewed amongst the many evaluation summaries at
http://www.comminit.com/en/taxonomy/term/36%2C11%2C86%2C250/all





LEARNING MORE





There is so much more to learn to ensure that these approaches are even nore
effective: this requires wide ranging consultations and a debate and
reflection process on how to even more effectively tackle the social drivers
of HIV and their distinct character in each national context". It would aim
to bring together at the national level all the current research and
experience on the social drivers in that particular context. This would be
integrally linked to wide ranging public consultations on the real barriers
and social issues driving HIV.
]

CDATA[Author: Warren Feek
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 9:22 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 1

To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director - The CI Mexico AIDS site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Forum Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

Re: FINAL: THE REAL STUFF


Hi to everyone and thank you, thank you, thank you - for your engagement and your ideas. Below is the final version of the common theme and objectives policy ideas paper to emerge from our discussions. You can alos see it in a much better format at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636

I wish that we had a lot longer and perhaps we can come back to this after Mexico and represent it as a more generic document.In this version I have tried to square what might be an unsquareable [sic] circle. If you made comments on the original draft your comments should be reflected somewhere in this final version. I also tried to tidy up some inconsistency, poor logic and design in the initial draft. And I tried to make it a lot sharper [though more time would have been excellent here]. Finally I tried to keep it as short as possible which may mean that some of your suggestions contributed to this forum have been boiled down to one phrase or sentence. This is of course inadequate but necessary - apologies if I did not fully capture all points made.


Undoubtedly you will all find some things in here that you do not like. But hopefully - as seemed to be the case with the initial draft from which 90% remains - there is a lot on which we can all agree.


Please do feel free to use and amend this document in any ways that you wish for your own policy advocacy.

Thanks - enjoy - and once again many thanks.


Warren

***



THE REAL STUFF!





Towards more principled and effective HIV/AIDS policy and investment action





Derived from their direct, day-to-day, in country and community, work experience and analysis of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the community of people and organisations using communication and media strategies to address HIV/AIDS strongly encourages HIV/AIDS policy makers and funders to adopt the following common themes and objectives as integral to their strategic direction and financial investments.





These policy and investment proposals are also from substantive programme experience, lessons learned from addressing other relevant, major development issues [eg the civil rights and womens movement] and evaluation and research data on these approaches [see reference below].





THE REALITY





Though there may be just a few small signs of progress - see the UNAIDS report released just before this Conference - the harsh reality remains that HIV/AIDS continues to be a massive development issue upon which there has been only the slightest possible dent from the [perhaps] hundred billion dollars of investment over the past 20 years. In our view this is because the HIV/AIDS policy emphasis has insufficiently included a central focus on the core drivers of this epidemic - including multiple concurrent partners, stigma, discrimination, transactional sex and other significant social and economic factors.





HIV/AIDS is a complex issue in whatever context it manifests. It is the communication community that best understand how to take effective action within those complex dynamics. The following programmatic package is essential for effective HIV/AIDS action across the full smorgasbord of HIV/AIDS issues - as relevant to ART understanding and uptake as to changing social norms around concurrent partnerships.





1. GO DEEP, GO LONG!





Even if a vaccine arrived tomorrow HIV/AIDS is still a long term issue deeply entrenched in social, cultural and economic norms, beliefs and contexts. There are no simple solutions. We need to think long term and address the deep issues in each and every individual context.





Policy Suggestions: Work with children beginning to develop their skills at discussing friendship, care, respect, emotional openness and other building blocks for later healthy sexual relationships; Work in support of national and local media focusing on ways in which stigma, discrimination and prejudice can be removed from their coverage of HIV/AIDS issues and that their publics can both receive more accurate information and be engaged in debate on these important issues; Work at national, local and family levels exploring healthy family dynamics that support dialogue on the really difficult sex-related issues that drive the epidemic; Include a "social drivers" component in all policy and funding initiatives





Investment Requirement: That 50% of all HIV/AIDS investments are focused on the core beliefs, norms, policies and social and economic dynamics that establish the context for the growth of HIV/AIDS issues





2. ALL HIV/AIDS IS LOCAL...and NATIONAL





HIV/AIDS scenarios differ from local context to local context and from country to country. For too long the global HIV/AIDS community has supported - sometimes inflicted - a few pre-established programming priroities and patterns. That needs to change.





Policy Suggestions: A much higher emphasis on support for the judgments of locally and nationally commenced HIV/AIDS initiatives, under autonomous local/national leadership and decision making, establishing and implementing the priorities and interventions they think will make a big difference. This will more effectively harness a much broader range of local and national resources, talents and energies relative to each unique context. Mistakes will happen - but the organised global effort has hardly been mistake free!





Investment Requirement: Move quickly to a situation in which 50% of all financial investment in HIV/AIDS action is for locally and nationally commenced and managed HIV/AIDS focused groups and organisations





3. REFLECT: DEBATE!





The emergency style beginning to the AIDS response continues to set the policy tone for the nature of the action that takes place. But many countries are struggling [and have struggled for a long time] to reduce HIV/AIDS rates in any significant way. Public and private reflection, debate and dialogue are central components of all social change/movement processes that have demonstrated progress and continue to have positive traction - eg civil rights, tobacco, the womens movement, human rights, anti-apartheid.





Policy Suggestions: Now is the time to encourage, as a matter of formal policy outlined by policy makers and funders, the engagement of all those affected by HIV/AIDS or engaged in HIV/AIDS related action, to take a step back, reflect on the issues and action to date and to debate the best ways forward in their context.





Investment Requirenent: That funding be shifted from international and nationally formulated "message" driven policy and communication processes to support for programmes and processes that encourage countries and communities to reflect, discuss and debate the analysis of the HIV/AIDS situation in their contexts as a core component of the porogrammatic action.





4. THE CLOSER YOU ARE THE LOUDER THE VOICE





HIV/AIDS will only be significantly addressed when the response moves from being driven by technical experts on the individual elements of the HIV/AIDS problem, to being led by the people most affected. Technical should support not lead. No major global issue that is rooted in significant cultural, social norm and economic circumstances, as is the case with HIV/AIDS, has ever been resolved without the voices of the people most affected being the most prominent in describing the issues and defining the acceptable response.





Policy Suggestions: Support genuine national and community consultations - sadly many such processes at present have the look and feel of thinly disguised selling of programmes and ideas rather than listening, learning and supporting; Support moving people living with/directly affected by HIV/AIDS from the margins of policy making and investment/financial decisions to be central, "loud" and influential; Place a much higher priority on supporting the voices and perspectives of sex workers in HV/AIDS policy and decision making forums - local community, national and global policy and decision making decision fora;





Investment Requirement: Double the present levels of financial and strategic support for local, national and global networks of people living with HIV/AIDS and ensure that those networks have prominent places in all HIV/AIDS related decision making fora





5. CULTURE RULES





Different languages means different concepts and understandings; disease, illness and death have very different explanations and meaning in different cultures; the concept of "prevention" has a full range of meanings; and hundreds of other examples. We are all to some extent captured by our own culture - the norms, behaviours, expectations and beliefs that we ascribe to such key HIV/AIDS strategy concepts as fidelity, abstinence, safety, relationships, negotiation, authority, family, friendships, care, trust, etc will all be informed and shaped by each of our cultures - and the sub-cultures within those cultures.





Policy Suggestions: We can no longer afford to ignore these important cultural differences and subtleties because they do not fit a global or national plan of action. It is these cultural issues that have eroded and undermined those plans. Many HIV/AIDS policies and strategies seem to treat culture as neutral, irrelevant or an obstacle. Instead we should recognise and embrace culture and work from that base in a discursive and reflective manner seeking the changes required. This is real stuff.





Investment Requirement: Double the levels of financial investment in communication processes that are rooted in local and national cultural traditions and/or practices - for example from local decision making fora and traditional drama forms to the modern language, art and music variations of young people within those communities and common, important national stories, symbols, icons and points of resonance.





6. TRANSFORM GENDER





A radical change is required in the way gender is communicated across all HIV/AIDS communications: presently women are generally portrayed as passive, submissive, and sexy but not sexual; men are generally portrayed as dominant, aggressive, only wanting sex; and, language, music and color are used to reinforce gender role perceptions. For example a gender analysis of HIV communication campaigns in Latin America and the Caribbean demonstrated sexual roles/relationships tend to be simplified, particularly fidelity. If overall HIV/AIDS action is to be effective this communication pattern needs to change.





Policy Suggestions: That a much higher emphasis be placed on analysis of the gender perspectives in HIV/AIDS communications. That that analysis - in concurrence with the other elements above - primarily involve people most affected by HIV/AIDS and local and national actors. The results of those analyses would then feed private dialogue and public debate on the gender related HIV/AIDS issues and interventions.





Investment Requirement: Analysis and debate of gender perspectives should be a central part of all HIV/AIDS funding processes.





7. OUR LIVES - OUR RIGHTS





There are numerous human rights issues at the core of the HIV/AIDS problem and response. Confidentiality re health status; equitable access to services and health products; free choice re sexual consent; gender equity; reproductive rights; absence of discrimination re sexual preference; and many other vitally important rights. These rights need to be not only respected and advanced but to be central to an effective, long term HIV/AIDS response. The ends will never justify the means when it comes to the possibility of compromising human rights for imagined HIV/AIDS success.





Policy Suggestions: As an important element of both the "Reflect: Debate"; "Gender", "Culture" and "Voice" programme elements to facilitate and introduce human rights issues and factors as part of those processes





Investment Requirement: Analysis and debate of humna rights perspectives should be a central part of all HIV/AIDS funding processes.





8. COMMUNICATION SKILLS





Seeking long term norm changes; supporting local and nationally driven action; facilitating reflection and debate; working across and within different cultures; helping to amplify the voices, analysis and ideas of the people most affected by HIV/AIDS; and, addressing the very sensitive gender issues at play in HIV/AIDS requires very skilled communication personnel. Harnessing these skills has proved problematic. Almost everyone regards themselves as a communicator - because they can communicate. But this no more makes them a communicator then saying everyone is an epidemiologist because we can all count. And HIV/AIDS communication processes are too often confused with communication product production: media releases, poster design, video production, entertainment script writing, etc. That is not communication.





Policy and Investment Suggestions: As a policy and funding priority the identification and training of a significantly increased cadre of HIV/AIDS communicators.





THE DATA





There is significant data to support the approach outlined above. That data can be accessed and then reviewed amongst the many evaluation summaries at http://www.comminit.com/en/taxonomy/term/36%2C11%2C86%2C250/all





LEARNING MORE





There is so much more to learn to ensure that these approaches are even nore effective: this requires wide ranging consultations and a debate and reflection process on how to even more effectively tackle the social drivers of HIV and their distinct character in each national context". It would aim to bring together at the national level all the current research and experience on the social drivers in that particular context. This would be integrally linked to wide ranging public consultations on the real barriers and social issues driving HIV.
_________________
Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative
1-250-658-6372
');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
]

CDATA[Author: deZalduondoB
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:31 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 2

This note from BRAZEY DE ZALDUONDO refers to the draft Policy paper derived from the comments in this forum to date. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

***


Dear all,
I have been following this wonderful dialogue with great interest as we prepare for the Mexico conference. I won-t be there in person, but will continue to follow on the web, and I hope these comments squeak in "under the wire."

First of all, congratulations on the process. It leverages ICTs to both support coordination for maximum impact at the conference and also enables those of you who will be in Mexico to speak with a stronger voice, as you can speak for those of us who are participating virtually. If I understand correctly, the aim of this pre-conference dialogue is not to produce a policy proposal, but rather, to identify some common objectives and themes that all can support and reinforce in various interactions, comments, and fora. Everyone will go in with a range of important contributions and issues, but if others hear the same issues repeatedly from a range of people and places -- those issues are more likely to "stick."

Second, I think a critical issue is that - traditional information dissemination and individual-focused behaviour change approaches are necessary, but not sufficient to prompt and enable enduring reductions in vulnerability and risk. Under "Go Deep, Go Long" I think we should say explicitly that cultures are 'self-righting systems," so to shift beliefs and norms, communication strategies need to be based on in-depth analysis of all the component parts of the system, and to be planned and coordinated to deal with the multiple components and levels, consistently, and persistently, until they reach a new and healthier equilibrium. These points have been brought out in discussions in the Social Change Communication Working Group cited by Robin Vincent. They are summarized in the poster that was co-created by this group and that we'll circulate on Wednesday when it goes up at the conference.

Third, I hope many of you have seen the UNAIDS Global Report that was released yesterday. There is a whole chapter on addressing societal level causes of vulnerability and risk - something that can hardly be done except through strategic communication!

You will notice in the Global Report, that it is all about the data. There are many in UNAIDS (Secretariat and cosponsors) who understand well that the range of valid information and documentation goes way beyond clinical trials. I am sure that you will hear and see many cases and studies that are innovative, grounded in local realities, and that also are described in a way that is objective, rigorous/systematic, and insightful. I really hope you will make note of these studies and cases, and share them. This could really help to need to break the vicious cycle of: Insufficient number, and documentation of programmes -> insufficient evidence -> insufficient funding -> insufficient programmes etc..

At UNAIDS we have a firm commitment to evidence informed and rights based programmes. The point of "evidence informed" is that the UN advocates for policies and programmes that have been tested and evaluated, but it is essential for approaches to respect and promote human rights whether there is evidence of their impact on HIV or not. For example, UNAIDS stands 1000% against gender based violence - whether there are data showing that it increases HIV vulnerability and risk or not! That said, data that describe concrete programmes to combat gender based violence and their results, and other social change interventions, are sorely needed. So, my point is two-fold. One is that I really agree with the comments that we should have a key message around human rights and social justice. The second is that, for those of us who are not in Mexico, I hope those who are there will keep your eyes out for good examples of programme approaches, tools (guidelines, measures and scales, etc.) and results on these social and cultural issues, and keep good notes on where we can go after the conference to get details.

Further to this - Warren has captured a number of themes on "how" HIV policies and programmes can be enhanced (Reflect; Debate! etc), and also themes on the 'what" - the commentaries have identified both human rights and transforming gender as critical substantive themes. Combating HIV related stigma and discrimination is another one. It is mentioned under Go Deep, Go Long, but should-t it stand out as much as the need to transform gender?

Forgive me if the next item is a bit personal. I'm an anthropologist by training. I have learned so much from those of you who are trained in communication and media sciences! I do believe that those of us in this area know that this is a two-way street. Social and behavioural sciences provide a knowledge base and set of tools that are also critical to analyzing the social drivers of HIV vulnerability and risk, and to improving HIV responses. But people coming from a biomedical background may not know the difference, so social and behavioural science skills need to be advocated in addition to communication skills. The synthesis paper that Warren has brilliantly developed and shared gives us a heading "Culture Rules." This is a great double-entendre, and a great heading for a section that makes my point. Socially constructed meanings, roles, values, norms, institutions, etc. provide the substrate for effective communication. Analyzing them is better done with background knowledge and theory on how these things vary, are defined and measured in various settings, how they change, etc. In sum, it may be useful to add a recommendation to enhance and expand training and partnership with social and behavioural scientists, either in the Culture Rules section, or expanding the Communication Skills section.

Well, that's it from my side for this round. Again, it is a real pleasure and privilege to read the many perspectives that have been shared, and I know we can all count on continuing excitement during the conference!

Warm regards to all,

- Barbara/Brazey

_______________________________________

Barbara O. de Zalduondo, M.Sc., Ph.D. | Chief, Programmatic Priorities and Support Division | Evidence, Monitoring and Policy Department | UNAIDS | 20 Avenue Appia | Geneva 27 | Switzerland CH-1211| Tel: +41-22-791-1557 | Mobile: +41-79-329-4081


From: Warren Feek [mailto:mex17@comminit.com]
Sent: Mon 7/28/2008 10:07 PM
To: ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
Subject: [Mexico XVII] Policy Paper and Mexico Events



To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director - The CI
Mexico AIDS site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Forum Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->


A big hi to everyone - a few quick things re this process- mainly about the
Policy Paper and your Mexico Events. Tomorrow a note re getting organised in
Mexico City as many attending will be travelling soon.

1. POLICY DRAFT:

A number of people have indicated that they are sending comments on the
draft policy ideas so we will extend the feedback and comments on those to
Wednesday evening of this week. At that stage we will need to re-write
these. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

There have been a number of very nice comments to date plus a few
suggestions - eg a much higher emphasis on human rights [see previous
contributions]. These very supportive comments are a credit to everyone's
insights and ideas sent to this forum as that is what the draft is derived
from. But please - if you have serious concerns or criticisms - do submit
them - it is vital to have a full debate on these. Thanks


2. MEXICO CONFERENCE EVENTS

A big thanks to everyone who has sent details of their events at the Mexico
City International AIDS Conference. Maria de Bruynn at IPAS just submitted a
number of events and Claire Stevens from Mindset in South Africa also
submitted recently.

To submit your event for sharing with this network please complete this form
and submit: http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication
[let me know if there are any issues]

To edit any submission you have made please go to
http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids scroll down and under Your Recent Posts
click on edit next to the post you wish to update

NB - Please do - for new and edited contributions - complete the Lessons
Learned and Policy Objectives sections

To review relevant communication events - and to possibly attend and support
your communication colleagues attending those events please review the
events submitted for these days [again let me know if there are any issues
accessing]


Sunday August 3rd
http://www.comminit.com/event/2008/08/03/day/mexico_communication/all

Monday August 4th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/04/day/mexico_communication/all/1


Tuesday August 5th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/05/day/mexico_communication/all/1

Wednesday August 6th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/06/day/mexico_communication/all/1

Thursday August 7th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/07/day/mexico_communication/all/1

Friday August 8th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/08/day/mexico_communication/all/1


Thanks - an honour to help facilitate this process as we all seek to support
all of our work - more tomorrow re getting organised in Mexico City for
those attending. One quick question - does anyone have a meeting room that
we can obtain at times during the conference?

Thanks - Warren






Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
1-250-658-6372 - office
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
www.comminit.com


***

To unsubscribe from this forum please reply to this email with "unsubscribe" in the subject line
]

CDATA[Author: deZalduondoB
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:13 am (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 0

BRAZEY DE ZALDUONDO from UNAIDS is sharing this relevant correspondence with people in this Mexico HIV/AIDS Communication and Media Policy forum


***


Thanks Susan. I love it

Congratulations Ron!! This is Communication for Social Change in action! I am connecting you all to the mex17 outreach and coordination network that CI is working on before and in Mexico, and, if I can figure out how to log in, I'll also pass it on to the 500 people who are involved in the mex17 project.

Cheers,
- Brazey


__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Barbara O. de Zalduondo, Chief, EMP/PPD, UNAIDS ¦ Tel:+4122 791-1557 ¦ Mobile:+4179 329-4081


From: Timberlake, Susan Blair
Sent: Tuesday, 29 July, 2008 17:48
To: Harrison, Brianna; Sigurdson, Jason; Hudry, Laetitia; de Zalduondo, Barbara; Bartos, Michael; Dehne, Karl-Lorenz; Russell, Sarah; Ebrahimzadeh, Christine
Cc: Nykanen-Rettaroli, Marjo Paulina
Subject: FW: Thought this might be of interest to you--happening at hte conference


Neat link against stigma and discrimination. See many interesting faces, including Peter's.


Susan Timberlake ¦ Senior Human Rights and Law Adviser ¦ UNAIDS Secretariat ¦ 20, avenue Appia ¦ 1211 Geneva 27 ¦ Switzerland ¦ Telephone: (41) (0)22 791 1554 ¦ Fax: (41) (0)22 791 4746




From: Laura Nyblade [mailto:lnyblade@icrw.org]
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 4:19 PM
To: Paul Perchal; Angela Pires Pinto - SCDH; ');document.write('anandi');document.write('@');document.write('icw.org');document.write('');//-->; Timberlake, Susan Blair; ');document.write('edwincameron');document.write('@');document.write('mweb.co.za');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('anandiy');document.write('@');document.write('hotmail.com');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('mclaeson');document.write('@');document.write('worldbank.org');document.write('');//-->
Subject: RE: Thought this might be of interest to you--happening at hte conference
Joint IAS/AIDES campaign against stigma and discrimination at AIDS 2008
All around the world, people living with HIV/AIDS are affected by stigma and discrimination. The IAS and the French NGO AIDES have joined forces to denounce stigma and discrimination through the awareness campaign If I were HIV-positive. The campaign at AIDS 2008 will focus on travel restrictions, access to treatment, criminalization, AIDS in the workplace and human rights. Conference delegates will be invited to have their photo taken at the IAS’ and at AIDES’ exhibition booths, and to create their own campaign visual which they will be able to download after the conference.

Please follow the link below to find out more about the campaign:
http://www.iasociety.org/Default.aspx?pageId=236



From: Paul Perchal [mailto:PPerchal@engenderhealth.org]
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 9:26 AM
To: Angela Pires Pinto - SCDH; ');document.write('anandi');document.write('@');document.write('icw.org');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('timberlakes');document.write('@');document.write('unaids.org');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('edwincameron');document.write('@');document.write('mweb.co.za');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('anandiy');document.write('@');document.write('hotmail.com');document.write('');//-->; Laura Nyblade; ');document.write('mclaeson');document.write('@');document.write('worldbank.org');document.write('');//-->
Subject: RE: presentation on stigma and discrimination - draft
Hi everyone:

Many thanks for sharing your talking points/ppts by the date we agreed to. We have received everyone's except Edwin's. Edwin, if you aleady sent it my apologies. Let me know and I will look through my inbox. We still need everyone to send a short bio(3-4 sentences at the most). Please send those asap!


Susan and I will review the talking points/ppts in the next day or two and provide feedback and encourage you to do the same, time permitting. Edwin, thanks for the constructive feedback you provided Laura.



Best,

Paul



From: Angela Pires Pinto - SCDH [mailto:angela.pinto@aids.gov.br]
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 7:05 PM
To: ');document.write('anandi');document.write('@');document.write('icw.org');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('timberlakes');document.write('@');document.write('unaids.org');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('edwincameron');document.write('@');document.write('mweb.co.za');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('anandiy');document.write('@');document.write('hotmail.com');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('lnyblade');document.write('@');document.write('icrw.org');document.write('');//-->; ');document.write('mclaeson');document.write('@');document.write('worldbank.org');document.write('');//-->; Paul Perchal
Subject: presentation on stigma and discrimination - draft

]

CDATA[Author: Carol Larivee
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 6:56 am (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 0

This note from CAROL LARIVEE refers to the draft Policy paper derived from the comments in this forum to date. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

***


Hi Warren,
I apologize for these late comments as you pull the document together. While I completely agree that local voices, dialogue, discussion and action is critical, I think it is also important that local discussions take place within a broader communication strategy that is evidence based and grounded in the key issues of the local epidemic. I think we need to collectively think through how we can support national initiatives to develop communication strategies that allows for local initiative and action around a common framework. Mixed messages and conflicting message abound HIV programming.

A number of countries are now pulling together national communication strategies, but the ability to implement these strategies is lacking both in technical and financial resources. Most larger scale communication efforts are funded from external donors with external technical support. It is critical that as a global community we work with countries to develop a critical mass of skilled communication practitioners who can move from the data to innovate communication programs for behavior and social change at scale. If we go to any MOH, we will find an underfunded and understaffed team at the Health Promotion Units who most of their budget and efforts on WADs in the same fashion used for the other health days, resources usually not have any impact on health indicators. Resources for communication are usually in the hands of the technical program manager for HIV or TB. A major target population for our advocacy efforts needs to be those program managers, usually clinically trained, who do not see the "evidence" to support putting resources into comprehensive communication programs.

So I would like to see added a section on capacity building, comprehensive communication strategies that can form a framework for concerted local efforts and a discussion on targeting technical program managers for our advocacy efforts.

Warren many thanks for taking the lead on this. I look forward to seeing you in Mexico.

All the best,

Carol Larivee



Deputy Director
C-Change
Academy for Educational Development
1875 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20009

Phone 202 884 8662
FAX 202 884 8792


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CDATA[Author: suegold
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:27 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 2

This note from SUE GOLDSTEIN refers to the draft Policy paper derived from the comments in this forum to date. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//--> - the closing time for comments is midnight GMT today - Wednesday 30 July



Dear Warren
I have been very busy but following the discussion. I would add 3
things to the policy document. I think that to remember that
communication is not only about social change but any technology
including ART and vaccines need communication integrated into the
implementation plan. The achievement of communication to increase
knowledge about ART in a very Short time is rarely recognised AN example
is the booklet on ART that was jointly produced by Soul City and
Khomanani. It reached 50% of the population and increased knowledge
about a range of issues related to ART among those expose compared to
those not exposed.

I think the second issue is that I strongly feel that local is good yes,
but we do not want to Ghettoise the south and encourage only small group
under the tree interventions - people in the south also need
sophisticated mass media (locally developed)

Finally the issue of the international media's content is playing a
role in communication - in South Africa. One of the most watched TV
programmes is the Bold and the Beautiful. In one episode they talked
about how a woman can pass TB on to her unborn child! Apart from the
consumer and questionable sexual values we are bombarded with this
misinformation is problematic - I don't know how these are translated
into policy?
I do like your document.
Regards
Sue

Dr Sue Goldstein
Senior Executive: SA Programmes
Soul City: Institute for Health and Development Communication
1st Floor Dunkeld West Centre
281 Jan Smuts Ave Cnr Bompas
Dunkeld West
Johannesburg
tel: 0113410360
Fax: 0113410370
cell:0828514080

This email and its content are intended for the addressee only and is
subject to the disclaimer as displayed at the following link :
www.soulcity.org.za/disclaimer



-----Original Message-----
From: Warren Feek [mailto:mex17@comminit.com]
Sent: 28 July 2008 23:08
To: ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
Subject: [Mexico XVII] Policy Paper and Mexico Events

To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director - The CI
Mexico AIDS site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Forum Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->


A big hi to everyone - a few quick things re this process- mainly about
the
Policy Paper and your Mexico Events. Tomorrow a note re getting
organised in
Mexico City as many attending will be travelling soon.

1. POLICY DRAFT:

A number of people have indicated that they are sending comments on the
draft policy ideas so we will extend the feedback and comments on those
to
Wednesday evening of this week. At that stage we will need to re-write
these. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

There have been a number of very nice comments to date plus a few
suggestions - eg a much higher emphasis on human rights [see previous
contributions]. These very supportive comments are a credit to
everyone's
insights and ideas sent to this forum as that is what the draft is
derived
from. But please - if you have serious concerns or criticisms - do
submit
them - it is vital to have a full debate on these. Thanks


2. MEXICO CONFERENCE EVENTS

A big thanks to everyone who has sent details of their events at the
Mexico
City International AIDS Conference. Maria de Bruynn at IPAS just
submitted a
number of events and Claire Stevens from Mindset in South Africa also
submitted recently.

To submit your event for sharing with this network please complete this
form
and submit: http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication
[let me know if there are any issues]

To edit any submission you have made please go to
http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids scroll down and under Your Recent
Posts
click on edit next to the post you wish to update

NB - Please do - for new and edited contributions - complete the Lessons
Learned and Policy Objectives sections

To review relevant communication events - and to possibly attend and
support
your communication colleagues attending those events please review the
events submitted for these days [again let me know if there are any
issues
accessing]


Sunday August 3rd
http://www.comminit.com/event/2008/08/03/day/mexico_communication/all

Monday August 4th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/04/day/mexico_communication/all
/1


Tuesday August 5th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/05/day/mexico_communication/all
/1

Wednesday August 6th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/06/day/mexico_communication/all
/1

Thursday August 7th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/07/day/mexico_communication/all
/1

Friday August 8th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/08/day/mexico_communication/all
/1


Thanks - an honour to help facilitate this process as we all seek to
support
all of our work - more tomorrow re getting organised in Mexico City for
those attending. One quick question - does anyone have a meeting room
that
we can obtain at times during the conference?

Thanks - Warren






Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
1-250-658-6372 - office
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
www.comminit.com

****

To unsubscribe from this forum please reply to this email with "unsubscribe" in the subject line
]

CDATA[Author: Warren Feek
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:04 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 0

To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director -
The CI Mexico AIDS site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Forum Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

Re: Organisation in Mexico City at AIDS Conference

Best wishes to all - this note is specifically for those people in this
community forum who will be attending the Mexico City AIDS Conference. The
purpose is re getting us all organised on the ground in Mexico City.

The major elements include:

1. CONFIRM - Please do confirm to me by email to ');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//--> or by
reply to this email [will not post these to forum] that you intend being
part of this process to the extent possible for you - this will give me an
idea re numbers.


2. POLICY IDEAS FINAL DRAFT - the final draft will be completed by tomorrow
and available at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636 - will notify
everyone. If you think that you will need multiple copies of this to share
with people you may meet and wish to engage on this policy way forward for
HIV/AIDS action then please do print these out [feel free to copy and paste
from The CI site at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636 ] into any
template or frame you wish. The final copy will be up by midnight GMT
Wednesday night.


3. I have also approached Robin Vincent at Panos London to see if they would
be interested in a feature article on this approach to effective HIV/AIDS
action as a lead article in PANOSCOPE, the AIDS Conference newspaper that
Panos produces daily. If Robin agrees then we will draft something that
includes the policy ideas derived during this online forum. This would also
ensure that we had further printed copies of this policy approach to
distribute. I am sure that Panos would provide us all with multiple copies
of that issue of PANOSCOPE to hand out to relevant people we all meet.


4. Some of the other major organizational elements:

INITIAL MEETING - Many of you may be attending the IPAS session being
convened by Susan Maguire " "CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS AND HIV/AIDS"
that will be held on Sunday August 3rd from 10am to 11-30am in Session Room
8, Level Two in the Conference Center. From the sessions submitted I saw no
other conflicting session and no session following that.

SESSION ROOM 8 ON LEVEL TWO - 11-45AM - So [whether you are attending that
session or not] can I suggest that the place to gather is after that session
at 11-45am to the left of the doors as you look at Session Room 8 on Level
Two. I have been told that there is an open space there in which we can
gather. Unfortunately meeting rooms are in short supply so we will need to
improvise! Might be fun!

PURPOSE - The purpose of meeting is four fold [a] get to meet each other [b]
copies of PANOSCOPE with the policy ideas included [hopefully - not a done
deal yet] [c] some initial policy advocacy ideas - who do we influence and
where and [d] establishing of a regular place to meet - somewhere where
during the course of the day you may find another communication person.


RECOGNITION - HATS! - - How will we recognise each other? I will try to
remember my New Zealand stock farmers hat [looks a little like a cowboy hat
but much better!]. Will wear that as I stand by the doors after the IPAS
session in Session Room 8 on Level Two. If you wish to join the fun and wear
a hat from your culture or just any old hat you like then maybe that would
[a] help identification of communicators overall and [b] ensure we could
recognise each other at this first meeting [nb these events are huge so
there could be hundreds of people milling around]. We will just take the
risk that we get labeled Mad Hatters! [And many apologies if I have offended
anyone's culture with this proposal.]

AFETR HOURS - Finally, as it is very easy to get socially lost in these
events [my experience one night in Toronto two years ago!] we will also try
to identify a local restaurant or equivalent where you would go if you
wanted to find other communication folks - a kind of default social venue.

EMAIL - I will continue to get on the email every day and communicate
through this forum for people able to access their email through PDAs, lap
tops or the internet cafes.


Ok - so [a] final policy draft soon - get your ideas and suggestions in asap
- reply to this email [b] see everyone outside Session Room 8 on Level Two
at 11-45 am on Sunday 3 August [c] copy and paste the final policy ideas at
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636 into whatever form you want and any
number you think you may need and print off as many as you may need and [d]
bring your hat for identification purposes.


For those not attending Mexico we wish you were there but fully understand
all of the reasons - but we feel your engagement - do feel free to keep
sending messages and ideas - and we will seek to continue this process after
Mexico.


Thanks - Warren

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
1-250-658-6372 - office
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
www.comminit.com
_________________
Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative
1-250-658-6372
');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
]

CDATA[Author: Valerie Grossman
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:04 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 3

This note from VAL GROSSMAN refers to the draft Policy paper derived from the comments in this forum to date. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

***

Hi Warren,
Regarding #4 of the Draft Policy- If this gets included and serious interest
follows, I am interested on behalf of our organization. It is the only way
I/we do any of the non-profit initiatives we are asked to help with. The
basic understanding here is that those of the culture have the expertise,
knowledge, and culturally appropriate ways to resolve their own issues. When
the people are given, the opportunity to constructively problem solve, and
support with implementation, issue resolution of previously insurmountable
problems become possible.
Best regards,
Val Grossman
www.healthreachcanada.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Warren Feek [mailto:mex17@comminit.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 10:19 AM
To: ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
Subject: [Mexico XVII] [1] Your Comments on Draft Policy and [2] Mexico
Sessions submissions


To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director - The CI
http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

Re: [1] Your Comments on the Draft Policy Document - Please Send and [2]
Your Mexico Conference Sessions - Please Submit

Many best wishes to everyone and thanks to all for [a] the original
suggestions for what this draft policy document should contain [b] the
critique of the initial draft and [c] the Mexico Sessions submissions to
date. Excellent stuff!

A couple of points and a reminder if I may:


1. A reminder - for all those conducting or participating in sessions at the
Mexico AIDS Conference to please enter the details of that event including
its policy objectives - at
http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication The sessions already
submitted - plus other relevant info can be seen at
http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication


2. The original policy draft derived from the numerous and substantive
suggestions can be seen at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636

Please review and send your critique and if possible specific suggestions by
replying to this email or emailing ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->


3. Some of the suggestions already received include [see all the forum
contributions for the full set of inputs]:

***

-[Stress] Mainstreaming Gender and HIV & AIDS Education at all levels and
categories of education Institution: Formal &Informal;
primary-secondary-tertiary...levels?

- [Higher emphasis on supporting] energising and mobilising discontent and
belligerence (against the disadvantage) as the pathway to empowerment

- [Stressing that] HIV Communication can never be effective if it is
adressing the issue a single entity and ignoring to empathize with the
concerned ones perpectives, their compulsion and degree of freedom to make
choices.

- [Requesting] An additional item on Human Rights - suggested text is

8. Base the work on human rights principles Governments of all countries in
the world have promised to honor at least one international human rights
treaty and the principles of human rights, including sexual and reproductive
rights, must be the basis on which all HIV/AIDS related work is based.
“Culture” and “social norms” must not be used as an excuse to ignore rights.


Example:

Despite cultural norms that women’s social status depends on their
role as biological mothers, many women do not want to bear large
numbers of children yet they have problems accessing modern
contraceptives, emergency contraception and safe legal abortion.
Other women, affected by beliefs attached to HIV/AIDS, have had
to face stigma and discrimination when they choose to become
pregnant despite a positive HIV-status. This has even led to proposals
to criminalize perinatal HIV transmission.

Specific Policy Proposal:

Ensure that all policies and interventions in the field of HIV/AIDS respect,

promote and fulfill human rights, including sexual and reproductive
rights.

- In Item 5 - Culture Rules - adding "including the use of ICTs and research
on folk communication media is important" within the recommendations

***

Over the next 4 days we all look forward to further critical review of and
substantive proposals for the draft policy document at
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636


Over the next week please do share your Mexico AIDS Conference events so
that we can all support each others goals at that important conference -
submit at http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication


Thanks and many best wishes - Warren

Site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->


Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

');document.write('wfeek');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->
1-250-658-6372 - office
1-250-588-8795 - mobile
www.comminit.com


***

To unsubscribe from this forum please reply to this email with "unsubscribe" in the subject line - thank you
]

CDATA[Author: Warren Feek
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:43 pm (GMT -8)
Topic Replies: 2

To: HIV/AIDS Policy - Communication Perspectives Group
From: Warren Feek - Executive Director - The CI
Mexico AIDS site http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids
Forum Email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->


A big hi to everyone - a few quick things re this process- mainly about the
Policy Paper and your Mexico Events. Tomorrow a note re getting organised in
Mexico City as many attending will be travelling soon.

1. POLICY DRAFT:

A number of people have indicated that they are sending comments on the
draft policy ideas so we will extend the feedback and comments on those to
Wednesday evening of this week. At that stage we will need to re-write
these. You can see the draft at http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272636
To share your comments on this draft please email ');document.write('mex17');document.write('@');document.write('comminit.com');document.write('');//-->

There have been a number of very nice comments to date plus a few
suggestions - eg a much higher emphasis on human rights [see previous
contributions]. These very supportive comments are a credit to everyone's
insights and ideas sent to this forum as that is what the draft is derived
from. But please - if you have serious concerns or criticisms - do submit
them - it is vital to have a full debate on these. Thanks


2. MEXICO CONFERENCE EVENTS

A big thanks to everyone who has sent details of their events at the Mexico
City International AIDS Conference. Maria de Bruynn at IPAS just submitted a
number of events and Claire Stevens from Mindset in South Africa also
submitted recently.

To submit your event for sharing with this network please complete this form
and submit: http://www.comminit.com/node/add/mexico-communication
[let me know if there are any issues]

To edit any submission you have made please go to
http://www.comminit.com/mexico_aids scroll down and under Your Recent Posts
click on edit next to the post you wish to update

NB - Please do - for new and edited contributions - complete the Lessons
Learned and Policy Objectives sections

To review relevant communication events - and to possibly attend and support
your communication colleagues attending those events please review the
events submitted for these days [again let me know if there are any issues
accessing]


Sunday August 3rd
http://www.comminit.com/event/2008/08/03/day/mexico_communication/all

Monday August 4th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/04/day/mexico_communication/all/1


Tuesday August 5th
http://www.comminit.com/en/event/2008/08/05/day/mexico_communication/all/1

Wednesday August 6th