September 2009

Monitoring & evaluation and research
Knowing the ways and means
We need more insight in how the GDP results are reached (see: Review Report). We are focusing on answering this and related questions in the second phase of the GDP 2009-2010. Steps have already taken place. We have adapted the reporting format for local partners. Also, a plan has been developed for doing a results assessment with help of the services of Kessels and Smit, a Dutch consultancy bureau. Consultants in Kenya and Papua have been identified, and in Kenya the work has already begun.

Research initiative Kenya
As many of you already know, the research initiative has been peppered with difficulties. Most of these difficulties have centred around poor data collection at various levels. Both the baseline and endline processes have been heavily affected, which means a sound comparison between baseline and endline is not possible. After much reflection and consultation with Dr. Agot, the lead local researcher, the endline will become a cross-sectional study. We will let you know when we expect to receive that report.

Research initiative Java
We have received the endline report. It is currently being reviewed and will be edited shortly. When fully finalised we will post it to the STOP AIDS NOW! website.

Extra activities
HIV and AIDS in the workplace - and the GDP
STOP AIDS NOW! also has a development project on ‘HIV/AIDS in the workplace’. In this project, STOP AIDS NOW! aims to stimulate and support its local partners in the development and implementation of a comprehensive HIV and AIDS workplace policy. As the HIV/AIDS in workplace project is in its final phase, we are looking for ways to upscale it. One of the ways we would like to do this is to start a trajectory in which organisational capacity building in the area of ‘HIV in the workplace’ will be integrated in the GDP. As an initial step toward integrating the WPP and the GDP, an introductory meeting took place August 8 in Bali, Indonesia—making use of the occasion of ICAAP. Saud Akhtar, of INSA-India and STOP AIDS NOW! Programme Coordinator for the WPP India, facilitated the meeting. Indonesian groups participating in the GDP were in attendance, as well as Hellen Otieno, the Project Coordinator for the GDP-Kenya.
Please check our website for more information on the project.

ICAAP 2009 in Bali

The GDP-Kenya, through the presence of Hellen Otieno, the GDP-Java and the GDP-Papua participated in the Women’s Forum.
Amelie Courcaud, Coordinator of the MDM Papua Project, presented a poster on tMDM Papua’s socio-cultural approach, which is interconnected with MDM’sparticipation in the GDP-Papua.
The GDP-Papua held a press conference on August 11 at 15.00 - 15.45. As a result an article came out in the Jakarta Post on the approach to HIV in Papua, and in which the GDP is addressed. Needless to say, we all felt quite proud about this.

The latest news in Kenya
Project activities

Sharing and learning forum
The now 20 organizations participating in the project (AWC and TAABCO have been retained on a consultancy basis) will be meeting September 24 and 25 at the Olive Gardens Hotel Nairobi to present their activities and successes and challenges thus far in the GDP. This workshop is part of the abovementioned results assessment.

Coalition activities

The GDP-Kenya is exploring ways to participate in the We Can Alliance Campaign, which Dutch Oxfam (Oxfam-Novib) supports. Kefeado can play an important role in facilitate collaboration as they are the focal point organisation for Western and Nyanza provinces.
The coalition is exploring ways of participating in the Gender Technical Committee of the National AIDS Control Council.
Activities for the 16 Days Campaign are currently being explored.

Toolkit
In keeping with the wishes of local groups, we are developing a toolkit based on the experiences of the GDP. This will be an important product result from the GDP at the end of 2010. We have identified two consultants with experience in developing IEC materials and preparation for further work is currently taking place.

The latest news in Indonesia
Project activities

Coalition activities - Papua
The GDP coalition in Papua published articles in the local newspaper, 'Tabloid Jubi', about GDP activities and relevant developments in the areas of HIV/AIDS, gender and human rights in Papua. All articles are written in Bahasa Indonesia.

Coalition activities - Java

Indonesia’s National AIDS Commission (KPA) has established a gender and rights working group, and three of the coalition members, Yakita, KPI, and PKBI/IPPA Jakarta are on it.
In light of their November meeting outcomes, the GDP-Java coalition held a strategic planning workshop. A detailed coalition workplan for 2009-2010 was discussed and agreed upon. Furthermore, the Java coalition has committed to continuing beyond the life of the GDP and advocating for gender equality and women’s rights in the context of HIV. This is a big step forward for the sustainability of the successes of the GDP.

Toolkit
As was mentioned in the previous newsletter, Foker LSM and MDM have taken the lead in Papua in developing a manual/toolkit that groups can use with their beneficiaries. Groups have made it clear they need more support for educating the community on the themes of the GDP in an integrated fashion. In January 2009 Ms Diarni Rupang was hired as a consultant for this project. In the meantime she has been involved in the following activities: research on existing IEC materials, first field research in Jayapura and Mulia. Outreach Indonesia

In April she will continued her field research in Jayapura and Mulia. On the STOP AIDS NOW! website you can find a newsletter of MDM Papua in which they go deeper into this project.

In addition, with their kind permission, STOP AIDS NOW! has adapted MASVAW (Men’s Action for Stopping Violence against Women, in India) training materials on gender, health (including HIV) and human rights. These will be sent to the counterparts for them to use in their activities with their beneficiaries. Often, groups complain that materials on human rights are not accessible to the average person (True! We cannot all be lawyers, after all!). We hope these materials will go far toward dispelling any beliefs that work to promote human rights is only available in “legalese”.

Interesting publications, approaches and projects

Gender equality, transforming gender-based attitudes and behaviours and HIV

Responding to HIV and gender based violence
Sonke in South Africa has published a digital story collection entitled, “Responding to HIV and gender based violence: Stories from Southern Africa” and accompanying facilitators guide. Some of the stories document the gender and HIV related struggles of migrants and refugees from South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe and describe their efforts to secure health services, find decent work and manage pervasive threats of violence; other stories challenge misperceptions about men and masculinity and offer examples of how men and women are confronting gender inequality and taking a stand for justice. The stories are intended to be used in workshops and community events. To support this, Sonke developed a detailed facilitator’s guide how to facilitate discussions on gender transformation and address the gender inequalities exacerbating the spread and impact of HIV and AIDS.
Gender stories on different issues
The USAID Gender Stories page has been updated and contains over 200 stories categorised by focus area.
Gender and care cutting edge pack
This Cutting Edge Pack from BRIDGE assesses how it might be possible to move towards a world in which individuals and society recognise and value the importance of different forms of care, but without reinforcing care work as something that only women can or should do. The pack discusses why care is such an important issue for development work and social justice activism, especially in the face of emerging 'care crises' such as ageing populations and the HIV pandemic. Drawing on diverse examples of initiatives taking place in countries across the world, it considers what strategies offer the best prospects for change.

Advancing women’s rights

Equality for women - a handbook for national human rights institutions (NHRIs) on economic, social and cultural rights
The Asia-Pacific Gender Mainstreaming Program and the Asia Regional Governance Program of UNDP, and Equitas – International Centre for Human Rights Education have recently launched, during the 9th International Conference of NHRIs in Nairobi, a new publication designed to support the efforts of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) to ensure that gender equality is in the forefront of efforts to promote and protect economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights.
Working with young women; empowerment, rights and health Although there has been a significant amount of work done to promote women’s empowerment, most of it has been geared towards the experiences of adult women. This manual, by Instituto Promundo, part of an initiative called Program M, includes a series of group educational activities to promote young women’s awareness about gender inequities, rights and health. It also seeks to develop their skills to feel more capable of acting in empowered ways in different spheres of their lives.

Prevention, treatment and care

New information-sharing portal for tracking and evaluating AIDS responses
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems and activities are key to tracking what is being done in the field of HIV prevention, treatment and care and whether these activities are making a difference. A new platform (www.globalhivmeinfo.org) now allows M&E professionals worldwide to access and share information about the AIDS epidemic and the response in a ‘one-stop-shop’.
New PMTCT guidelines to save moms and babies in Kenya
A more effective antiretroviral (ARV) regimen for pregnant HIV-positive Kenyan women lies at the heart of new national guidelines for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT).

Photo credits
Header: Adriaan Backer / Mainline
Others: Adriaan Backer

STOP AIDS NOW! is a partnership between Aids Fonds, Hivos, ICCO, Cordaid and Oxfam Novib