Determining the content
The content of our lobby agenda is based on the developments in the HIV and AIDS field. We aim to gear our lobby efforts and project activities to one another as much as possible. During regular lobby meetings with our partner organisations we discuss our current lobby efforts and our plans for the (near) future. In order to increase the impact of our efforts we aim to align our activities and regularly join forces on specific lobby issues.
STOP AIDS NOW! actively targets Dutch policy makers. A specialised lobby group in Brussels - Stop Aids Alliance - targets the EU. Both offices closely work together.
Our main lobby issues in 2008
The field of poverty reduction in relation to HIV and AIDS is very dynamic. Therefore it is hard to determine a year beforehand what the actual content of the lobby agenda will be. Below you will find an overview of our main activities for 2008. As we aim to gear our lobby efforts and project activities to one another as much as possible, we focus on the issues of our development projects:
Orphans and Vulnerable Children
Our main focus will be a sustainable support for Children infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. We continue to motivate the Dutch government to take on Social Protection and Social Cash Transfers in relation to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and make sure enough funds are available. Complementary lobby activities have contributed to the fact that the issue of Social Protection in relation to OVC has been explicitly mentioned in the policy plans of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and that for 2008, 5 million Euros extra became available for pilot projects on Social Protection in Africa. Continuing lobby activities, with other partners, are necessary to make sure the Netherlands plays a role in realising long-term, sustainable financing for OVC.
Click here for more information on our development project Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
Gender
The Netherlands presents itself is leading in international politics when it comes to issues of gender and AIDS. To strengthen the Dutch leadership on this terrain, STOP AIDS NOW! continues to place gender issues related to AIDS on the political agenda, we emphasise on:
- HIV related violence
- Better preventive options and life skills programmes for young people
- Specific attention for the role of men
Click here for more information on our Gender Development Project.
Workplace Policies
Work place Policies are recognised as opportunities in the fight against HIV and AIDS. To further gain political support for Workplace Policies, STOP AIDS NOW! continues its lobby activities on this matter. Specifically we will lobby for integration of Workplace Policies into Dutch bilateral development programmes of different sectors
Click here for more information on our development project Managing HIV and AIDS in the workplace.
Other broader, cross-cutting issues
Supporting lobby activities of other organisations
Click here for an overview of letters and petitions that STOP AIDS NOW! has signed on to.
