KEY ADVOCACY

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• KEY ADVOCACY
• ISSUES IN THE REGION
• BY MAURA ELARIPE MEA
• IGAT HOPE INC.
• PAPUA NEW GUINEA

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PNG WHERE ARE WE?
Png is here
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OVERVIEW PNG HIV and AIDS STATUS

• PNG has a generalized HIV epidemic since 2004
• Male to female ration is 11, but number of
  infected young women is rising fastest
• National prevalence rate is 1.61, with an
  estimated number of 59, 537 people living with
  HIV since Dec 2007
• Main mode of transmission is through unprotected
  sexual intercourse with multiple sex partners.
• Trend of epidemic in rural areas of PNG shows a
  late but strong increase
• Key policies have been put in place to guide the
  national response to HIV and AIDS in PNG

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ADVOCACY CHALLENGES IN PNG

• Political commitment is weak
• Health system is also weak
• The National AIDS Council has not been reinstated
  again yet since September 2007
• Lack of champions in key areas
• High prevalence of gender based violence
• PLHIVs not trained and lack confidence to take
  up advocacy in key areas of concern (e.g.
  treatments)
• Access to second Line treatment
• Stopping provider initiated testing without
  informed consent
• Geographical issue, diverse culture and 800
  different languages

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SUCCESSES IN PNG

• Passing of the HIV and AIDS prevention and
  Management Act by parliament
• Produced PNGs first country report to UNGASS
• Establishment of the national network of PLHIV in
  PNG (IGAT HOPE INC.)
• Establishing of the PNG Alliance of CSO (PACSO)
• Appointment of HIV minister since 2005
• Establishment of Independent Review Group (IRG)
  reviewing performance of planned activities
  against the objectives of PNG National Strategic
  Plan 2006 - 2010

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Recommendations for PNG

• Support and Re-establish the parliamentary
  committee on HIV and AIDS
• Speed up the National AIDS Council members
  appointment.
• Identify and support national champions on HIV
• Step up advocacy and communication training for
  PLHIV in PNG
• Second line treatment to be made available and
  accessible through the DoH
• Stop provider initiated test without informed
  consent and pre test counselling.
• Address the issue of Gender violence

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Advocacy overview in AP Region

• Drug use and sex work are major drivers of the
  Asian epidemic.
• Recent formation of the International Network of
  People who Use Drug Asia Pacific region
  launched at the 8th ICAAP in Sri Lanka
• Australian harm reduction project (HAARP) and UN
  Task Force on HIV and IDU for Asia pacific have
  developed advocacy strategies for the region
• Sex work and human trafficking limit advocacy and
  implementation of responses targeting sex workers
• Commission on AIDS report provides great advocacy
  opportunities yet migrants completely left out!

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Advocacy Challenges in Asia Pacific

• Access to second line ARVs
• Non-existent support for the millions living with
  hepatitis C
• Human rights of people who use drugs and
  vulnerable groups are regularly violated and
  ignored by the Asian and Pacific governments
• Meaningful drug user involvement still remains
  tokenistic in Asia Pacific region just like for
  other at-risk groups
• Pacific islands is often left out in the regional
  and international HIV programmes.
• Income support projects for women living with and
  vulnerable to HIV
• Stopping provider initiated testing without
  informed consent

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Advocacy Successes in Asia Pacific

• Launching of the Austrlaian harm reduction
  project (HAARP) at UNAIDS PCB in April 2008
• Launching of INPUD-AP during 8th ICAAP
• INPUD-AP prepared GOA Declaration see it in the
  Global Village
• Many CSOs contributed to reviewing the
  international drug conventions in Oct 2007
• Launching of the Portraits of Commitment by
  APLF
• Launching of APCOM (MSM network)
• Set up of specific sub-groups within APN such
  as WAPN, IDUs, MSM

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Recommendations for Asia Pacific

• Support recommendations made by INPUD-AP in the
  Goa Declaration
• Policies and legislation on drug control must be
  harmonized with HIV policies
• Priority and effort must be put into producing
  Asia and Pacific Islands champions on HIV
• Second line ARVs and HepC treatment to be
  accessible and available throughout the region
• Create income generation projects for women and
  children
• Stop provider initiated test where there is no
  informed consent or pre test counselling involved

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IF WE CANNOT NOW END OUR DIFFERENCES, AT LEAST
WE CAN HELP MAKE THE WORLD SAFE FOR
DIVERSITY- JOHN. F. KENNEDY