UNGASS 2010: Civil society and the report

As we reported in our last note, UNAIDS has provided instructions on submitting this year’s version of the UNGASS report, and many countries have already begun initial consultation meetings and data gathering.

Since previous UNGASS country reports described progress yet failed to detail challenges countries must overcome to meet UNAIDS targets, and in some cases included unrealistic data, it is important for civil society to follow the drafting process closely so the report contains the viewpoint and unmet needs of affected and vulnerable populations, like women and children, as well as organized and unorganized communities.

The Brazil based organization, Gestos, is using the Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS as a tool in advocacy and for research into how public policies from sixteen countries deal with female sexual and reproductive health. It is receiving assistance from the Ford Foundation, UNAIDS, and International Center for Technical Cooperation on HIV/AIDS (ICTC).

In the past few weeks, Gestos has organized meetings in several Latin American cities in order to push for a progress report on UNGASS targets connected to female sexual and reproductive health.

These meetings have prompted civil society to get involved in report drafting processes through hiring consultants, attending consultations, criticizing the fact that some groups are being excluded from the drafting process, or informing their grassroots organizations about the UNGASS and its meaning. We encourage all activists to contact their local UNAIDS offices so they can join report writing preparations. 

For more information, go to: http://foroungass.wordpress.com/
www.unaids.org

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