visit our homepage join our social network subscribe to our newsletter support our workSyndicate This BlogBlog AdministrationPowered by
|
Tuesday, July 27. 2010Sunday, July 25. 2010Saturday, July 24. 2010Wednesday, July 21. 2010AIDS 2010: Reflections from Africans
TrustAfrica provided support for nearly a dozen African civil society figures to attend the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna. We asked them to share their thoughts and reflections as the week progresses.
Caroline Bowley, Gender DynamiX, South Africa: Transgender Networking: "A networking meeting for transgender people was held at the MSM networking zone in the Global Village. The meeting focused on how transgender people can ensure that their needs will not be overlooked by being included in MSM studies and programs and overshadowed by the focus on MSM. It was agreed that a network of transgender activists and researchers focusing on transgender issues should collaborate to ensure that transgender issues get greater visibility at the 2012 AIDS conference in Washington." Focus Africa: Trans "In the LGBT Networking Zone, I presented on the specific needs and problems that transgender people experience and how this contributes to the high rates of HIV amongst this community. Transgender people in Africa experience severe forms of discrimination, and in many countries in Africa gender nonconformity is criminalised or laws have the effect of criminalising them. They also experience high levels of discrimination from within their own communities. Trans men experience the scourge of corrective rape from within their own families in an effort to try prove to them by these perpetrators that the trans men are women. Trans women very often resort to sex work in order to survive. All this results in transgender people being at very high risk of being infected with HIV." Wednesday, July 21. 2010AIDS 2010: Reflections on Day 3
News of the ground-breaking research to develop a microbicide in South Africa triggered applause at AIDS 2010, the XVIII International AIDS Conference, which is being held this week in Vienna, Austria. The microbicide reduces the risk of HIV infection by 39%, and up to a maximum of 54%, and provides a window of opportunity for further preventive tools. It is clear that delegates were very pleased—this is what people want to see and hear. Read the press release.
 Today Harris and I interviewed Mary Ann Burris, the founding director of the Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH) in Kenya. The organisation was established in 2003 and seeks to understand and use the positive links between health and cultural beliefs, practices, expression and knowledge to improve health. TICAH has adopted its own definitions of heath and culture—culture meaning gender norms, which are very challenging and which can be redefined, and health meaning well-being, safety, respect, equity, intimacy and community and free from disease. The interview was very informative, and today we be interviewing Mary Akoth Elias, a community worker at TICAH.We also attended a session on our body maps at the German Pavillon area at the conference. And we interviewed Joel Gustace Nana, executive director of African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR), based in Johannesburg, South AFrica. AMSHeR is a regional coalition of MSM/LGBT-led organizations and other organizations that work to address the vulnerability of gay and bisexual men, male-to-female transgender women and other MSM, to HIV. The sex workers' demonstrations at midday on Tuesday were not in vain. Dr. Eric Goodby, the President of PEPFAR, was given the Purple Heart for eventually showing up at the opposed canceled session. There is a lot of anger against the decision by the US to flatline PEPFAR and its contribution to the Global Fund. Goodby was cheered when he announced that US funds can now be used for drug substitution therapy. Wednesday, July 21. 2010Tuesday, July 20. 2010AIDS 2010: Reflections from Africans
TrustAfrica provided support for nearly a dozen African civil society figures to attend the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna. We asked them to share their thoughts and reflections as the week progresses. Here are some of their initial responses:
Allan Maleche, Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS: "My day was great. I had a chance to present my poster and attend one session on human rights responses. I am looking forward to the march. I will send you more photos tomorrow. I will keep you updated." "I am exhausted from the march and I have many many photos." Dianne Massawe, Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT), South Africa: "The opening of the conference set the mood for the days to date. Listening to all those speeches, what I liked was the fact that young people were present and they were women. The theme of "rights here, right now" echoed with me. But seeing the young women showed me that we have come a long way, but the struggle is still there to ensure that all people are empowered and can address such gatherings. P.S. There were other people who spoke and some with more sense than others. "Monday was just amazing. The conference and the exposure have been amazing so far, and at times sensory overload just gets me. There is so much going on and deciding which ones to go to and which ones not are so hard. But I soon realised that networking is vital and linking with people so that you get info from the other sessions. "Tuesday I did my presentation and it went well, and the highlight other than engaging with other people was the fact that one of the funders came to see my poster and we had a good chat. It was good to have him acknowledge the work. Listening to presentations and workshops on sex work and interventions that have worked have been fun. The low-down was to note the levels of prejudice that people have—even those who attend such conferences and who call themselves human rights defenders. "Today the highlight for today for me was the fashion show by sex workers. It was fun and good. Prejudice is rife. In two sessions people almost propagated anti-speeches. It made me realise the need for education and sensitisations that we need to do. Sad that at a conference that speaks of acceptance and human rights people think it is okay to say and condemn others. Today loads of networking events, which was fun. I look forward to tomorrow and what it will bring." Tuesday, July 20. 2010AIDS 2010: Reflecting on Day 2 The second day of the XVIII International AIDS Conference went even better. I got a warm feeling seeing all these people from all over the world, different races, ethnic groups, sexual backgrounds, identities, youth and elders, under one banner of unity. As I was going into the conference building, I saw someone with a t-shirt that read, “Free Hugs”. I don’t know if he was a victim of the disease or just a volunteer, but when he asked me for a hug I did. A great way to start off the day. Today, I decided to spend some time looking at the different exhibition presentations of the various organizations and companies working to eliminate AIDS, spread knowledge of the disease, and share ideas for preventing it. From AIDES to UNAIDS to Nigeria's National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, to Kenya’s TICAH – the Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health, to the South African National AIDS Council, there was an abundance of information to learn and re-learn from every area of the disease: political, advocacy, health, pharmaceutical. After that, I attended a session where Bill Gates of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was speaking about Building on Success: A roadmap for HIV Prevention. He spoke about the tough economic times and how even though organizations and governments would be less inclined to spend money on preventive measures, it was important to continually be innovative and create new tools that will lower the costs of drugs and lower the costs of delivery them. He also highlighted the importance of working together on these tools and presented a timeline that showed that these new tools (partially effective vaccines, ARV-based injections) could lead to a 90% reduction of the disease being spread in places like Zimbabwe and urban Benin.  I then paid a visit to the Global Village, a massive conference hall used for music, theater, and advocacy and preventive presentations by various NGOs. I also found various organizations and small businesses selling African tapestries and beads to help fund projects to combat HIV/AIDS. This is also where many of the youth-led groups attending the AIDS 2010 conference are holding their presentations and discussions. I have not been able to attend any of the performances yet, but I will try to tomorrow.Tuesday, July 20. 2010Monday, July 19. 2010AIDS 2010: Reflecting on Day 1 Yesterday, as I walked into one of the entrance halls, I was overwhelmed with the sounds and sights of chattering citizens, advocates and activists. Multitudes of greens, reds, “Yes”, “Say No!”, “HIV/AIDS”, splashing into my eyes and eardrums. Enticed, I managed to get my registration card and catch the opening ceremony where, at the entrance, a protest was being held. You could see huge balloons floating, displaying pictures of world leaders: President Barack Obama, Sarkozy, Jonathan from Nigeria, and many others.Some of the activists were lying on the floor, playing dead and wearing t-shirts that read,“No retreat, Fund Aids”. They were demanding that their leaders and governments be held accountable for promoting HIV/AIDS programs. As the opening ceremony began, and throughout the speeches, activists holding red umbrellas exclaimed, “What about the sex workers?!”, “No retreat, tax increase”, “Lies!” among the crowds and at the speakers. The end of the day went well, leaving me tired physically but hungry mentally. Hungry to visit the poster presentations see the exhibitions of different organizations such as World Aids Campaign, Open Society Institute, seeing how art work is transformed to depict, advocate and open the minds of others to the fight against HIV/AIDS. Monday, July 19. 2010AIDS 2010: The opening ceremony in Vienna
The XVIII International AIDS Conference opened last night in Vienna, Austria. Over the next five days, approximately 25,000 delegates from all over the world will attend the conference and partake in various conference sessions and satellite meetings under the theme “Rights Here, Right Now”.
 HIV/AIDS activists and individuals living with HIV and AIDS marched through the Messe Wien conference center, the site of this year's conference. They blocked the entrance to the main hall and staged a mass “die-in”. They intended to delay the opening ceremony to illustrate how governments around the world are slowing and scaling back their commitments toward universal access to HIV care, treatment and prevention. A massive banner was drop at the site of the conference which read ‘Broken Promises Kill, No Retreat, Fund AIDS’. Four huge helium-filled balloons flew in the conference foyer with the faces of world leaders and demanding full funding to fight global AIDS. The activists have decided to continue their actions throughout the five-day conference, which ends on 23 July. The activists brought posters in the form of tombstones, held to remind conference attendees of the million individuals who are in need of treatment. They read ‘Broken Promises Kill, No Retreat, Fund AIDS’. European governments and The United States of America have recently pulled back in their support for AIDS treatment, prevention and care to the fact that governments in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, have failed to live up to their commitment to fund AIDS treatment and other health needs as laid out in the Abuja Declaration. Paula Akugizibwe from the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) stated that “The African Union countries have failed to live up to their Abuja commitments on health, and that the finance ministers recently suggested that these spending targets should be dismissed altogether. She further reported that despite their repeated rhetorical recognition investment in health is critical for socio-economic development, governments around the world are retreating from their prior commitments—particularly with regard to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care. The conference opened with a video message from UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon reiterating UNAIDS’ new vision for the AIDS response: zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. Michel Sidibé, the executive director of UNAIDS, highlighted the transformation that is required to break the trajectory of the AIDS epidemic as well as the urgency for a new approach to antiretroviral treatment, and introduced Treatment 2.0. A member of the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS from Indonesia, Rachel Arinii, expressed powerful messages representing youths at AIDS 2010. She concluded that young individuals are too young to die and called upon the leaders to provide evidence-based sexuality education in and out of schools. Singer and activist Annie Lennox, who was recently appointed UNAIDS International Goodwill ambassador, stated that “HIV should not be stigmatized, it should be normalized” and there should be no more discrimination of HIV. The ceremony was closed by Austrian President Heinz Fisher, who welcomed the delegates to the conference and to the beautiful country of Austria. The biannual gathering is convened by the International AIDS Society in partnership with a number of international, regional and local partners. It is mostly attended by individuals working in the area of HIV, policy makers, researchers, and individuals living with HIV. See more photos from AIDS 2010 on our Picasa page. Wednesday, June 23. 2010Empowering Women in Liberia
One of TrustAfrica's signature projects is an initiative to strengthen civil society in Liberia as it rebuilds from a long civil war. With our support, women in communities like Bambala — a village near the border with Sierra Leone — are learning to read, write and play a more prominent role in civic life. In January 2010, we spoke with Bendu Kamara, who has taken part in literacy courses sponsored by the United Muslim Women's Advocacy and Empowerment Organization (UMWAEO) and taught by local imams.
What was it that made women get together to start this group? During the civil war, the women here, we don’t know our rights, we don’t know nothing. But after the war, we saw UMWAEO. They came in and they talk about TrustAfrica and they told us about the group and they said they were going to come and empower the women. So they came strong and since they came they make our eyes open. So we are learning. In Porkpa, I and my women, we are not used to writing, we are not used to reading. But since they are coming, they started teaching us how to read and write, to even sit down among two or three persons to speak, it was hard for us. But what thinks me, since they are coming they been teaching us our ABCs and our rights, your rights in the community, your rights with your husband, whereby you can take on your rights, you the woman, and how you can take care of your child to go to school, so we thank them for that. What has changed since UMWAEO began? How has the community changed? Since this group came, I’m impressed — I’m very impressed with them because — first, as I say, first we’re not used to coming out and since I became the chair leader of this district, I never see a group to come and assist or to even come and say you come and do this. They are first, so I tell them thank you very much for that. Since [then], I am appealing to them to extend the program out too because our district is divided into three claims. Until [now] they are in two claims. The other claim, the women are applying to me to extend the program out to them. So they told their women, the men are coming to me, the women are coming to me. They want for their women to be open too to this program. So we are appealing to you to please extend the program to the other claims, and UMWAEO extend it on to the other claims. We should continue the process and support UMWAEO’s application. What will happen to Liberia if women are denied their rights? Liberia, if women don’t know their rights, if they deny their rights, I think it will be close down. Because if women here are not open, I don’t see improvement will be in Liberia. Has having a woman president made a difference? Yes, since the women been president, she has been teaching because, like before, I’m not talking because I’m sitting here and looking at you. Before if they called a meeting like this, women don’t talk. I’m very, very happy, sir, when you brought this on, you can invite our chiefs, our pastors, our imams to come and listen. Before this the women will be in the kitchen or either on the farm with a basket. You can’t say anything. You say anything they will shout at you and say shut up. Go beyond. Like me. Let me take a common example like me. I never went to school because a lot of times no woman can come. They said school was not good for woman. It was only good for men. So I didn’t go to school. But speaking to people today, it was UMWAEO that came with this program and told us about you and gave in support of them to go and learn how to speak English. I will not lie to you not because I am seeing you. So you’re doing the literacy courses with the imam? Yes, yes, they teach us English and Arabic. I see almost as many men and boys in there as women and girls — and yet it’s a women’s group, which makes me think they’re responding to this very well. Yes, there was one time we had this class here and the boys came around and they were happy to join the program, our brothers and our children, and we accepted that they came in. So they took part. But the majority is women. What do you hope will change in this community? Especially for women? We want for it to happen, we want to empower the women. Wednesday, June 23. 2010Monday, May 24. 2010A different point of view
The response by Africa to the Haitian disaster dispels the myth Africans are only good at receiving aid
African Decisions magazine (view as pdf)  Disasters appeal to the minds and hearts of people. Whether rich or poor, the emotional response is usually the same—people rally to help where they can. This was certainly the case when Haiti was struck by a violent earthquake on 12 January, resulting in the deaths of more than 200 000 people and leaving over a million homeless. But there was something unique in the response to this particular disaster. Africa dispelled the usual image of itself as helpless by playing a pivotal role in disaster recovery efforts in Haiti. The poverty levels of the continent and many of its challenges did not hinder it from making aid contributions. It was arguably one of the most important paradigm shifts concerning the continent's efforts towards developmentalism. The entire world was shaken by the massive destruction of the already poverty stricken and troubled nation of Haiti. The first people to arrive in the disaster zone, such as native musician Wyclef Jean—who carried out rescue efforts through his Yéle Haiti Foundation—could only describe what they saw as 'apocalyptic', reminiscent of Robert Kaplan's 1994 article in the Atlantic Monthly 'The Coming Anarchy’. But Haiti was only the first of a string of subsequent disasters that occurred in the following weeks. Further havoc was wreaked in Uganda, Chile. Taiwan and Turkey. With regards to previous disasters—such as floods, tsunamis and hurricanes—in different parts of the world, no African governments moved as swiftly or with such determination as they did this time. Senegal, for example, offered land and citizenship to Haitians wanting to settle in the West African country. Other African countries offered assistance in the form of donations and rescue missions. Most importantly the Africa for Haiti campaign was created. This people to people initiative is spearheaded by Graça Machel and a group of pan African institutions which include TrustAfrica, African Monitor. Southern Africa Trust and Civicus, among others. The campaign has spread across the continent and involves all sectors of society—from artists to business people to ordinary Africans, all making some form of contribution. The campaign's aim is firstly to develop solidarity with the Haitian people and secondly, to rebuild hope and contribute towards the reconstruction of civil society through community projects. Although different groups have responded in different ways to past disasters, no concerted effort has ever been made to collectively respond as is happening today. This is a different image of the continent as to what is popularly represented in the media: a fragmented continent, chaotic, poor and underdeveloped. Until the recent leading role played by South Africa in the G20, Africa's position in global relations has been marginal. The response by Africa to the Haitian disaster dispels the myth that Africans are only good at receiving aid. Through this it is clear that Africa is not only giving to other nations but is playing an important developmental role globally. By nature, all Africans, whether poor or rich, are philanthropic and the Africa for Haiti campaign demonstrates that it is possible for Africans to raise resources from their own shores, not only for their own development, but also to play a significant role in the greater global community, whether through south south of north south co operation. This is an important shift in Africa's drive to rebrand and reposition itself, to prove what it is capable of in the realm of international trade and politics. Zimbabwean-born Dr. Bhekinkosi Moyo is an author and director of programs at TrustAfrica, a pan-African foundation based in Dakar, Senegal. He writes extensively on democracy, development, and politics. Thursday, April 22. 2010April 25: World Malaria Day Mothers and their children await medical treatment, from a local dispensary in the village of Emukhangu in Lurambi division, of Kakamega district in western province. Malaria is the number one killer of children in these areas. © Allan Gichigi/IRIN MDG3—the empowerment of women—is not only a goal in and of itself, but also a vital tool for achieving the other Millennium Development Goals. Empowering women and providing resources and education to lift millions of women out of chronic poverty provides the means by which women and girls are able to improve their personal, familial and national circumstances. On World Malaria Day, we are reminded yet again that in order to halt and reverse the incidence of malaria around the world, investing in programs for women and giving them a voice in decision making helps to ensure that the needs of women and children are given priority and that those most vulnerable to contracting malaria are able to access and receive life-saving medication and bed nets. Facts about malaria and Africa:
|
AuthorsPollsWho should decide Zimbabwe's fate?
Previous polls ... visitorsQuicksearchnews and opinionpan-African institutionsregional economic communities |
