Plan of Action for SADC-PF on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria

2006-2010

Background

This Plan of Action of the Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF)’s Standing Committee on HIV and AIDS aims to strengthen the role Members of Parliament in the fight against HIV and AIDS.  At the Standing Committee meeting of December 2006, it was agreed to expand the Committee’s mandate to include TB and Malaria as these diseases also have high mortality and morbidity rates and are hampering development in the region.  The SADC-PF wish to thank USAID for providing technical assistance that pulled the actions discussed in previous minutes and documents together into a common plan of action. The matrix, from page 7, indicates other partners who have also pledged interest to support certain activities.

Desired Impacts

Summary of Objectives

1.        To strengthen MPs’ knowledge of prevention, treatment, care and support of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria.

2.        To accelerate the harmonisation of legal frameworks at national and regional level of HIV and AIDS declarations and related government policies/legislation

3.        To foster accountability, advocacy and oversight on the implementation of  various HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria global, regional and sub-regional declarations.

4.        MPs to actively promote national commitments regarding universal access to treatment, care and support for people with HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria at constituency level

5.        To strengthen and mobilize national and regional political leadership to put  Orphans and Vulnerable Children at the centre of HIV and AIDS response

6.        To strengthen regional coordination between countries to scale up cross border initiatives on HIV, AIDS, TB and Malaria

1.       Strengthen MPs’ knowledge of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria

Objective 1: To strengthen MPs’ knowledge of prevention, treatment, care and support of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Members of the SADC-PF regional Standing Committee on HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria have identified a number of areas in which they feel they need more knowledge to competently perform their oversight of implementation programs for HIV and AIDS, TB , Malaria and other communicable diseases, disasters and outbreaks.

TB has a very special interlinked relationship with HIV/AIDS.  HIV drives the TB epidemic and most AIDS patients present first of all with TB disease and die from this disease.  Malaria control requires community-based action that is sustained and supported by intersectoral collaboration at district, national and international levels.

There are many ways in which MPs can assist in promoting information on key intervention areas for HIV and AIDS, such as anti-retroviral treatment, (ART), TB treatment, home based care, psycho-social support, counselling and testing, and provision of supplementary nutrition for PLWHA, the mitigation of the impact of HIV and AIDS on orphans and vulnerable children, people with disability, people living through conflict, commercial sex workers and other vulnerable groups. The expansion of these programmes and services has to be underpinned by several key principles like strong political commitment and accountability, efforts to combat food insecurity, respect for human rights especially with regard to the fight against stigma and discrimination and gender centred approaches.

Activities

1.1              Conduct short modules on various HIV and AIDS, HIV/TB, and Malaria issues through the Parliamentary Leadership Centre and collaborating Universities, development partners and international organisations, to consolidate capacity  among SADC Parliamentarians and staff of parliaments;

1.2              Conduct national and regional advocacy fora through round table discussions to promote dialogue between MPs, traditional leaders, civil society, public and private sectors, PLWHA and the media;

1.3              Develop fact sheets, flyers, toolkits and promote the use of the SADC-PF AIDS portal website, by repackaging materials and publications on HIV and AIDS, TB, Malaria and related areas, for members to use during debates in parliaments, at party and constituency levels; Requested topics include: universal access in relation to treatment, gender equity, human rights, stigma and discrimination, health systems, infrastructure and human resources, conflict and post conflict issues, commodity security and technologies and sustainable financing;

1.4              Conduct outreach activities to learn from good practices at constituency level and in the region e.g. visits to hospitals, clinics, VCT and other implementation sites,

1.5              Provide information and skills training for MPs and other decision makers to integrate broader socio-economic contributory factors into their speeches and programmes;

1.6              Strengthen the SADC PF’s resource centre to disseminate information for national parliaments;

1.7              Sensitize MPs to available materials and publications on HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria issues in the region and promote the use of the SADC-PF HIV and AIDS website www@sadcpf.org;

1.8              Establish database of present and past MPs to facilitate exchange of information sharing;

1.9              Establish a data base of  parliamentary committees at national parliaments dealing with HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria, and include their TORs.

2.       Increased Legal Reform

Objective 2.  To accelerate the harmonisation of legal frameworks at national and regional level of HIV and AIDS declarations and related government policies/legislation.

2.1              Conduct consultative meetings in collaboration with the Centre for the Study of AIDS, University of Pretoria and PACT Zambia to develop a template for model legislation;

2.2              Conduct a sensitization  workshop  for MPs on purpose and importance of model legislation;

2.3              Lobby for model legislation at regional forum and national parliaments;

2.4              Develop model legislation on HIV/AIDS related issues and lobby for the adoption by all parliaments;

2.5              Generate priorities for policy and legislation review;

2.6              Promote harmonisation of legal frameworks at national and regional level;

2.7              Support MPs to debate issues within model legislation and to table Bills.

3. Foster accountability, advocacy and oversight

Objective 3: To foster accountability, advocacy and oversight on the implementation of  various HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria global, regional and sub-regional declarations.

Most Global and regional commitments made by SADC Governments when acceding to among others the Abuja, Maseru, Cape Town and UNGASS Declarations of HIV and AIDS and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), did not legitimize the participation of Members of Parliament to ensure mutual accountability. Members of parliaments’ oversight is critical in advancing SADC’s political will and understanding of these frameworks and feedback to the executive and other relevant implementing bodies.

Activities under this objective will target MPs, staff of parliaments, NACs and other stakeholders.  They need to be fully conversant with the commitments made by their government to fight these diseases.  In addition, opportunities will be offered to build the capacity of MPs on funding, effective budget monitoring and oversight.

Activities

3.1                Hold a two day Conference for SADC MPs and civil society to strengthen oversight of HIV, AIDS and HIV/TB in the context of universal access in Johannesburg;

3.2                Conduct a best practice visit to Path International (Scaling Up for Impact TB program;

3.3                Share information and learning from national and regional experiences of HIV, AIDS, TB and Malaria; country road maps for Universal Access – attend a meeting for AU Ministers of Health in Congo, Brazzaville, Heads of State summit in Abuja, Nigeria, UNGASS in New York, and International conference in Toronto, Canada;

3.4                Strengthen parliamentary leadership and outreach through information-sharing with public–private sector, legislators and civic organisations, in conjunction with media campaigns

3.5                Build capacity of MPs to mobilise and coordinate resources to ensure ongoing funding (both public and private) for the prevention, treatment and management of HIV/AIDS, STIs, TB and Malaria;

3.6                Build national and regional capacity of Parliamentarians to exercise effective budget monitoring and oversight;

3.7                Advocate for MPs to sit on national, regional and global HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria coordination committees at national and regional level;

4. Universal Access to Treatment, Care and Support

Objective 4. MPs to actively promote national commitments regarding universal access to treatment, care and support for people with HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria at constituency level.

Activities under this objective detail ways that MPs can make a direct contribution to promoting HIV/AIDS, TB, STIs, opportunistic infections and malaria programmes (e.g. PMTCT+, ART and adherence, DOTS, home based care, psycho-social support, counselling and promoting use of treated bed-nets).

MPs are strategically placed to inform and shift other leadership and public opinion on some of the key contributory factors that are hampering the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS programmes.   Political, religious, traditional, private sector and NGO leaders should have the capacity and willingness to promote broader socio-economic initiatives meaningfully such as women’s socio-economic and political empowerment, the greater involvement of PLWHA on all platforms and programmes, responsible drinking, the campaigns to combat HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination and violence against women and children.

Activities          

4.1              Include TB in social mobilisation, as an inseparable part of HIV/AIDS control, to improve health seeking behaviour, enhance early reporting and detection and increase successful treatment completion;

4.2              Encourage information sharing on best practices of HIV/AIDS, TB, STIs, opportunistic infections and Malaria programmes;

4.3              Facilitate the establishment of local responses to implement activities that fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria;

4.4              Promote local support groups and treatment forums which enhance collaboration, cooperation and feedback mechanisms to MPs that enable them to carry out oversight;

4.5              Advocate for the provision of supplementary nutrition for PLWHA;

4.6              Popularise voluntary counselling and testing for HIV;

4.7              Encourage MPs and other leaders to undergo HIV testing and counselling themselves, and be open about their HIV status.

4.8              Facilitate parliaments to prepare their constituents’ participation in annual special sessions on HIV/AIDS;

4.9              Ensure that HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria are a normal agenda item on all public management structures;

4.10          Encourage leaders to speak out on how they are personally affected by HIV/AIDS, their losses and success stories;

5.                  Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Objective  5.  To strengthen and mobilize national and regional political leadership to put  Orphans and Vulnerable Children at the centre of HIV and AIDS response

AIDS is rapidly taking its toll on African families – the backbone and safety net in African society. In Sub-Saharan Africa, by 2005, it is estimated that approximately 12.3 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS.  The response to help children and young people infected and affected by AIDS has been particularly slow.

Millions of children who have lost their parents to AIDS are missing out on a childhood, are missing out on an education and are missing out on live-saving medicines. Among children needing treatment, less than 5% have access.

The Cape Town Declaration acknowledges that Parliamentary leadership is necessary on three levels:

• within families and communities and among community leaders;
• within political parties and among catalysts and capacity builders such as provincial and district community or local government committees, non-governmental organisations, the media, and grassroots support organisations;
• within national, regional and international governmental bodies, including parliamentary committees and networking structures, and among international donors, international financial institutions, UN bodies, international private sector and civil society;”

The Cape Town and Abuja Declarations prescribe a three-pronged approach for parliamentarians to tackle the OVC crisis: actions by individual parliamentarians, actions by national parliaments and actions by regional parliamentary fora (e.g. the SADC PF).

Activities

5.1              Build capacity of MPs and parliamentary staff on the situation of children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, to enable them to carry out the Cape Town Declaration.  Build their skills in using media, in securing resources for action at household and constituency level, and as role models for publicly championing OVC rights;

5.2              Hold annual public hearings and town hall meetings on OVC issues, as part of an overall public outreach and information sharing among government, parliament, civil society, and the private sector

5.3              Organize conferences to sensitize parliamentarians on the role that National Governments should play in carrying out the Cape Town Declaration. The conferences will target the SADC PF HIV and AIDS Standing Committee, relevant national portfolio committees (e.g. committees on HIV and AIDS, social welfare, employment, children and gender affairs, public accounts and finance, etc) and other stakeholders (UNAIDS, UNICEF, AWEPA, parliamentary clerks, National AIDS Council).

5.4              Review and amend as necessary all legislation relevant to national AIDS policies in order to ensure that the rights of children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS are protected;

5.5              Establish informal regional parliamentary networks on OVC which discuss OVC issues and share information, strategies, and best practices;

5.6              MPs actively support practical initiates that support OVC in accessing education, health, care, and reduce discrimination;

6.       Strengthened Regional Coordination

Objective 6: To strengthen regional coordination between countries to scale up cross border initiatives on HIV, AIDS, TB and Malaria

A number of HIV, AIDS, TB and malaria control measures can be enhanced by coordinating region-wide action. Regional coordination will enhance cross border HIV and AIDS interventions (including accessing same medication), drug procurement and reduce human trafficking.  The SADC-PF is collaborating with the SADC Secretariat to include MPs in facilitating cross border initiatives.

Activities

6.1              Share information and learning from national and regional experiences;

6.2              Support MPs to lobby their respective parliaments and SADC HIV and AIDS unit to scale up cross border initiatives, region wide with the engagement of Members of Parliament, and National AIDS Committees;

6.3              Harmonise prevention, treatment (including accessing same medication), care and support cross border programmes;

Matrix for the Plan of Action for SADC-PF on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria 2006 – 2010

Objectives	Indicators	Activities	Time frame	Target Audience	Responsibility / Potential Partners
Objective 1: To strengthen MPs’ knowledge of prevention, treatment, care and support of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria.	1. Number of SADC MPs who attended training events / learning experiences. 2. Increased level of knowledge between pre and post training tests 3. Increased level of confidence and competence of MPs talking about HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria issues	1.1   Develop and Conduct short modules on various   HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria issues; TRIPS- affordable medicines, Human Rights, OVC, ARV access, budget tracking, HIV/AIDS conflict and post conflict issues; gender inequalities, reproductive Health and Rights, oversight in HIV and AIDS, Monitoring Malaria policy implementation; etc	On-going: 4 modules per year	SADC Parliamentarians and staff of parliaments.	Parliamentary Leadership Centre, Collaborating Universities, UN and others
		1.2    Conduct national and regional advocacy fora between MPs, traditional leaders, civil society, PLWHA and the media;	On-going: At least two per year	MPs	MPs
		1.3    Develop fact sheets, flyers, toolkits and promote the use of the SADC-PF AIDS portal website, on HIV, AIDS, TB and Malaria for use in parliaments, at party and constituency levels;	On-going: At least four per year	MPs	Parliamentary Leadership Centre, Collaborating Universities, USAID
		1.4    Conduct outreach activities to learn from good practices at constituency level in Namibia and selected countries in the region;	May- June 2006- At least two per year	MPs	MP support staff SADC PF, NDI
		1.5    Provide information and skills training to integrate broader socio-economic contributory factors into speeches and programmes.	On-going; At least two per year	Political, traditional and religious leaders and other decision makers	SADC-PF, Parliamentary Leadership Centre
		1.6    Sensitize MPs to available materials and publications on HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria in the region and promote the use of the SADC-PF HIV and AIDS website; 1.7	On-going	MPs	SADC PF’s resource centre, NDI
		1.8    Strengthen the SADC PF’s resource centre to disseminate information;	On-going	National Parliaments	SADC PF’s resource centre, OSISA, ACBF
		1.9    Establish database of present and past MPs to facilitate exchange of information;	2007	MPs	Parliamentary Leadership Centre.
		1.10 Establish a data base of parliamentary committees at national parliaments dealing with HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria. Including their TOR, names, political parties, gender, action plan, and policy document.	May- July 2006	National Parliaments	SADC PF’s HIV and AIDS and resource centre.
Objective 2.  To accelerate the harmonisation of legal frameworks at national and regional level of HIV and AIDS declarations and related government policies/legislation	1.  Number of policies reviewed and revised where necessary. 2.  Number of SADC MPs active in promoting model legislation	2.1     Conduct consultative meetings to develop a template for model legislation	2006	SADC Parliamentarians and staff of parliaments	Parliamentary Leadership Centre, CSA - University of Pretoria
		2.2       Conduct a sensitization  workshop  for MPs on purpose and importance of model legislation;	2006	SADC Parliamentarians	SADC PF, CSA
		2.3     Lobby for model legislation at regional and national levels;	2006-07	MPs,  SADC Parliamentarians,	SADC PF, CSA
		2.4     Develop model legislation on HIV/AIDS related issues and lobby for the adoption by all parliaments;	2006-07	SADC Parliamentarians, MPs	SADC PF, CSA
		2.5     Generate priorities for policy and legislation review;	On-going	SADC Parliamentarians	SADC PF, CSA
		2.6     Promote harmonisation of legal frameworks at national and regional level;		SADC Parliamentarians	SADC PF, CSA
		2.7     Support MPs to debate issues within model legislation and to table Bills.		MPs, SADC Parliamentarians	SADC PF, CSA
Objective 3: To foster accountability, advocacy and oversight on the implementation of  various HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria global, regional and sub-regional declarations.	1. The amount of national funds spent by the government on HIV/AIDS[1]*, TB and malaria annually 2.  Number of MPs regularly attending regional or national or sub-national HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria  coordination meetings;	3.1   Hold a Conference for SADC MPs to strengthen oversight of HIV, AIDS and HIV/TB;	Oct 22-25 2006	SADC MPs, Ministers of health, staff of parliaments and key stakeholders.	SADC-PF; Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative.
		3.2   Conduct a best practice visit to Path International Zambia, Mozambique (Scaling Up for Impact TB programs for MP’s to support policy development).	2006	SADC-PF Standing Committee on HIV and AIDS	SADC-PF, PATH International
		3.3   Share information and learning from national and regional experiences of HIV, AIDS, TB and Malaria;	On-going: One regional study tour per year	SADC MPs	SADC-PF, UN, SIDA
		3.4   Strengthen parliamentary leadership and outreach through information-sharing with public–private sector, legislators and civic organisations, in conjunction with media campaigns. In Nigeria, Namibia.	May to June 2006	SADC MPs	SADC-PF, NDI
		3.5   Build capacity of MPs to mobilise and coordinate resources to ensure ongoing funding for HIV/AIDS, STIs, TB and Malaria.	On-going	SADC MPs	SADC-PF, Parliamentary Leadership Centre
		3.6   Build national and regional capacity of Parliamentarians to exercise effective budget monitoring and oversight;	On-going: At least one training/yr	SADC Parliamentarians, staff of parliaments	Parliamentary Leadership Centre, Collaborating Universities
		3.7   Advocate for MPs to sit on national, regional and global HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria consultative forums.	On-going	SADC MPs	SADC-PF, National AIDS, TB and Malaria Programmes
Objective 4: MPs to actively promote national commitments regarding universal access to treatment, care and support for people with HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria at constituency level	1.  Number of MPs who promote VCT, DOTS, and PLWHA support groups in their speeches. 2. Number of MPs who actively support local responses to HIV/AIDS, TB or malaria. 3. Number of MPs who have publicly described how they are personally affected by HIV/AIDS, their losses and success stories. 4. Number of MPs who know their HIV status, and have no problem in being open about it.	4.1   Include TB in social mobilisation programmes, as an inseparable part of HIV/AIDS control, to improve health seeking behaviour, enhance early detection, reporting and increase successful treatment completion;	On-going	MPs	SADC-PF, National AIDS Programmes, National TB Programmes
		4.2   Encourage information sharing on best practices of HIV/AIDS, TB, STIs, opportunistic infections and malaria programmes;	On-going: At least twice per year	SADC MPs	SADC-PF, National AIDS, TB and malaria  programmes
		4.3   Facilitate the establishment of local responses to implement activities that fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria;	On-going	MPs	SADC-PF, National AIDS, TB and malaria  programmes
		4.4   Promote local support groups and treatment forums which enhance collaboration, cooperation and feedback mechanisms to implementers;	On-going	MPs, PLWHA, General public	SADC-PF, National AIDS Programmes
		4.5   Advocate for the provision of supplementary nutrition for PLWHA	On-going	MPs	SADC-PF, National AIDS Programmes,
		4.6   Popularise voluntary counselling and testing for HIV policies, and laws to SADC citizens.	On-going	MPs	SADC-PF, National AIDS Programmes
		4.7   Encourage MPs and other leaders to undergo HIV testing and counselling themselves, and be open about their HIV status.	On-going	Presidents,  Cabinet ministers, MPs	SADC-PF SADC Parliamentarians
		4.8   Facilitate parliaments to prepare their constituents’ participation in annual special sessions on HIV/AIDS;	Annual	SADC Parliamentarians, Parliamentary staff	SADC-PF
		4.9   Ensure that HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria are a normal agenda item on all public management structures	On-going	SADC Parliamentarians	SADC-PF
		4.10    Encourage leaders to speak out on how they are personally affected by HIV/AIDS, their losses and success stories	On-going	Political, traditional and religious leaders and other decision makers	SADC-PF SADC Parliamentarians
Objective  5.  To strengthen and mobilize national and regional political leadership to put Orphans and Vulnerable Children at the centre of HIV and AIDS response	1. Ratio of current school attendance among orphans to that of non-orphans*[2] 2.  % of OVC whose households receive free basic external support in caring for the child 3.  % of OVCs accessing health services	5.1     Build capacity of MPs & parliamentary staff, on the situation of children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, to enable MPs to carry out the Cape Town Declaration	On-going: run 2 modules per year	MPs, parliamentary clerks and researchers	SADC-PF, Parliamentary Leadership Centre, Nepad, EU, The North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, AWEPA: UNICEF
		5.2     Hold annual public hearings and town hall meetings on OVC issues, as part of an overall public outreach and information sharing among government, parliament, civil society, and the private sector	Annually	MPs, NGOs, CBOs, general public	MPs
		5.3      Organise conferences to sensitise parliamentarians on the role that National Governments should play in carrying out the Cape Town Declaration.	2007 2009	SADC PF, national portfolio committees, regional & national NGOs, stakeholders e.g. UNAIDS, UNICEF, AWEPA	SADC PF HIV and AIDS Officer, AWEPA, UNICEF.
		5.4     Review and amend as necessary all legislation relevant to national AIDS policies in order to ensure that the rights of children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS are protected;	On-going: Review at least four pieces of legislation per year	National Parliaments	National AIDS Programmes
		5.5     Establish informal regional parliamentary networks on OVC which discuss OVC issues and share information, strategies, and best practices;	2007 onwards	SADC MPs, regional NGOs	SADC-PF, AWEPA, UNICEF
		5.6     MPs actively support practical initiates that support OVC in accessing education, health, care, and reduce discrimination;	On-going	MPs	SADC-PF, AWEPA, UNICEF
Objective 6: To strengthen regional coordination between countries to scale up cross border initiatives on HIV, AIDS, TB and Malaria	1.  Number of SADC MPs attending cross border initiatives on HIV/AIDS, TB or malaria. 2.  Increased number of cross border initiatives.	6.1       Share information and learning from national and regional experiences;	On-going	SADC MPs	SADC-PF, Dfid, USAID
		6.2       Support MPs to lobby their respective parliaments to scale up cross border initiatives, region wide;	2007	SADC MPs	SADC-PF,
		6.3       Harmonise prevention, treatment (including accessing same medication), care and support cross border programmes;	2007	SADC MPs	SADC-PF,