The Regional Office has been focusing its work around HIV/AIDS on advocacy with the European Institutions to increase the awareness on the situation within Europe, and to strive for the integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV/AIDS in European development aid policy.
The Regional Office has been catalyst in bringing the Brussels based HIV and SRHR non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to work hand in hand, in order to advocate for better links between the two policy areas.
Stigma and Discrimination against People living with HIV
Stigma and discrimination against people living with, associated with or affected by HIV is one of the primary obstacles in seeking prevention care services and a barrier in ensuring access to vital services.
Certain key populations such as sex workers, injection drug users and men who have sex with men face double stigma.
The International AIDS Conference 2008 in Mexico City highlighted the negative impact of stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV/AIDS and the lack of sexual and reproductive health services as serious barriers for effective HIV treatment and prevention.
For the first time, priority was given to the situation of HIV positive children, men having sex with men and sex workers.
IPPF in collaboration with UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), GNP+ (the Global Network of People Living with HIV) and ICW (the International Community of Women living with HIV) developed an index that will be used worldwide to measure the stigma experienced by people living with HIV.
The ‘People living with HIV Stigma index’1 is a tool to be used by and for people living with HIV.
Information gathered through the index questionnaire should provide statistical evidence to improve policies to respond more effectively to the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) needs of people living with HIV.
In November 2008, IPPF EN’s Regional Office participated actively in the HIV/AIDS Civil Society Forum organized by the European Commission Directorate for Health (DG SANCO). The Civil Society Forum gathers the biggest and most important European networks active in HIV/AIDS issues. Kevin Osborne, Senior HIV/AIDS Adviser of IPPF presented the People Living with HIV Stigma index that was most welcomed by HIV organizations present at the meeting.
IPPF EN Regional Office and Central Office also participated in the European Commission HIV/AIDS Think Tank where we presented the ‘People Living with HIV Stigma Index’ and IPPF’s position on fighting criminalization of HIV to government representatives responsible for HIV.
SRHR and HIV Linkages
The IPPF EN Regional Director participated in a Hearing at the European Parliament where EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou was invited and discussed with her the importance of linking HIV and AIDS prevention with Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
The Regional Office developed plans to roll out and implement at country level the new ‘Rapid Assessment Tool for SRH and HIV Linkages: A Generic Guide’2 developed by IPPF together with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Health Organization (WHO), UNAIDS, GNP+, ICW and Young Positives.
The objective of this adaptable tool is to assess to what extent HIV policy, systems and clinical service delivery include Sexual and Reproductive Health linkages and vice-versa.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
The Regional Office organized a 3-day workshop for Member Associations of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria and Moldova on the Global Fund against AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). Member Associations were informed by the Global Fund Portfolio Manager for Eastern Europe and Central Asia on the mechanisms to involve civil society and opportunities to become
more active in the GFATM. Participants received first hand information and training on technical issues, offering a better understanding of HIV/AIDS related issues and opportunities to integrate these issues into their work.