Rapporteur report
Leadership Programme report by Cynthia McQueen
Panelists convened to discuss the link between economic development and AIDS. All agreed in the necessity of national initiatives, transparent government funding allocation, accountability and action. The panel also stressed the effectiveness of both civil society and community based action.
Sigrun Mogedal, Norway.
- Best practices including planning structures, reporting roles and capacity building strategies for eradicating poverty exist.
- Need for follow through on existing commitments.
- Civil society plays important role on the local, national and international level in development.
- Need to replace rhetoric and money dumping with “what we can learn from the bottom up.”
- Must incorporate AIDS and development into mainstream politics.
SK Miti, Zambia
- Productive sector directly affected by HIV and AIDS and poverty.
- 70% Zambians live under the poverty line
- 16% total population is HIV positive
- ARV treatments free for the general public
- 2002 - 4,000 people received free ARVS.
- 2006 - 65,000+ people receiving ARVs.
- Lack health care personnel.
Geeta Rao Gupta, United States
· Women are child bearers, educators, agricultural producers, primary care givers and increasingly as the sole source of income in the developing world.
· Micro finance is effective for women, “Income in the hands of women goes further than in the hands of men.”
· Housing security (or insecurity) is inextricably linked to poverty and HIV vulnerability – HIV prevention and women’s empowerment policies should address property and land rights.
· 49% of women with no property fall victim to physical violence, whereas only 7% of land-owning women are victims of violence against women.
· Internationally less than 15% of women are land-owners.
Alinafe Kasiya, Malawi
- In Malawi, 14.4% of the population is HIV positive
- 600,000 AIDS orphans
- Shortage of health care workers
- Need to facilitate the flow of resources from the government to the community level.
QUOTES:
“The gap between negotiated commitments and agreements and the reality on the ground is a fatal one,” Sigrun Mogedal.
“Women and children are over represented among the poor,” Geeta Rao Gupta.
“The disempowerment of women is killing them!” Geeta Rao Gupta.
“We know as of now we do not have adequate resources,” Alinafe Kasiya.
THEMES:
Accountability and transparency for allocation of resources
Community Based Best Practices as models
Action
Pre-existing commitments and adherence
Collaboration and national efforts
Holistic approaches to attaining sustainable development
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