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HIV/AIDS, such as harm reduction initiatives for drug users, we have also seen leaders who contradicted their commitments and promoted policies and practices that are misguided, misinformed and not based on evidence, such as abstinence only approaches, resulting in maintained and/or increasing HIV prevalence rates.

Governments have not instituted adequate mechanisms to resolve denial, stigma, discrimination and criminalization of these vulnerable communities. Until today, only two ASEAN member states have legislation specifically addressing HIV/AIDS. Current interventions and policies often lack grounding on principles of gender equity, human rights and greater involvement of people infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Resources for HIV/AIDS programmes in the region have been woefully insufficient and mostly externally sourced, with governments allocating inadequate or decreasing internal resources. Data from UNAIDS show that coverage has remained dismal and scale up of prevention, care, treatment and support services has been limited.

While the international HIV and AIDS community recognizes the invaluable role of civil society, specifically those coming from vulnerable communities and people living with HIV, the processes, mechanisms or structures to enable this involvement have been inadequate and limited. This was evident in the national consultative processes leading up to this ASEAN regional meeting in most member-states.

As representatives of civil society organizations and regional networks, we are reaffirming the recommendations made during the Regional Consultation on Universal Access held in Pattaya, Thailand in February 2006 and the resolution on Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS adopted by the United Nations General Assembly 2006 High Level Meeting on AIDS in New York (31 May – 2 June 2006):
• Strengthen political commitment and advocacy
• Facilitate an enabling environment through rights-based, gender responsive, evidence-informed and participatory approaches
• Ensure sustainable financing and programming
• Invest in human resources, systems and infrastructure
• Ensure access to commodities and services
 
In particular, we would like to
1. Participation and involvement
• Establish clear mechanisms for multi-sectoral involvement including civil society and private sector actors in the national and regional ASEAN processes involving HIV and AIDS.
• Meaningful involvement requires providing time for prior consultation and support to join meetings.
• It also entails seriously making an addition to the AWP III by specifically referring to the principles of GIPA.
• Enable civil society to have greater access to resources by facilitating partnership with regional bodies such as Asian Development Bank.
 

2. HIV vulnerability and risk

• Clearly and immediately acknowledge the national situation in terms of HIV transmission within their borders.
• Collaborate with established agencies in designing their national Universal Access work plans to include a sustainable and effective response which links poverty to HIV risks and vulnerabilities.
• Prioritize and allocate resources in proportion to epidemiological realities with emphasis on the implementation of evidence-based service for vulnerable groups.
• Enact legislation that protects the human rights of people living with HIV and groups most at risk to HIV by 2010.
   
3. Key services in the response
• Incorporate in their Universal Access plans a comprehensive range of services in their national response in order to maximize coverage and effectiveness by 2007 and to begin implementation by 2008.
• Develop concrete plans for addressing HIV transmission and AIDS treatment in correctional facilities and prisons in their national Universal Access work plans.
   
4. Transparent partnerships
• Forge and reinforce existing partnerships by involving the civil society in the preparation and drafting of national Universal Access work plans and improving transparency mechanisms.
• Create mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation in order to enhance accountability and transparency
   
We also call on the ASEAN to:
• Create regional-level technical support facilities to support national and local programmes;
• Develop mechanisms that ensure compliance to regional and international commitments on HIV/AIDS;
• Establish independent monitoring bodies ('AIDS Watch') to monitor government and civil society commitments and performance on STI and HIV/AIDS, human rights violations against PLWHIV and vulnerable groups;
• Ensure South-South collaboration between member states on the provision of services to migrants and mobile populations, including VCT, treatment and care services;
• Institutionalize multi-sectoral engagement and buy-in, including that of the private sector.
• Integrate HIV/AIDS principles and strategies in ASEAN Senior Officials on Drugs (ASOD) agenda and programmes.
 
The Third ASEAN Work Programme on HIV and AIDS (2006 – 2010)
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NEW - (Colombo, 19 January 2007) The AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific (ASAP) and UNAIDS have met today in Colombo, Sri Lanka as members of the International Advisory Committee (IAC) to the 8 th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) which is scheduled to be held in Colombo between 19-23 August 2007. Read the full statement by following this link »
For the latest on Seven Sisters' activities, check out Network News in Media Centre

A Report of the Seven Sisters Asia Pacific Alternative Community Forum from 12-14 January in Bangkok, Thailand is now posted.
Day 1 & 2 Plenaries and Group Discussion
Day 3 Skills Building Workshops
Presentation Materials

The Global Fund Report

Reports on Seven Sisters involvement at the 7th ICAAP, Kobe, July 1-5, 2005
- Seven Sisters Secretariat Report
- Civil Society Statement
- APN+ Report
- AHRN Report
- CARAM Asia Report
- APN+ Closing Comments
- APNSW Closing Statement