HIV/AIDS Communication for Development Roundtable

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Statement

Communication theories and models do not provide an adequate foundation on which to develop interventions for HIV/AIDS in the regions

We are structuring the roundtable discusions around those theories and models.

Fact

Communication efforts are only one of the multiple interventions needed to reduce the epidemic, can not work alone.

Statement

We need strategic directions and multilevel interventions

Contradiction

The participants of this roudtable are in their majority communication specialist.

Fact

In social programmes we nedd to articulat a wide range of interventions, including communication interventions.Learn from experience.

Statement

We need engagement and leadership

Contradiction

We are aiming to have only a declaration (UN HIV/AIDS declaration quotes eleven more)

Fact

We need now strategic multidisciplinary operational drafts for each region with outputs and activities (leading to an action plan), based on the declaration on HIV/AIDS (UN special session, August 2001).

UN special session on HIV/AIDS

Declaration of commitment

2 August 2001

National levelBy 2003

1. implementation of multisectoral national comprehensive strategies and financing plans.

2. integrate HIV/AIDS interventions into the mainstream of (national and local) development planning

International/National level

1. Legitimize the HIV/AIDS international political agendas

2. Intensify international cooperation and coordination

UN/National level

1. Greater interaction and Coordination of the UN system (integrated approach)

2. By 2003, help to establish and strengthen mechanism that involve the private sector and civil society partners (vulnerable groups)

UN Reform: CCA/UNDAF (Common Country Assesment/UN Dev. Assistance Framework).

UNDG (UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, WFP). ECOSOC regional com.

Reform in the UN System

Adoption of key reform instruments by the entire UN System: Ad. Comm. On Coord. Members

• UNDP
• UNFPA
• UNICEF
• WFP
• ODCCP
• UNHCR
• IFAD
• UNCTAD
• UNEP
• ILO
• FAO
• UNESCO
• UNIDO
• WHO
• World Bank
• IMF
• UN
  
  -DESA
  
  -OCHA
  
  -HCHR
  
  -Reg. Commissions
  
  -UNU
  
  -UNITAR
• UNRWA
• ITU
• ICAO
• UPU
• WMO
• WIPO
• IAEA
• WTO

National level

Activitites include:

• prevention programmes
• care strategies
• intersectoral participation
• legal and regulatory back-up
• public policies
• human rights
• women and girls empowerment
• children orphaned and affected
• poverty reduction strategies
• emergency programmes
• resources,
• follow-up mechanism

Prevention the main stay of our response

By 2003 establish national prevention targets

• reduce by 2005 HIV prevalence among men and women aged 15 / 24 by 25 per cent
• ensure that at least 90 per cent of young men and women have acces to information, education and services
• reduce by 2005 the proportion of infants infected by 20 per cent, 80 per cent pregnant women accessing antenatal care, counselling

By 2005 a wide range of prevention programmes

• Groups at high or increasing rate or risk
• Young men and women 15-24 and social net
• Pregnant women
• Work sectors (public, private and informal)
• Migrants and mobile workers

Fact

We need asap strategic multidisciplinary operational drafts for each region with outputs and activities (leading to action plans formulatated by 2003), based on the declaration on HIV/AIDS (UN special session, August 2001).

Base line problems:

1. Lack of precision of the word advocacy
2. The stiffness of communication theories, models and approaches
3. The implications of human rights
4. The implications of cultural diversity

Behind or in front every human communicativeaction there is an intention

Different communicative intentions:

A. Modification of individual competences (knowledge, skills, attitudes and values) sound behavior

Multilevel interventions(the individual and his social relationships)

Basic human needs -> Basic needs for learning (dialogue)-> Modification of individual competences and capacities (empower)

B. Mobilization of social and political support for HIV/AIDS programmes

Multilevel interventions(social and political articulations)

Institutional positioning and image(credibility and convoquing power)

C. Fund raising

Each of these group of interventions have different outputs, indicators, stakeholders, methodologies, strategies and specialist.

We advocate and apply communication interventionfor each one of theseintentions

advocating is only one step to get what we want(political will, etc.)

and communication efforts are only one of the multiple interventions needed to reduce the epidemic.

• Committment Support
• Articulation
• Participation
• Resources
• Soustenability
• Self-reliance

I am not presenting here a paradigm or a model (Less "advocacy communication" which is a blurry concept I don't use). I am presenting here a participatory methodology for "mobilizing social and political support" which was build up with help of UNFPA field offices, counterparts and civil society organizations involved during CST missions.

2. Mobilisation of Social and Political Support for population issues

how to transform a health issue into a political one

Methodology to be transfered in a multisectoral group dynamics

Objective: identify work lines, purposes, environments for action, activities and actors involved

UNFPA Programatic lines



unfavorablesocial & politicalcontext

• confuse
• distorted
• sistematicaly opposed
• diversity of interests
• shortage of resources
• with hidden intentions

• Scattered Funds
• Strong opponents
• Weak Civil Society
• Lack of resources
• Non-coordination
• Barriers
• Inefficiency
• Lack of leadership
• Poverty and vulnerability

Mobilization of SPS is aimed to those individuals or groups of individuals whose decisions, resources and opinions influence or can influence on social and political process

1. Social and political processes

1. Revision and formulation of laws
2. Formulation and implementation of public policies and action plans
3. Formulation of sectoral regulation
4. Allocation of resources
5. Social vigilance of services
6. Civil society participation
7. Public opinion mainstreaming

2. Environments for action:

Process that take place in Environments for action:

1. The legal Framework
2. Public policies (in the context of poverty

reduction and State reform efforts)

3. Sectoral regulations
4. National and sectoral Budget
5. Services (health, education, social protection) local governments and sectors
6. Civil society (múltiple) Private sector
7. Public Sphere (included the media, school system and cultural systems)

Actores clave involucrados

Public Sphere

Autonomous social space, in wich citizens process opinions, send forth judgements, raise demands to the State, and also receive and interpret information through the mass media

Public Sphere levels

1. Local (clubs, development projects)
2. National (national communication media, school system, cultural system)
3. Global (international mass media nets, news agencies, multinational fora, etc.).

Civil Society

Social multiple organisation, voluntarely self generated, higly independent from Sate and limited by a legal order and a set of shared regulations. Involve all citizens acting colectively in a public sphere.

Is is an intermediary entity between the private sphere and the State.

(exclude family life and individuals, recreation and religious activities, for profit entreprises and political efforts to control the State)

Components

1. Social Political Process
2. Environments for action
3. Actors involved

We look for...(groups of indicators)

1. Political will
2. Intersectoral consensus and articulation of public policies and action plans (aliances and coalitions)
3. Strengthening of the national capacity
4. Citizenship participation and vigilance (social nets and a wide supportive front)
5. Favorable public opinion
6. Management of oposition and public debate
7. Financial resources

HOW?

1. Establish core priorities.
2. Find multilevel articulations.
3. Design a comprehensive SPS strategy.
4. Dimension the SPS effort and responsibilities.
5. Build ad-hoc SPS ARGUMENTS AND SCENARIOS.
6. Apply the SPS strategy (acces chanels, alliances, coalitions, IMPROVISE).
7. Monitor, evaluate and be aware of opportunities.

Components

Priorities and articulations

1. Social Political Process
2. Environments for action
3. Actors involved
4. Arguments and scenarios
5. Acces chanels

A major reason for the establishment of UNAIDS was the acknowledgement of the complexity of the epidemic and the clear need for a multisectoral multidisciplinary response to it

Conclusion

We should work with multidisciplinary teams and articulate efforts around these simple ideas we can share and coordinate:

A.

Interventions to modify individual /community competencies and capacities

B.

Interventions to mobilize social and political support

C.

Interventions to mobilize financial resources

Articulate efforts and interventions

Personal competences + Supportive environment

Democracy + Quality of life + Poverty reduction

People as objects for change	People as agents of their own change
testing and delivering messages	supportingdialogue and debate
conveying information from technical expert	Facilitate exchange of cumulative knowledge
persuading people	Increase options, opportunities and the right to choose

National level

Activitites include:

• prevention programmes
• care strategies
• intersectoral participation
• legal and regulatory back-up
• public policies
• human rights
• women and girls empowerment
• children orphaned and affected
• poverty reduction strategies
• emergency programmes
• resources,
• follow-up mechanism