NDI - hivaids and governance in the southern africa region

NDI Commends Strong Political Leadership and Improved Governance in Addressing HIV/AIDS

fstovall — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:19:12 +0000

As nations mark World AIDS Day, NDI lends its support to political leaders around the world who have made efforts to address the governance challenges surrounding HIV/AIDS and worked to make democracy deliver critical services to those affected by the disease.

HIV/AIDS poses a significant threat to both human development and democratic consolidation, particularly in Africa. Governments have made progress in responding to the epidemic with varying degrees of success. Countries with strong political leadership and improved governance and accountability have taken the greatest steps forward in reducing new infections and providing sustainable treatment and other services to those who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.

NDI has been working since 2000 to support parliamentarians, particularly in Africa, to deliver on the promise of democracy by improving the lives of HIV-positive citizens and their families. Despite their constitutional mandate to oversee expenditures and policy implementation, develop laws and represent citizens, parliamentarians are rarely included in government-led efforts to address HIV/AIDS and often lack basic information about the disease to make informed decisions. Some countries do not have adequate laws to address orphans and vulnerable children, protect human rights, minimize women's vulnerability, decriminalize HIV transmission or discourage discrimination.

NDI and its partner, the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), have been working with African legislators to help them pass laws that reflect the public interest, participate more effectively in national responses to HIV/AIDS, encourage public/private partnerships to support awareness and prevention, monitor health spending, conduct media campaigns to dispel misinformation and stigma, and oversee government programs to mitigate the effects of the epidemic.

NDI commends the courageous efforts by government officials and parliamentarians who have been at the forefront, leading by example, whether by proposing practical public policy responses to the epidemic or undergoing HIV tests themselves. Activism by governments and their leaders is needed to drastically reduce new HIV infections and dispel the fear, stigma and denial that continue to hamper effective responses to this disease.

Pictured above: A Member of Parliament in Mozambique distributes condoms as part of an HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign.

Published on December 1, 2009

NDI E-news: Inaugural Issue | Dec. 2008

fstovall — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:12:59 +0000

December 2008

New NDI Website and e-Newsletter

NDI is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, www.NDI.org. With many new interactive features and links, the site provides information about NDI programs in nearly 80 countries. It also describes the issue areas in which we work – civic participation, elections, governance, political parties, women’s issues, and democracy and technology – and has news and feature stories about our programs.

Special sections provide commentary on democracy assistance, information on NDI’s partners around the world, a library of documents that underpin democracy programs, and a searchable database of NDI reports, manuals, training materials and other publications going back more than two decades.

With the new website we are also inaugurating this new e-newsletter with timely information about NDI events and programs. Click here to sign up.

Visit the site »

Democracy Awards Luncheon

The struggle for democracy in Burma will be a focus of NDI’s 2008 Democracy Awards Luncheon as the Institute honors two champions of that cause on Dec. 15 in Washington, DC.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu will receive the W. Averell Harriman Award for his global efforts on behalf of democracy in other troubled nations since the democratic transition in South Africa. A Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Archbishop has been a relentless advocate for democracy in Burma and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Laureate and the leader of Burma’s non-violent democracy struggle.

In addition, the Women’s League of Burma, an umbrella organization of 12 groups representing different ethnic backgrounds, will be honored with the Madeleine K. Albright Grant for its work promoting women’s participation in civic and political life. Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, the league will use its $25,000 award to train Burmese women in exile who will return to Burma and train other women to address concerns such as health, human trafficking and local leadership. Reserve a seat or table »

Making Democracy Deliver on Issues that Affect Citizens

Democracy’s credibility depends, to an important degree, on how its institutions work in practice and on what it delivers. Democracies must be able to tackle issues that reflect the popular will and address questions that affect citizens’ daily lives, such as security, jobs, human rights, health, education, social services and infrastructure.

The challenges facing the poor are often rooted in closed political systems where citizens are denied their political voice, where government institutions have no obligation to answer to the people, and where special interests exploit resources without fear of oversight or the need to account to the public.

Deepening democracy so that it can deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives is an overarching NDI objective.

In its December newsletter, the Institute explores this topic in more detail and provides examples from its work in Afghanistan with provincial legislatures, Indonesia helping citizens track government spending, Mozambique addressing AIDS and HIV, and Macedonia helping the parliament respond to citizen concerns. Read the newsletter »

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide by promoting citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

NDI E-news: HIV/AIDS, Sudan, the Balkans | May 2009

fstovall — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:35:26 +0000

May 2009

African Legislators Work to Combat Stigma of HIV/AIDS

Efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa have been impeded by the stigma, denial and misinformation that surround the disease. Among those with a platform to speak out and help break this cycle are legislators and journalists in affected countries who can improve awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support. But a survey by NDI and the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum found that legislators were “not taking full advantage of their constitutionally mandated powers to address the HIV/AIDS crisis.”

To speak to that problem, NDI recently brought together legislators and journalists in Lusaka, Zambia, as part of an ongoing program by the Institute focusing on the role of parliamentarians as advocates for constituents affected by HIV/AIDS. The impact and lessons of that gathering were detailed in an article in the Times of Zambia.

A broader look at NDI’s HIV/AIDS program in Africa, which began in 2001, is provided in an interview with Brionne Dawson, NDI’s resident senior program officer in South Africa.

Latest Iran Election Bulletin Spotlights Nuclear Issue

Despite the political disunity in Iran affecting both reformists and conservatives, there is one uniting issue – the country’s nuclear program. NDI’s Iran Election Bulletin, published in partnership with the Century Foundation, examines how the nuclear issue has affected Iranian politics leading up to the June 12 presidential election.

NDI Specializes in Arabic-Language Materials at Lebanon Publications Center

NDI is one of the world’s largest publishers of Arabic-language materials on democracy support. A catalogue of publications is available on the Institute’s web site, NDI.org, and provides information on how to order them. From its publications center in Beirut, NDI translates, publishes and distributes materials on behalf of the Institute and other organizations.

Focus Group Reports Show Increasing Pessimism Among Sudanese

Sudan’s Three Areas – Southern Kordofan, Abyei and Blue Nile – with their ethnic diversity, resource wealth and border disputes represent a microcosm of the country. Their problems are those that have plagued the nation for decades and contributed to its seemingly endless internal conflict.

Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005 faces its toughest test in those regions. A new NDI report, based on extensive opinion research conducted throughout the Three Areas, found that participants have bleak views of their current situation and the future. The report, titled Losing Hope: Citizen Perceptions of Peace and Reconciliation in the Three Areas, summarizes findings from 62 focus groups conducted in 2008.

Balkan Constituency Offices Provide Direct Link Between Lawmakers and the Public

Serbia is the latest of several Balkan countries to open constituency offices, which often provide citizens with their first opportunity to meet and talk with their elected members of parliament. Similar offices, where constituents can seek solutions to their individual problems, have been opened in Kosovo and Macedonia.

Parliamentarian Works to Strengthen Mozambique's Response to HIV/AIDS

rrunyan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:23:33 +0000

Over two-thirds of the global population living with HIV/AIDS resides in Southern Africa. NDI has been working throughout the region to strengthen parliamentary leadership and outreach on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.

One unique story is that of Honorable Isau Meneses, a blind parliamentarian from Mozambique with whom NDI has partnered. His lack of vision has not hindered his awareness of the huge challenge that his country and others in Southern Africa face as they seek to address the HIV/AIDS crisis.

NDI projects have helped to bridge the knowledge gap between members of parliament and public health experts, strengthen relationships between elected representatives and civic groups, promote dialogue and information sharing with the private sector and enable legislators to carry out their oversight function on HIV/AIDS policy issues.

One unique story is that of Honorable Isau Meneses, a visually-impaired parliamentarian from Mozambique with whom NDI has partnered. His lack of vision has not hindered his awareness of the huge challenge that his country and others in Southern Africa face as they seek to address the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Meneses tells his story in this narrated slideshow that depicts NDI’s HIV/AIDS programming throughout the region.

Published on September 28, 2009

African Legislators Work to Combat HIV/AIDS Stigma, Discrimination

ggreene — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:23:30 +0000

Legislators and journalists came together in Lusaka, Zambia, in early April to work on improving awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support. The gathering was the latest effort in an ongoing NDI program to work with legislators to combat the stigma, misinformation and denial that impede efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The impact and lessons of the NDI program were detailed in an article in the Times of Zambia.

Related: Details about the Institute’s program are included in an interview with Brionne Dawson, who manages the program in Africa. | Read interview »

Stigma, misinformation and denial have impeded efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic that afflicts more than 20 percent of the population in some countries in Southern Africa. With powers to oversee spending, pass laws and influence government priorities on behalf of citizens, members of parliaments are well placed to make an impact.

But a survey by NDI and the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) found that legislators were “not taking full advantage of their constitutionally mandated powers to address the HIV/AIDS crisis.”

To address the problem, NDI has been working since 2001 on programs in Africa that focus on the important role of parliamentarians as advocates for constituents who are heavily affected by HIV and AIDS. The latest of the Institute’s efforts was a session in Lusaka, Zambia, that brought together legislators and journalists to work on improving awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.

The impact, lessons and results of the NDI program were detailed in an article in the Times of Zambia, written by a reporter who attended the event.

The Institute is also providing other support, such as working with lawmakers in Mozambique who passed a new law to combat discrimination against people with HIV. An interview with Brionne Dawson, NDI’s resident senior program officer in South Africa, who manages the program, discusses the Institute’s work.

Pictured above: Participants review materials from NDI at an HIV/AIDS workshop.

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Published on April 20, 2009

HIV/AIDS and Governance in the Southern Africa Region

ggreene — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:05:03 +0000

Current Activities

Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Southern African Development Community’s Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) have carried out research to respond to this public health emergency. NDI in its joint survey with SADC PF titled Survey of Legislative Efforts to Combat HIV/AIDS in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region, identified several actions that these MPs have taken to combat the HIV/AIDS crisis. The study, which assessed 12 countries, (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe), concluded that parliamentarians are not taking full advantage of their constitutionally-mandated powers to address HIV/AIDS, and documented relevant data on public hearings, laws, oversight mechanisms, budget allocations, policy formulations, and best practices on parliaments’ performance in responding to this pandemic. The survey concluded that parliamentarians are not fully addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis. The report also highlighted areas where parliamentarians can use their influence to address this virus.

Based on the findings of the survey, NDI piloted programs in four countries — Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Lesotho — to strengthen parliamentary leadership and outreach on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.

Mozambique: In Mozambique, NDI supported legislators, conducted public outreach programs, and helped the national assembly to pass new legislation to prevent discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.
Namibia: In Namibia, NDI organized a series of forums for parliamentarians to learn about successful business-led initiatives on HIV workplace programs, which could be used as models for national prevention programs.
Zambia: NDI received support from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to help lawmakers in Zambia develop HIV/AIDS-awareness campaigns, using the country’s extensive network of community-based radio stations. Legislators discussed the drivers of HIV/AIDS infection such as: multiple concurrent partnerships, inadequate condom use and substance abuse. The campaigns were designed to raise awareness and to disseminate promotional information on responses proven to be effective.
Lesotho: In Lesotho, the Institute helped legislators develop a strategic HIV/AIDS plan. The Institute assisted the national assembly and senate committees on HIV/AIDS, to work more closely with civil society, the National AIDS Council and the Ministry of Health, for a more coordinated response to HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

NDI projects have helped to: bridge the knowledge gap between members of parliament (MPs) and public health experts; facilitate improved legislative-executive coordination in responding to the epidemic; strengthen relationships between MPs and civic groups; promote dialogue and information sharing with the private sector; and enable MPs to monitor and oversee the HIV/AIDS response.

In an effort to increase the engagement of national legislatures in HIV/AIDS policy review, oversight and lawmaking, the Institute in conjunction with the SADC-PF, as well as various health officials and civil society actors, and assessed citizen perceptions of elected officials’ responses to HIV/AIDS. In addition, updated findings of its Survey of Legislative Efforts to Combat HIV/AIDS in the SADC Region were presented at the SADC-PF plenary assembly.

Following this assembly, MPs established HIV/AIDS committees in parliament, increased dialogue with civil society, developed strategic plans, and integrated HIV/AIDS provisions into national laws and policies.

NDI hopes to continue working with these MPs, providing additional training and education on the pathology of the pandemic and the drivers of HIV infection. NDI plans to host trainings for MPs on how to effectively fundraise to provide routine outreach to constituents, and how to use existing platforms to exercise greater leadership on HIV/AIDS.

Contact Information

For more information about these programs, use our contact form.

More than two-thirds of all people living with HIV globally, live in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2014, an estimated 1.4 million people in the region became newly infected, while about 790,000 adults and children died of AIDS in the same period. Within sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Africa is the hardest hit where prevalence rates exceed 20 percent in several countries.

HIV/AIDS lowers immune response making it harder for people to fight off infections. A lack of socio-economic resources and access to basic information on HIV/AIDS often increase chances of contracting the virus. HIV/AIDS has a negative impact on a country’s development. For instance, People Living with AIDS (PLWA) find it difficult to participate in the workforce on a consistent basis due to competing health care needs. Additionally individuals infected with HIV/AIDS are often discriminated against in the workplace, often resulting in their termination or forced resignation. HIV/AIDS has drastically affected the quality of life and development in Southern Africa, making the pandemic a popular topic of concern among citizens in the region.

In many newly-established democracies in Southern Africa, citizen expectations that democracy would deliver improvements in their quality of life have not materialized. Throughout the region, this has contributed to voter dissatisfaction, apathy and in some cases, protests. HIV/AIDS has exposed gaps in service delivery, uneven development, high levels of poverty and a lack of accountability between citizens and political leaders. Although prevalence rates have stabilized in many countries, government responses to HIV/AIDS have remained slow and inadequate and new infections still outpace the response.

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NDI 2005 Annual Report

vrao — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/01/2005

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	6.23 MB

Praxis Paper 10: NGO Leadership Development

vrao — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 04:00:00 +0000

Author:

International NGO Training and Research Center

Publisher:

International NGO Training and Research Center

Published Date:

07/01/2006

Resource Type:

Manual|Handbook

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the manual	231.51 KB

Bamako Declaration of the African Statesmen Initiative

vrao — Tue, 30 May 2006 04:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

06/08/2005

Resource Type:

Declaration

Language:

English, French, Portuguese

English

Attachment	Size
Read the declaration in English	36.94 KB
Read the declaration in French	37.66 KB
Read the declaration in Portuguese	39.64 KB

Survey of Legislative Efforts to Combat HIV/AIDS in the Southern Africa Development Community Region

vrao — Fri, 14 Jan 2005 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute Southern African Development Community Parliamenta

Publisher:

Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADCPF)

Published Date:

11/01/2004

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English, Portuguese

Note: The first link below connects to the Portuguese-language version of this report. The second link below connects to the English-language version.

English

Portuguese

Attachment	Size
Read the report (Portuguese)	374.24 KB
Read the report (English)	380.79 KB

HIV-AIDS and Communication Strategies: "Entering the World of Public Silence and Denial"

vrao — Thu, 10 Jul 2003 04:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute Street Law

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

04/30/2000

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	367 KB