IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 76
Africa
26 April 2002


NEWS:

AFRICA: Global Fund announces grants
SOUTH AFRICA: Focus on the virgin myth and HIV/AIDS
AFRICA: HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment possible - report
TANZANIA: Shipment of 10 million condoms blocked
TANZANIA: HIV/AIDS prevalence increasing in Zanzibar
GAMBIA: Genital mutilation increases infections - researchers

LINKS:

1. ILO AIDS website
2. Rightonline - Save the Children
3. Research, Action and Information Network for Women

CONFERENCES/RESEARCH:

1. HIV/AIDS training packs for journalists
2. Call for Proposals
3. Awards for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights

JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Regional Policy Coordinator - HIV/AIDS

AFRICA: Global Fund announces grants

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced its
first round of grants to country programmes to prevent and treat the three
diseases on Thursday.

The Fund awarded a total of US $378 million over two years to 40
programmes in 31 countries.

The approved grants were selected from more than 300 proposals submitted
for the first round of funding. These proposals requested more than US $5
billion from the Global Fund over five years.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1284

SOUTH AFRICA: Focus on the virgin myth and HIV/AIDS

In a country long-sickened by the level of sexual violence, a shocking
series of child rapes has stunned South Africa and left people grasping
for answers.

Among the theories advanced to explain the phenomenon is the apparently
accepted myth that sex with a virgin cleanses one of HIV/AIDS. But that
has ignited a renewed controversy over whether the folk tale alone is
behind the sexual assaults against children that in some cases have been
literally babies.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1283

AFRICA: HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment possible - report

With the right intervention at the right time HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB)
and malaria can be prevented and treated, according to a new joint report
by UNAIDS, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Many of the interventions needed were not expensive and the prices of
others were rapidly falling, the UN agencies reported. The main challenge
was to make them available on a global scale.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1281

TANZANIA: Shipment of 10 million condoms blocked

A shipment of 10 million condoms, imported by the United Nations Fund for
Population Activities (UNFPA) for free distribution across Tanzania, is
currently being held in Dar es Salaam harbour, awaiting clearance after
confusion as to whether they have passed quality control requirements.

Confusion over the issue initially arose late last month when the Majira
local newspaper published an article saying the imported condoms had
failed permeability tests. The article quoted a letter from the Tanzania
Bureau of Standards (TBS) to the Commissioner of Customs saying the
condoms had failed the "water test", and therefore should not be allowed
to enter the country.

However, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS), this is a misinterpretation of the tests carried out. UNAIDS
officials said there were two "water test" components, and this was where
the confusion seemed to have arisen.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1280

TANZANIA: HIV/AIDS prevalence increasing in Zanzibar

United Nations HIV/AIDS experts believe HIV/AIDS prevalence in Zanzibar is
on a steady increase, but are worried that currently available data could
be underestimating the actual magnitude of the pandemic on the
semi-autonomous island.

Dr Fath Alloba, the United Nations Volunteer (UNV) specialist on HIV/AIDS
in Zanzibar, told PlusNews on Thursday that Zanzibar was lagging far
behind other countries in the region in developing "concrete strategic"
data on HIV prevalence, a factor which was impeding concerted efforts in
the overall fight against HIV/AIDS.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1279

GAMBIA: Genital mutilation increases infections, researchers say

Women who have undergone female genital mutilation in Gambia have a higher
prevalence of bacterial and viral infections, says a recent study of 1,348
women.

"Female genital cutting (FGC) is associated with higher levels of
bacterial vaginosis and herpes simplex two virus (HSV2)," said the
December 2001 study, which was conducted on women from 15 to 54 years old.

More details:
http://www.irinnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=1278


LINKS:

1. The International Labour Organisation is a cosponsor of UNAIDS and
works closely with other UN agencies, national AIDS coordinating bodies,
and community-based organisations. The ILO's global Programme on HIV/AIDS
was launched in November 2000, and their new website is now up and
running.
www.ilo.org/aids

2. Save the Children's website for young people, Rightonline, aims to
inspire adults and the young people they work with to learn about and
actively promote children's rights, locally and globally.
http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/rightonline/index.html

3. RAINBO - the Research, Action and Information Network for the Bodily
Integrity of Women - is an international non-profit organisation working
on issues that intersect women's health and human rights.
http://www.rainbo.org


CONFERENCES/RESEARCH:

1. Southern African journalists now have access to a single database on
HIV/AIDS with the launch of SAfAIDS's media information pack in English
and Portuguese.

The media packs include simple training exercises for health reporters and
journalists to ensure accurate and contextual coverage of the disease.

The media packs, available without charge, contain: fact sheets, a
glossary of frequently used terms, suggestions for appropriate language,
story ideas that editors might consider assigning or journalists might
investigate, and a list of regional links and resources. The packs also
include model feature stories written by journalists in the region.

The media packs were produced with the involvement of media and training
professionals from throughout the region. They are designed to fill the
gap between formal training workshops, and internal newsdesk training
initiatives.

Media packs can be ordered on the Web site
http://www.comminit.com/pdskdv32002/sld-4342.html or by e-mailing Aulora
Stally, SAfAIDS media manager: aulora@safaids.org.zw

2. Call for proposals: The Pfizer Foundation is launching the
International HIV/AIDS Health Literacy grants initiative. The Pfizer
Foundation will award a total of up to US $1,000,000 in 2002 to support
five to eight organisations with one year grants. Final decisions will be
made in July 2002.

The goal of the Pfizer Foundation International HIV/AIDS Health Literacy
grants initiative is to strengthen existing health promotion programmes
and develop new programmes to improve patients' and communities'
understanding of their health, self management of health, treatment
adherence, health outcomes and quality of life. The Foundation will
support programmes that use creative approaches to effectively convey key
messages regarding HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment.

This year the grants programme is targeted at the 20 countries where
Pfizer Inc's Diflucan Partnership Programme is operating and expanding
this year: Botswana, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi,
Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Swaziland, South Africa, Tanzania,
Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Applications are due June 3, 2002. For more information: e-mail to
Grantinfo.AIDS@pfizer.com
Organisations selected for grants will be invited to a workshop on health
literacy to assist them in implementing their programmes.

3. Call for Nominations - Awards for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights

The Awards for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights have been established
this year by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and Human Rights Watch to
recognize individuals or organisations that have made an outstanding
contribution to addressing HIV/AIDS and human rights issues. An award will
be presented annually to a person or organisation in each of two
categories:

- a person residing in Canada or a non-profit organization based in
  Canada;
- a person or non-profit organization from another country.

These non-monetary awards are intended to recognise excellence and
long-term commitment to work having a direct impact on HIV/AIDS and human
rights issues - in particular work that is of direct relevance to
marginalised individuals and communities living with or affected by
HIV/AIDS. The awards will be presented in Montréal on 13 September 2002
during the opening plenary of the Legal Network’s Annual General Meeting.
The awards include travel and accommodation costs to allow winners to
attend the presentation ceremony. Further details:
http://www.pambazuka.org/newsletter.php?id=7015


JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Regional Policy Coordinator - HIV/AIDS Oxfam GB, East and Central
Africa Region

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Work with the Oxfam International Regional Strategy Team for East and
  Central Africa to lead the process in helping Oxfam to understand
  the impact of HIV/AIDS on people's lives.
- Develop programmatic strategies in all sectors around research and
  monitor the impact of OXFAM's work in this area.

REQUIREMENTS:

- Extensive knowledge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, with working knowledge of
  the NGO sector.
- Demonstrable understanding of gender and diversity issues.
- Good networking and interpersonal skills
- Excellent communications skills in English and French.

Three year fixed term contract, salary dependent on base but between the
range equivalent to £18,000 to £25,000 per annum gross.

Closing date 17 May 2002

Applications for this position should be sent to:
hecajobs@oxfam.org.uk or Regional HR, HECA RMC, PO Box 40680, Nairobi,
Kenya

Job reference code: RW_96034W


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 880-4633
Fax: +27 11 447-5472
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za

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