Asian People’s Alliance for Combating HIV&AIDS

Global AIDS Week of Action was celebrated nationwide in Nepal from 18 to 24 May, 2008. Asian Peoples' Alliance for Combating HIV & AIDS (APACHA) Nepal played coordinating role for the event.

National Policy Workshop

A National Policy Workshop was held prior to GAWA of 13 & 14 May at Kathmandu. Representatives from Kaski, Parsa, Kavre, Kailali, Mahottari, Sunsari, Banke, Dailekh and Kathmandu participated in the workshop. The participants represented different networks, CBOs and local organizations. The major networks that participated in the workshop were, National Federation of Women Living with HIV & AIDS (NFWLHA), Blue Diamond Society (BDS), Society for Women Awareness Nepal (SWAN), Rashtriya Dalit Network, Nepal Trade Union Congress ? Independent, Right to Food Network, Women Rights Forum, among others.

Experts on different policy related issues shared with the participants about national and international policy and commitments regarding HIV & AIDS including UNGASS. Dr. Sharad Onta, vice chairperson of National HIV & AIDS Control Board shared with the participants about the international political economy around HIV and how HIV has become subject of profit for some rich countries. Prabodh Devkota of APACHA informed the participants on Universal Access and G8 response while Gokarna Bhatta of Conscious Media forum talked on GFATM and Nepalese concern. Sudin Serchan of NAP+N shared with the participants about the UNGASS report submitted by Nepal and Tripti Rai of Actionaid Nepal made her presentation on feminization of HIV in Nepal.

The main objective of the workshop was to find some common issues for advocacy and build a joint short and long term collective campaign to advocate on the issues. At the end of the workshop a nationwide campaign for the GAWA was agreed upon. It was agreed that similar kinds of events will be held throughout the country during the week. After discussion among the participants, few activities were identified and planned to hold them simultaneously in different parts of the country.

Candlelight Memorial

On May 18, APACHA Nepal and its entire member organizations participated in the candlelight memorial ceremony held at Teku hospital in Kathmandu. The program was organized by NAPN, the network of HIV positive people in Nepal. At the event, on behalf of APACHA Nepal, Gokarn Bhatt of Conscious Media Forum informed the gathering about the programs to be held by APACHA Nepal during the week. He invited all the people to participate in these programs and asked other networks and organizations for joint campaign during the week.

Street Drama

At the venue of Candlelight memorial event, Shakti Milan Samaj, on behalf of APACHA Nepal staged a street drama based on the issues regarding HIV and AIDS. The drama contained how the positive people are discriminated by the society, their hardships and the negligence of State towards HIV infected, affected and vulnerable people.

Documentary Show

On 22 May APACHA Nepal held a documentary show at Gurukul, Kathmandu to raise awareness on HIV issues. Four documentaries on HIV issues were shown in the event. They were, Kathmandu: Untold Stories by Alex Gabby, Love for a Longer Life by Dhurba Basnet, Sudur Bastika Suskeraharu, a production of Conscious Media Forum, and Making Difference, a documentary from Uganda.

Over 100 people including youth, policy makers, students, rights activists and others joined the program. Mamata KC, a positive woman from Shakti Milan samaj inaugurated the screening. Speaking at the inauguration, KC said that Positive people are facing lots of discrimination and are forced to displace. She demanded livelihood and social protection for the positive people especially women and children saying positive people are forced to die due to lack of livelihood and nutrition. Hiranya joshi facilitated the documentary show. Discussions were also held after screening of each documentary.

Interaction with legislatures and other stakeholders

On May 23, APACHA Nepal organized an interaction with newly elected legislatures and other stakeholders entitled "The political economy of AIDS" to make the legislatures aware of different national and international politics around HIV & AIDS. Dr. Sharad Onta, vice chair of National HIV & AIDS Control board briefed the participants on international market politics on HIV & AIDS and the role of rich countries. Director of National Centre for AIDS and STI Control, Dr. Padam Bahadur Chand shared about the national response to HIV. Sunil Babu Panta, legislature and former president Blue Diamond Society explained about the role legislatures can play to address the AIDS epidemic in the constituent assembly. Narmada Acharya of UNAIDS, Dr. Nirmal Pandey of FHI/ASHA, legislatures Ramshila Thakur and Geeta Thagunna, and APACHA Asia Regional Coordinator Prabodh Devkota also spoke at the interaction.

Submission of Charter of Demands

It was planned that at the end of GAWA a people's charter of demands will be submitted to the team that is traveling to participate in the UNGASS meeting. However, it was not possible to submit the same to the team since the team was yet to be finalized. Hence, the charter of demands was submitted to the Minister for Health and Population through his office on May 25.

Asian People's Alliance for Combating HIV & AIDS (APACHA) Nepal Secretariat Anamnagar, Kathmandu.