APACHA Bangladesh Report on GAWA Sharing Meeting
Proceedings of the APACHA Sharing Meeting on Global AIDS Week of Action held at Dhaka
Reporters Unity on May 24, 2008

Moderator
Halida Hanum Khandker, Joint Convenor, APACHA Bangladesh Chapter acted as the moderator in the meeting. The following personalities took part in the discussion.

Discussants:

1. Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam, Advisor, APACHA Bangladesh Chapter
2. Kamal Hossain, Joint Convenor, APACHA Bangladesh Chapter
3. Sakiul Millat Morshed, Member secretary, APACHA Bangladesh Chapter
4. Tony Michael, Chircut

1. Introduction:
   APACHA Bangladesh organized a sharing meeting to observe the Global AIDS Week of Action from 18 May to 24 May 2008. The program received wide print and electronic media coverage. More than 20 journalists from different media attended the meeting and also participated in the open discussion. Representatives from various national and international NGOs who toil for the movement to make the world free from HIV/AIDS also participated in the discussion Dr. Halida Hanum Khandker Joint Convener, APACHA Bangladesh Chapter introduced the discussants and invoked them for live and rational participation.
   
   
2. APACHA and its Movement:
   Mr. Kamal Hossain, Joint Convener, APACHA Bangladesh Chapter said APACHA started in 2004, having its regional secretariat in Katmandu. ?We have been associated with such initiative in order to create awareness and raise voice so that a transparent, accountable and people-oriented process is ensured in the implementation of HIV/AIDS fund by GFATM?.
   
   He remarked that though Bangladesh is a low prevalent country in HIV/AIDS, the country has received a great amount of foreign currency to fight HIV/AIDS. He articulated distrust and demanded an explanation of the process of spending the fund over the years. ?We believe if we fail to raise the question right at this moment, the country may fail to receive necessary fund after five years when HIV/AIDS may turn to an epidemic in our country?, he said. He was alarmed that after five years the funds will be even more necessary to fight HIV/AIDS.
   
   He also said, Global AIDS Week of Action (GAWA) is underway since last few years and it has been working to assemble people of different stratums and quarter in a social platform to streamline the HIV/AIDS fund by GFATM. We will continue to run such programmes until transparency and accountability are ensured in the anti HIV/AIDS campaign conducted by government and NGOs. Mr Kamal Hossain also urged media to play their active role in the process. Halida Hanum Khandker expressed solidarity with Mr. Kamal and added that APACHA is not the only one to express the doubt about the fund misuse; the question has been raised from many quarters. She also said country lacks transparency and accountability in every sector.
   
   She quoting a survey report which says that in a certain area in the capital city 10 per cent of people are HIV positive, warned that Bangladesh is under a great threat of HIV/AIDS pandemic. ?We, the researcher say if 5 percent of population of a country is infected with the virus, we call it epidemic?, she added. It is great challenge, because the Injecting Drug Users do not only use shared-syringe, they have family, they go to brothel, some of them are homosexual.
   
   She also highlighted how the innocent women are being contaminated. 90 percent of the women have received the virus from their spouse. After the husband dies, they are often being stigmatized and treated as outcasts by their family, friends and relatives and sometimes even ostracized, it makes those poor women and also the society more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.
   
   
3. Presentation:
   
   
   • Video Presentation: A video documentary titled ?love Story? depicting a couple living with HIV/AIDS was shown which was prepared by CARE Bangladesh.
     
     
   • Presentation on: Bangladesh CCM & Philippine CCM ? Compare & Contrast by Kamal Hossain, joint convener of APACHA Bangladesh Chapter. He presented a comparison between CCMs in Bangladesh and that of Philippines. Since the CCM in Philippines is regarded as the best model by GFATM. CCM is a committee created by the respective country governments to monitor and coordinate the HIV/AIDS related activities with the fund of GFATM. The CCM has the supreme power to communicate with the GFATM headquarter in Geneva. Bangladesh received 60 million dollar from GFATM in two rounds till date. Mr. Kamal Hossain said no donors would provide separate donation in this sector as they donated to GFATM. CCM is the mechanism of getting and spending the money of Global Fund. The sixth round of GFATM has targeted to ensure treatment for HIV/AIDS positives, but the process has not started in Bangladesh yet.
     
     He said there has not been any PR recipient selected until today but there is a positive sign that government has recently circulated advertisement to select a PR this year after the civil society raised demand on it. Here we want to identify an issue that to avoid ?conflict of interest? no PR should act to monitor the activities.
     
     While comparing the CCMs in Bangladesh and Philippines Mr. Kamal Hossain said unlike Philippines Bangladeshi CCM has not been able to ensure the accountability and transparency in the fund implementation. In Philippine CCM chairperson is from Department of Health and Vice Chairperson is from USAID according to the constitution, in Bangladesh there is no Vice Chairperson.
     
     There is written CCM guideline to select members in Philippine and Bangladesh does not have any such practice. In Philippine 33 members in CCM are selected in a transparent electoral process and in Bangladesh 32 members are dominated by GOB. Meeting minutes of Bangladeshi CCM is hardly drafted and circulated late. A distinct dissimilarity was shown in membership criteria, election process, location, PR and MA selection process between Bangladeshi and Philippine CCM in the presentation.
     
     Mr. Kamal Hossain said Bangladeshi CCM is heavily dominated by government officials where small core group makes most of the decisions. Monitoring and evaluation systems are often lacking and conflict of interest is seen as chair and PR are from same entity. He recommended that there should be improved participation of civil society for transparent systems for selection for CCM members. He stressed that minutes should be provided to all CCM members and members to be made aware of issues to be voted on. He also highlighted that migrant worker issue has not been included because PR was not available according to their choice.
     
     
   • Presentation on: Media Anomaly in HIV Issues in Bangladesh by Tony Michael, Chircut Tony Michael talked on media anomaly and HIV issue in Bangladesh. He highlighted the scenario of media intervention since 1990. A music video ?Shono Manush, starred by 34 famous media personalities, was the first media intervention regarding HIV/AIDS campaign, as Tony Michael said. The music video introduced the virus very successfully to the people but gave a wrong message that HIV spreads by black cats and the AIDS infliction makes people become very thin and weak as soon as they get contaminated by the virus.
     
     Government financed feature film, Meghla Akash, portrayed brothel based sex workers which targeted to aware people about HIV/AIDS. Impact of the film was not at all satisfactory due to its under-exposure. According to Tony Michael the script was not touchy and by giving wrong message the film rather stigmatised the sex workers.
     
     He said, from 2000-2008 many more interventions, many NGOs involved in the anti HIV/AIDS campaign. Big projects such as BAP, HAAP, HIPE, HATI, GFATM round 2 and 9 came with big hopes. More newspapers and TV stations have been launched opening more possibility but they have hardly been exploited. BAP (Bangladesh AIDS Programmes) had 12 million dollar project but they didn?t have any appropriate media strategy. HAAP and HATI executed 4 million dollar project, but they also had a very inconsistent mass media strategy.
     
     In GFATM round two, 3.7 million dollar was allocated for media campaign; another 5.7 million dollar has been budgeted for round 6. HAAP had million dollar activity to design and draft mass media and communication strategy involving 29 partners. A 26 episode serial was scripted, but the serial couldn?t see the light.
     
     HAAP has phased out and the script has been disposed under the pile of dust. GFATM, round 2, spent 3.7 million dollar to observe Worlds AIDS Day. Their activities includes T shirts distribution, branding of bus, concert, stadium, newspaper readers forum, car rally, TVC, talk show and again 26 episodes are being shot.
     
     Talking about the impact of TVC he said people hardly said they understood the meaning. Tony Michael quoted people, ?what to know, where to know, why should I need to know?. They, especially the unwitting villagers, sometimes even came to a conclusion that they do not need to know, as the commercials don?t represent them. He finds an ?interesting dilemma in communication strategy?. When the entire world pledges to identify the issue positively, the issue is termed as sensitive to talk about Bangladesh. In Bangladeshi media the TVC symbolises the issue with red colour, a symbol of fire to create fear among people. Most of the viewers misinterpreted the message and thought; since AIDS can not be cured it leads to death as soon as the person gets contaminated by the virus. He questioned ?whether the money for media intervention in such way is worthy or not. We have to know how the work is dealt, why one particular organization is chosen for the campaign until 2012?.
     
     
   • Presentation on: Analysis Bangladesh Progress Report by Sakiul Millat Morshed, Member secretary, APACHA Bangladesh Chapter. Mr. Sakiul Millat Morshed, shared his thoughts on UNGASS 2008 Report by Bangladesh. In the report government confessed many allegations against them which were raised in different times by the civil society members. He termed the report as a copy by ???..a consultant which proves how the government is indifferent about the issue. He clearly pointed out that the report has failed to provide some significant information and it is a vague thing and too weak to suppress the peril the country would face in future.
     
     He demanded to provide proper treatment and care to the HIV positive people adhering to the UNGASS declaration. He also urged to include media in CCM, National AIDS Committee and other government mechanism as observers so that the process is clear to all.
     
     
4. Closing Remarks:
   
   Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam Advisor, APACHA Bangladesh Chapter, clear that country has received plenty of foreign funds for preventing and combating HIV/AIDS but lack of transparency, proper planning and accountability the fund has been misused and the objective could not be attained.
   
   Speakers demanded for a practical and feasible action plan to utilize the money so that the goal of the funds is realized. They also demanded to reshuffle and strengthen the CCM (Country Coordination Mechanism) in Bangladesh so that it works effectively and efficiently by utilizing the GFATM money properly.
   
   Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam also explained why safe blood transfusion should be given first priority in the process of fighting HIV/AIDS. He said this does not require only money, but also it does need proactive plan and humanitarian intention. He called upon journalists to develop skills on health issues and HIV/AIDS so that they can act as a watchdog.
   
   
5. Media Coverage:
   
   The event was widely covered by the media. A number of national dailies made stunning headlines to highlight the issue. Electronic media also served the item with proper importance. Followings are some instances of such coverage:
   
   
   • The Daily Star ?Lack of transparency, accountability obstacle to fighting the HIV/AIDS?
     
     
   • The Protom Alo ? The AIDS Programme controlled by Syndicate ?
     
     
   • The New Nation ?Transparency stressed in HIV/AIDS Field?
     
     
   • The Daily Jugantor ?Treatment not ensures for PLWHs though spending millions taka in prevention of HIV/AIDS?
     
     
   • The New Age ? A syndicate in Govt. misusing foreign funds on HIV/AIDS, says meeting?
     
     
   • The Naya Diganto ?No budget for PLWHs though spending millions taka in advertising of HIV/AIDS?
     
     
6. Conclusion:
   
   This meeting successfully highlighted the GFTM fund management, lack of transparency and accountability of CCM Bangladesh and in UNGASS progress report, in fact, it has unveiled alleged complains and flaws of government programs & strategy to combat HIV/AIDS. It has at least stirred a ripple in a static situation. For APACHA this has been good opportunity to mobilize its constituencies, gain country wide visibility. This meeting strongly reflected on the need to take up APACHA initiatives to the next stage.