Mbn hiv/aids evaluation final report Team of consultants

4.3.2.3. Relevance

Counterparts visited (n=17) have committed themselves to complement the initiatives occurring at the national level or filling the gaps left by other players, thereby enhancing the national response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. They have responded to the needs of their constituencies and programmes are gradually adapted to the changing face of the epidemic. They play a vital and relevant role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
At the beginning, the role of civil society in the fight against HIV/AIDS was not acknowledged by the governments but slowly civil society has been accepted as being a relevant stakeholder. Civil society organisations are more and more involved in meetings of the national AIDS committee or other platforms. However the role of civil society is still seen as one of an implementer and not as such as a partner in HIV/AIDS policy development. This is regrettable, because civil society organisations know very well the needs of specific target groups (such as PLWHA, women, youngsters, rural people, sexual minorities, illiterate people, etc..). Civil society organisation will be able to play a more prominent and relevant role when they will be treated as equal partners at government level, in negotiation with UNAIDS, WHO and the Global Fund. Concerning the latter, participation of civil society organisations in the Global Fund coordinating mechanisms has eventually been accepted. However civil society organisations need to be vigilant to what kind of organisations participate at these meetings (do they really represent the needs of PLWHA and can they take an independent ‘activist’ role in these meetings).