UNAIDS

UNAIDS Collaborating Centre Terms of Collaboration

1. Background

The International HIV/AIDS Alliance (the Alliance) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) seek to renew their collaboration in view of scaling up the world’s efforts for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for all those in need.

2. Mission and Key Functions of UNAIDS and the Alliance

UNAIDS is the main advocate for global action on the epidemic. It leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response aimed at preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV, and alleviating the impact of the epidemic.

The Alliance is a global partnership of nationally-based organisations working to support community action on HIV. These national partners help local community groups and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to take action on AIDS, and are supported by technical expertise, policy work and fundraising carried out at the UK-based international secretariat and across the Alliance. In addition to community and country-based programmes, the Alliance also has extensive regional programmes and works on a range of international activities such as support for South–South cooperation, operations research, training and good practice development, as well policy analysis and advocacy.

3. Objectives of collaboration

UNAIDS Collaborating Centres support the goals and objectives of the Programme by assisting UNAIDS, through a consultative process, to define specific areas of collaboration based on their respective mandates.

The objective of this collaboration with the Alliance is to contribute to the scaling up of the international response in achieving the targets of universal access by:

  • Promoting direct involvement and leadership of civil society – including people living with HIV and key vulnerable populations - in responses to HIV.
  • Promoting human rights-based responses to HIV
  • Mobilising country-level public, private and civil society partnerships.
  • Promoting evidence informed policy and good practice and the use of strategic information.
  • Building capacity to track, monitor and evaluate country responses within a single, agreed national framework.
  • Facilitating increased access to prevention, treatment, care and support services
  • Facilitating access to technical and financial resources at country level.
  • Facilitating and supporting the involvement of civil society and people living with HIV in planning, implementation and evaluation of national HIV strategies.

4. Principles governing collaboration

The collaborating partners will work under the following guiding principles:

  • Promotion and protection of human rights, including the involvement of people living with HIV (the GIPA principle) and other key vulnerable populations.
  • Engaging broad partnership around the ‘Three Ones’ principles
  • Gender equality
  • Transparency and accountability

Both collaborating partners will ensure the co-ownership of processes and will aim at deriving synergies between their respective comparative advantages. The Agreement aims to guide the collaboration between the two partners at all institutional levels covering their respective Secretariats, their representation in Brussels and New York, and at regional and national levels.

5. Elements of collaboration

5.1. Both Parties agree to

  • Establish processes – for both ongoing and upcoming initiatives - that ensure formal, consistent and timely involvement in a consultative function in technical areas of HIV programming for prevention, treatment, care and support, human rights and civil society engagement;
  • Designate a representative within their organisations who will ensure implementation of the Terms of Collaboration and will act as a focal point for all activities and issues concerning collaboration with UNAIDS; its partners, and other actors addressing themselves to the UNAIDS Collaborating Centre;
  • Cover the cost of their own participation in such activities unless otherwise agreed and covered by a separate funding agreement;
  • Obtain consent prior to public announcements, media releases, publication and use of logos resulting from the implementation of this Agreement.

5.2. Activities under this Collaboration

In fulfilling the objectives, and within their respective mandate and expertise and as appropriate, both parties agree to collaborate in the following areas of mutual interest:

5.2.1 Promotion and achievement of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support

Collaboration of both parties in this area of work will focus on:

i) Increasing and supporting the involvement of civil society at national level in the universal access processes.

ii) Promoting the concept and implementation of HIV mainstreaming in and through civil society organizations as a practical approach to increasing the scale and depth of AIDS responses.

iii) Increasing and promoting the involvement of civil society in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes of UNGASS.

iv) Providing high-quality technical support to stakeholders at national level including through involvement in the Global Implementation Support Team (GIST) and national and regional Technical Support Facilities (TSFs).

5.2.2 A supportive legal and policy environment for universal access and for human rights protections for people living with HIV and marginalised groups

Collaboration of both parties in this area of work will focus on:

i) Promoting human rights and rights-based policy and programming, including addressing stigma and discrimination

5.2.3 Adequate funding for HIV, more harmonised donor practice and national financial plans for HIV that are transparent and that support community action on HIV

Collaboration of both parties in this area of work will focus on:

i) Joint advocacy for increased, full and long term financing for the global response to HIV.

ii) Input into the development and implementation of funding and harmonisation mechanisms and initiatives, including, but not limited to, the International Health Partnership (IHP), with particular emphasis on supporting funding mechanisms for a comprehensive response towards universal access, community-based responses and capacity building of civil society.

iii) Joint advocacy for increased locally generated funding for HIV programmes

5.2.4 Participation of civil society, particularly people living with HIV and other marginalised groups, in policy and advocacy

Collaboration of both parties in this area of work will focus on:

i) Promoting and supporting the involvement of civil society organisations in national coordinating and decision making, including through the development and implementation of the 'Three Ones' and through the active dissemination of relevant tools and resources.

ii) Increasing and promoting the involvement of civil society in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes of UNGASS and universal access.

iii) Promoting more transparency and accountability of all stakeholders in the implementation and monitoring process of universal access activities.

iv) Supporting civil society engagement in and the NGO Delegation to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB).

v) Sharing guidance, good practice and resources that support the establishment and implementation of processes and structures for civil society engagement and governance at national and international levels.

5.2.5 Exchanges and provision of consultative and advisory functions in technical areas and in ongoing and upcoming initiatives

Through its work in more than 30 countries, the Alliance has extensive HIV programming experience ‘on the ground’ and can offer lessons learnt, guidance and input on a wide range of technical issues, from community engagement for ART to targeted prevention for key populations. In addition, the Alliance offers significant involvement in, and community-level insights into, national and international policy processes.

UNAIDS provides high-level, global policy perspectives, experience and contacts, including in countries and regions where the Alliance does not directly support programmes.

Collaboration of both parties in this area of work will focus on:

i) Providing support and advice in initiatives related to technical areas of HIV programming for prevention, treatment, care and support, human rights, civil society engagement and monitoring and evaluation.

ii) Increasing collaboration in the provision of Technical Support at national and regional level. Establish a working relationship between the Technical Support Facilities of UNAIDS and the Alliance’s Technical Support Hubs.

iii) Building capacity of civil society and people living with HIV to engage in national HIV responses.

iv) Collaborating to strategise on identified opportunities to increase organisational reach and impact, for example in relation to working in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries.

6. Resources

UNAIDS and the Alliance will cover the cost of their own participation in these activities unless otherwise agreed and covered by a separate funding agreement.

7. Duration and amendment

  • This Agreement covers a three-year period effective January 2008 to January 2011, unless otherwise agreed between the Parties and subject to annual reviews and updates as necessary.
  • This Agreement may be modified and/or updated upon mutual consent of the Parties, to be reflected in writing.
  • The Parties, through the focal points, will use their best efforts to settle amicably by direct negotiations any differences that may arise out of this Agreement. Any differences that may not be so settled shall be brought to the attention of the respective Executive Directors for final resolution.
  • This Agreement is accompanied by results-oriented workplans described in an annex. They will be updated at the end of each calendar year to outline the activities for the following calendar year. The joint workplans will be agreed through a meeting between both parties in December of each year of the Agreement.
  • The International HIV/AIDS Alliance will take the lead in producing a brief annual progress report on the collaboration to allow this information to be shared with the respective Boards of the two Parties

8. Monitoring and follow-up

The Parties, facilitated by the focal points, shall undertake annual reviews as described above. The focal points shall facilitate the effective implementation of this Agreement, including staff interactions and sharing all relevant information and documentation.