Peruvian and Bolivian NGOs join global Alliance for action on HIV
19 April 2007
Vía Libre and the Instituto para el Desarrollo Humano, non-governmental organisations working in Peru and Bolivia respectively, have become linking organisations in the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Both organisations had already been partners in the Alliance’s regional work in Latin America.
The Instituto para el Desarrollo Humano (IDH) has worked in the HIV/AIDS field for the last 12 years. It has implemented prevention programmes, trained health professionals, worked on the promotion and defence of the human rights of people with HIV, met the health needs of people living with HIV and AIDS, and trained teachers to integrate HIV prevention in schools. It has also worked on advocacy with key populations in four regions and nationally. This project supports advocacy strategies and builds capacity with key populations on HIV and AIDS in Bolivia.
Vía Libre, founded in 1990, contributes to improving quality of life, generating knowledge through research and promoting improved access to health and education, to achieve behaviour, attitude and practice change in sexual and reproductive health, with emphasis on HIV and AIDS. Vía Libre has also supported an advocacy project with men who have sex with men, sex workers and people living with HIV in four regions of Peru.
IDH and Vía Libre will now be able to draw on the strong global Alliance which is developing and implementing innovative programmes and approaches, forging partnerships, sharing knowledge, influencing global and national policy, improving access to financial resources, and building the capacity of communities across the world to respond to HIV.
Alvaro Bermejo, Executive Director of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance said: “This is an important moment as we welcome Vía Libre and Instituto para el Desarrollo Humano into the Alliance family. I hope it will bring new opportunities for us all to learn, share and respond quicker to the HIV epidemics we face. I look forward to working with our new partners in Peru and Bolivia, and to help us make even more of a difference to those affected by HIV in the Andes region, and across affected countries worldwide.”
