Alliance co-hosts UK Parliament event
03 March 2008
In February, civil society board members from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria met UK parliamentarians to deliver a clear message on the need for continued UK government financial and political support for the Global Fund.
MPs, Lords and members of the UK’s Stop AIDS Campaign gathered at a meeting hosted by the Alliance and All Party Parliamentary Groups on HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to hear how the Global Fund is changing the lives of people living with HIV.
Board members representing northern NGOs, southern NGOs and affected communities outlined the development of the Global Fund and how initial problems have been overcome. Carol Nawina, the alternate Global Fund board member representing affected communities, said the Global Fund had “given people a second chance at life”.
The Global Fund disperses money to tackle the three diseases through a unique partnership approach that requires governments, civil society, affected communities and the private sector to work together to develop country plans and implement grants that scale up the response to HIV, TB and Malaria.
Unlike other funding mechanisms it has raised the bar when it comes to the level of engagement of civil society and affected communities in its processes. The level of transparency and accountability is yet to be matched by the UK’s Department for International Development.
“By involving civil society and communities most vulnerable and affected by HIV the Global Fund ensures that their policies reflect the realities and requirements of those most in need of its funds,” said Anton Kerr, Senior Policy Advisor at the Alliance.
The Global Fund currently provides one-fifth of total funding for HIV internationally and the UK government has played a leading role in the development, launch and success of the its policies and financing.
However there are signs that UK government policy may be changing with funding being sent directly to help national governments strengthen their health systems rather than supporting disease-specific needs. This is generally welcome but there are serious concerns that the progress made by the Global Fund must not be undermined by this shift in focus.
Providing aid through direct budget support excludes NGOs and affected communities from the opportunity to input into the decision-making process or to monitor how funds are spent. People reliant on life-long antiretroviral treatment fear what will happen if their government chooses not to invest in HIV treatment or bilateral aid does not significantly increase.
The UK government led the international community to set targets for universal access to treatment, care and prevention by 2010 as part of the UK government’s promise to make poverty history. In response, the Global Fund board agreed that it would need to treble the annual funds it disperses to counties to at least $6 billion by 2010.
Achieving this target will rely on increased commitment and leadership from the UK government.
