Board approval confirms the merger of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and Health & Development Networks
28 October 2008
The merger between the International HIV/AIDS Alliance (The Alliance) and Health & Development Networks (HDN) has been approved by the Board of Directors of each organisation and they are now able to move forward with planning for the integration.
The merger will lead to a new joint Alliance-HDN foundation that will be an arm of the Alliance Secretariat, providing specialised support to Alliance country offices and linking organisations, and to other civil society organisations at the country level, on information, communication, dialogue and advocacy.
Mergers between international NGOs based in different countries are rare and complex. Both boards reviewed the case for integration, taking into account the results of a thorough due diligence process and assessing the associated opportunities and risks. They concluded that the proposed merger would be in the best interests of both organisations and the communities they serve.
“We are delighted that the Boards have approved the merger. This is an exciting opportunity. We will be working hard over the next few months to ensure that there is a smooth transition and we can quickly focus on joint implementation at country level, where it really matters.” said Alvaro Bermejo, Executive Director of the Alliance.
The foundation will build on the Alliance’s presence in over 30 countries worldwide and function as a stepping stone from which to support national dialogue and partnership platforms for HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and other related health issues.
HDN and the Alliance have been collaborating for some time on facilitating National Partnership Platforms for information, dialogue and advocacy on HIV and tuberculosis in Cambodia, Uganda, Zambia, and supporting Key Correspondents (country-based writers) in India, Cambodia and Uganda to document and analyse local experiences and perspectives.
The new organisation will benefit from HDN’s experience in knowledge management, communication, information and dialogue, helping to share learning across the Alliance and beyond.
Local and national community responses to HIV and TB are at the core of both organisations’ strategies. Both recognise that civil society still has to fight for its place in national responses.
Nadine France, Executive Director of HDN explained: “Bringing together a substantial country presence with an increased information exchange, dialogue and advocacy capacity will strengthen and promote the inclusion of small voices and views from the HIV and TB community. It will facilitate more mobilisation around HIV and related priorities such as TB.”
By merging, the Alliance and HDN will:
- Rapidly build enhanced capacity to manage knowledge and accelerate learning across the sector;
- Support advocacy and policy at country-level, directly benefitting and involving civil society and key affected populations;
- Expand work on TB; and
- Maintain vibrant mechanisms to listen to communities and respond to their voices
A joint strategic paper is being developed outlining the new foundation’s mission, vision and key programmatic areas, and this will contribute to the implementation of the Alliance’s strategic framework, Impact 2010. It is anticipated that legal agreements will be signed in November.
