Nigeria

Alliance linking organisations:

Network on Ethics, Human Rights, Law, HIV/AIDS Prevention, Support and Care (NELA)

Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN)

Nigeria has the world’s third largest number of people living with HIV – an estimated 2.6 million (equating to 3.1% of adults). Around 1.2 million children have been orphaned by AIDS.

The factors contributing to the spread of HIV in Nigeria include poverty, high population mobility, poor healthcare services, marriage practices such as polygamy, the trafficking of young girls, and lack of sexual health information and education. HIV-related stigma and discrimination can make it difficult for people to access testing, care and support services.

Despite an increase in major HIV initiatives at the national level, many gaps and barriers remain in the provision of and access to HIV services. In 2007, only 26% of those in need of antiretroviral treatment were receiving it.

What we do

NELA provides technical and financial support, training and mentoring to non-governmental and faith-based organisations to help them develop and deliver quality HIV/AIDS services.

NELA raises communities’ understanding of HIV and related issues, and works with HIV positive people to prevent onward transmission. It trains peer counsellors to promote safer sexual behaviour, organises community awareness events, and produces information, education and communication materials.

As part of NELA’s home-based care activities, trained volunteers provide nutritional and psychosocial support to people living with HIV, orphans and other vulnerable children, and affected families. Community-based activities such as discussion groups provide further support to affected and infected people, and raise awareness of stigma and discrimination. NELA has trained and supported community outreach workers to work with particularly vulnerable populations, such as youth, sex workers and people living with HIV.

NELA also runs a short-stay centre that provides basic primary health care services for people living with HIV who need hospital care but cannot access it due to stigma and discrimination. A support group within this centre provides psychosocial support.

Established in August 2000, CiSHAN works through over 2,000 members and 72 community based organisations. It has national coverage with zonal offices in six states.

CiSHAN facilitates and coordinates the response of civil society to HIV in Nigeria. Its projects have a wide scope and include HIV prevention, care and support, stigma reduction, voluntary counselling and testing, poverty alleviation, gender and human rights and community mobilisation.

CiSHAN plays a major role in policy and advocacy work in Nigeria and has representation on the National Action Committee on HIV/AIDS (NACA), the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) of the Global Fund, the PEPFAR/GHAIN project and UN thematic groups.

CiSHAN was involved in formulating the HIV/AIDS Emergency Action Plan (HEAP) and the National Strategic Framework (NSF). The network works closely with UNAIDS, USAID, DFID and major international non-governmental organisations.

Future plans

In partnership with NELA and CiSHAN, the Alliance plans to increase its coverage in Nigeria, reaching new areas with some of the highest rates of HIV infection. We will expand our work with orphans and vulnerable children, and work towards improved integration of sexual and reproductive health and HIV. We will also focus on counteracting stigma and discrimination in order to increase access to HIV-related services.