KEY ADVOCACY ISSUES IN THE REGION BY: MAURA ELARIPE MEA IGAT HOPE INC. PAPUA NEW GUINEA

PNG – WHERE ARE WE?

OVERVIEW – PNG HIV and AIDS STATUS  PNG has a generalized HIV epidemic since 2004  Male to female ration is 1:1, but number of infected young women is rising fastest  National prevalence rate is 1.61%, with an estimated number of 59, 537 people living with HIV since Dec 2007  Main mode of transmission is through unprotected sexual intercourse with multiple sex partners.  Trend of epidemic in rural areas of PNG shows a late but strong increase  Key policies have been put in place to guide the national response to HIV and AIDS in PNG

ADVOCACY CHALLENGES IN PNG  Political commitment is weak  Health system is also weak  The National AIDS Council has not been reinstated again yet since September 2007  Lack of champions in key areas  High prevalence of gender based violence  PLHIV’s not trained and lack confidence to take up advocacy in key areas of concern (e.g.; treatments)  Access to second Line treatment  Stopping provider initiated testing without informed consent  Geographical issue, diverse culture and 800 different languages

SUCCESSES IN PNG  Passing of the HIV and AIDS prevention and Management Act by parliament  Produced PNGs’ first country report to UNGASS  Establishment of the national network of PLHIV in PNG (IGAT HOPE INC.)  Establishing of the PNG Alliance of CSO (PACSO)  Appointment of HIV minister since 2005  Establishment of Independent Review Group (IRG) reviewing performance of planned activities against the objectives of PNG National Strategic Plan

Recommendations for PNG  Support and Re-establish the parliamentary committee on HIV and AIDS  Speed up the National AIDS Council members appointment.  Identify and support national champions on HIV  Step up advocacy and communication training for PLHIV in PNG  Second line treatment to be made available and accessible through the DoH  Stop provider initiated test without informed consent and pre test counselling.  Address the issue of Gender violence

Advocacy overview in AP Region  Drug use and sex work are major drivers of the Asian epidemic.  Recent formation of the International Network of People who Use Drug – Asia Pacific region launched at the 8 th ICAAP in Sri Lanka  Australian harm reduction project (HAARP) and UN Task Force on HIV and IDU for Asia pacific have developed advocacy strategies for the region  Sex work and human trafficking limit advocacy and implementation of responses targeting sex workers  Commission on AIDS report provides great advocacy opportunities – yet migrants completely left out!

Advocacy Challenges in Asia Pacific  Access to second line ARVs  Non-existent support for the millions living with hepatitis C  Human rights of people who use drugs and vulnerable groups are regularly violated and ignored by the Asian and Pacific governments  Meaningful drug user involvement still remains tokenistic in Asia Pacific region just like for other at-risk groups  Pacific islands is often left out in the regional and international HIV programmes.  Income support projects for women living with and vulnerable to HIV  Stopping provider initiated testing without informed consent

Advocacy Successes in Asia Pacific  Launching of the Austrlaian harm reduction project (HAARP) at UNAIDS PCB in April 2008  Launching of INPUD-AP during 8th ICAAP  INPUD-AP prepared GOA Declaration – see it in the Global Village  Many CSOs contributed to reviewing the international drug conventions in Oct 2007  Launching of the “Portraits of Commitment” by APLF  Launching of APCOM (MSM network)  Set up of specific sub-groups within APN+ such as: WAPN+, IDUs, MSM

Recommendations for Asia Pacific  Support recommendations made by INPUD- AP in the Goa Declaration  Policies and legislation on drug control must be harmonized with HIV policies  Priority and effort must be put into producing Asia and Pacific Islands champions on HIV  Second line ARVs and HepC treatment to be accessible and available throughout the region  Create income generation projects for women and children  Stop provider initiated test where there is no informed consent or pre test counselling involved

“IF WE CANNOT NOW END OUR DIFFERENCES, AT LEAST WE CAN HELP MAKE THE WORLD SAFE FOR DIVERSITY” - JOHN. F. KENNEDY