PRESENTATION TO PARTICIPANTS DURING THE SETTING UP OF DSHAC COMMITTEES IN THE DISTRICTS OF KITGUM, PADER AND AMURU By MartinBabu Programme Manager – HIV & AIDS NUDIPU

Background to HIV & Disability studies NUDIPU recognized that Disabled persons have been left out in Uganda HIV/Aids intervention. Commissioned study to establish the magnitude of the problem. This study was followed by a number of studies conducted by ADD, COMBRA and DWRNO Major findings included exclusion of the disabled, Disabled persons have sexual feeling and the need to target Disabled persons in prevention of HIV/Aids.

FINDINGS It was established that Uganda’s health system, personnel and HIV/AIDS communication strategy are still ill equipped to meet the information and in some cases care and treatment demands of the PWD community. there was also evidence that the incidence of the epidemic could be rising in the PWD population and more so, with high incidence on the girl child, women and children with disabilities, who form the core poor in this population. Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS is compounded by lack of information, limited access to heath center, inappropriate communication systems and languages, which in combination with other structural factors. Therefore, present channels and modes of HIV/AIDS communication are mostly not addressing PWD’s requirements for information, care and treatment of HIV/AIDS. In terms of response from stakeholders to this problem, the study showed that there were limited efforts to re-package and adapt the health system and AIDS communication approaches into languages and mobility services that improve access of PWDs to HIV/AIDS information.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY Need to make reforms to ensure that disabled persons are enabled to join the mainstream crusade against HIV/AIDS. Such reforms should ensure that PWDs join the HIV/AIDS information age as equitable partners in the overall crusade to improve health service delivery in the country Involvement of the Disabled persons using the governance at district level to fight HIV/Aids. Government and partners like TASO should instigate a campaign to have ARVs and all available treatments for HIV/AIDS provided equitably amongst poor PWDs. Above all, there is need to develop a specific treatment program for PWD living with HIV/AIDS. Government at all levels should consider disabled people as special interest groups when it comes to socioeconomic support and health provisioning. Therefore budgetary support for their interventions should be addressed.

RECOMMENDATION CONT Health providers should in future obtain training in sign language and have key HIV/AIDS messages translated also in Braille in order to effectively communicate information and treatment needs of PWDs. Local Councilors (LCs) and opinion leaders should be targeted as change agents in the promotion of PWD rights in general and in identifying their health needs in particular. At their respective levels, LCs champion and enforce against any acts of discrimination against PWDs. ADD, and indeed other disability organizations, should widen and deepen its networks beyond disability based organizations but also with the public, private and civil society at large in order to hasten the popularization of the mainstreaming of PWD interests in all sectors. Development NGOs should target the people with disabilities directly for proper analyses of their problems hence identify proper strategies to address their needs. And Community Services Officers should participate more in disseminating information on HIV/AIDS to PWDS. Specifically, PWD partners should assist the health service providers and HIV/AIDS coordination organs to address the unique language, communication and transport problems of the PWD community. HIV/AIDS messages should be effectively translated into sign language, Braille and ramps and all other equipment provided in health centers. This could be gradual commencing with the major hospitals and gradually the health units.

DISABILITY STAKEHOLDERS HIV & AIDS COMMITTEE-DSHAC Disability Stakeholders HIV & AIDS COMMITTEE – DSHAC was founded in 2005 to spearhead advocacy to mainstream disability in the National HIV & AIDS response. DSHAC has rotational chairmanship with ADD as its secretariat and NUDIPU as the lead agency. DSHAC has a membership of 16 organisations namely; ADD, NUDIPU, UNAB, UNAD, ESAU, MHU, BBA, NADBU, Sense int, COMBRA, UPACLED, USDC, NUWODU, DWNRO, UNAPD & TASO

Aim of DSHAC To ensure collective and joint DPOs efforts in coordinating HIV/AIDS activities among the disabled in Uganda.

MANDATE and ROLE of DSHAC Developing and implementing partnership work plans ; Engaging with other stakeholders on issues of HIVAIDS ; Sharing of HIV/AIDS information among DSHAC partners and other stakeholders ; Developing partnership proposals on HIV/AIDS and disability Offering technical guidance and oversight on HIV/AIDS issues for partner organizations Organizing regular reviews and producing periodic reports on activities of the partnership

ACHEIVEMENTS of DSHAC Mobilised PWDs of all categories to participate in the National HIV & AIDS campaigns and events duiring which awareness on the plight of HIV & AIDS among PwDs has been created.e.g WAD celebrations, Got on board campaign, 4 th & 5 th NACs

Achiev’ cont Secured funding from the CSF. The project is being implemented in the districts of Soroti, Gulu and Masaka. Successfully organized a number of advocacy meetings and workshop with some HIV & AIDS stakeholders like UNASO, TASO. The most significant being a breakfast meeting that was held in These meetings have not only helped to widen the understanding of disability amongst the HIV& AIDS stakeholders and the need to mainstream disability in their programmes. In relation to the above, the disability fraternity was involved in the development process of the NSP under the invitation of the UAC and as a result of this disabled persons were recognised in the plan as a vunerable group and about 1.6M was allocated to fight HIV & AIDS among PwDs.

Achiev’ Cont DSHAC developed a 5-year Strategic Plan on HIV & AIDS under the hospice of the NUDIPU HIV & AIDS project. The plan will be used as a tool for conducting Advocacy on disability and HIV & AIDS and also as a fundraising tool for the committee. The DSHAC engaged the parliamentary committee on HIV & AIDS in a lobby meeting during which the committee was briefed on the challenges and gaps in national HIV/AIDS interventions with regards to persons with disability and need to mainstream disability in national HIV/AIDS policy and programme. The parliamentary committee promised to advocate for inclusion of Disability issues in National HIV & AIDS policies

Impact and Lessons learnt Partnership strategy has proofed to be crucial in the fight against HIV & AIDS. it has brought about a common understanding and unity among the DPOs which has also been a contributing factor to the positive outcomes of the HIV & AIDS pilot project of NUDIPU funded by DANIDA. Recognition and understanding of Disability and the disabled as a vulnerable group to the HIV & AIDS by the major HIV & AIDS stakeholders for instance the commission in the National Strategic plan has recognized disabled as a vulnerable group and allocated some funds (1.6M) to fight HIV & AIDS among the disabled. Marie stopes was a members of the DSHAC and was able to get a deeper understanding of disability issues as a result Marie stopes in Soroti provided fee testing kits to the Soroti disabled peoples union. TASO and THETA in 2006 invited the disability fraternity to provide guidance on disability issues and how it could be mainstreamed in their programmes. Its essential to bring on board AIDS organization to support the disabled. UNITY of purpose in the fight against HIV/Aids among the disabled. Some of the DPOs have developed HIV/Aids work place policy aiming at mainstreaming HIV/AIDs at the work place.

WAY FORWARD Disabled persons are a risky group that should be deliberately targeted if HIV/Aids is to be prevented. MDGs cannot be achieved in Uganda if 10% of the total population is not reached. There is a close relationship between HIV/Aids and Disability and vice versa. Supporting a disabled person in your HIV/ Aids intervention is a worthwhile investment as we make Uganda a better society for ALL. We rely on you, as the Disabled person, we cannot do much alone, we need your support and partnership if the disabled are to be reached with services.

Thank you for listening!