CiSHAN is the Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, the voice of CSO fighting against AIDS and CSO-HIV response in Nigeria. CiSHAN is an umbrella body for all civil organizations apart from the government, our members include Community based organizations, Faith Based organizations, Youth Network against AIDS, Network of organizations of People living with HIV, Nigeria Business against AIDS, as well as implementing partners who registered as NGOs in Nigeria.
This World AIDS Day, CiSHAN in partnership and collaboration with the Nigeria Government and Stakeholders as well as with the global partners is highlighting the urgent need to end the inequalities that drive AIDS and other pandemics around the world especially as it affects us in Nigeria. The major aim of this year’s world AIDS day is to focus on reaching people that were left behind due to lack of access to essential HIV services. It also focuses on inequalities that drive pandemic around the world.
If we failed to take bold action against inequalities, we risk missing the targets to end AIDS by 2030, as well as a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and a spiraling social and economic crisis.
It is Forty years since the first AIDS cases were reported, and up till now, we are yet to overcome or end the scourge. The world at large is off track from delivering on the shared commitment to end AIDS by 2030 not because of a lack of knowledge or tools to win the fight against HIV & AIDS, but because of structural inequalities that obstruct proven solutions to HIV prevention and treatment.This includes economic, social, cultural and legal inequalities which must be ended as a matter of urgency.
Tackling inequalities is a long-standing global promise, the urgency of which has only increased. In 2015, all countries pledged to reduce inequalities within and between countries as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, End Inequalities, End AIDS and the Political Declaration on AIDS adopted at the 2021 United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS have ending inequalities as their core target.
Tackling inequalities will advance the human rights of key populations and people, who are living with HIV, make societies better prepared to beat COVID-19 and other pandemics and support economic recovery and stability.
If we are able to fulfill the promise to tackle inequalities we will save millions of lives and will benefit our society as a whole. However ending inequalities requires transformative change, which include political, economic and social policies needed to protect the rights of everyone and pay attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized communities.
Winning the fight against AIDS is not a mirage or difficult goal to achieve, we know what the inequalities obstructing progress are and we know how to tackle them. The policies to address inequalities can be implemented, but they require leaders to be bold. Our leaders must be bold to take up the responsibilities to end AIDS
The Governments must move from commitment to action. Governments must promote inclusive social and economic growth. They must eliminate discriminatory laws, policies and practices in order to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities. It is time for governments to keep their promises. They must act now, and we must make them accountable.
In Nigeria, because of our peculiar situation, we have tried to restructure the World AIDS day theme to include Sustainability financing. This is very critical and important at this time because we cannot continue to be donor dependent. All the activities carried out since the first case was reported which was 1986 till date from prevention of new infection to treatment, care and support and other impact mitigation activities, we have relied and enjoyed donor support of over 80-90% financing. But today the story has changed with the gradual close of activities and donor withdrawal of their support, there is the need for us as a country, state and community to take ownership of our future, our health and our survival.
Taking ownership and being able to sustain the over 70% gap that will be left behind by the Donor support is a great challenge. The challenge is not limited to being committed or showing or demonstration of commitment but ability to ensure at all levels of governance, Federal, State, Local and the Community that we create, allocate and ensure release of fund for HIV/AIDS and Pandemic in our annual budget. To sustain this fight it is not a sectional struggle or fight but commitment by all. We must all be involved to contribute our quota. The measures needed to tackle inequalities include:
Community-led and people-centred policies
Equitable access to medicines, vaccines and health technologies
Human rights, to build trust and tackle pandemics
Elevating essential workers, and providing them with the resources and tools they need
People-centred data systems that highlight inequalities
On the occasion of this year’s World AIDS Day, On behalf of all the people we represent, we call on all government actors to ensure and consider having HIV/AIDS, epidemic emergency preparedness budget item in their budget provisions, we also advocate for the increase in the budget provision where it exist to accommodate at least 60% of the Donor gap left behind. We call on all Local Government and councils to wake up to their responsibilities as over 90% of them pay no attention to HIV.AIDS response and majority of them have zero budget for HIV response. This can no longer continue and totally unacceptable. They must be committed and create at least a percentage of their annual budget to HIV/AIDS and epidemic or pandemic response.
We also like to use this opportunity to request and advocate for prompt and unconditional release of the yearly approved budget allocation to ensure we end inequalities and AIDS in Nigeria as well as contributing to the global effort of ending AIDS by the year 2030.
It is possible and achievable.
Let us join hands with the World and leave no one behind.
Thank you and God bless.
Hon Aladeyelu Azeez Adebayo
CiSHAN SW Zonal Coordinator/ Lagos State Coordinator.
