Press Release – Page 10

Faith Leaders Consultation held in Belize

Image: Dr. Edward Greene former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean now PANCAP Special Advisor (center),

with participants of the Faith Leaders Consultation (Belize)

Thursday, 10 May, 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, collaborated with National HIV/AIDS Commission to convene National Faith Leaders consultation in Belize on 10 May 2018 in Belize City, Belize. The consultation is funded by the CARIFORUM 10^th European Development Fund Programme of Support for Wider Caribbean.

The aim of the consultation is to establish main goals for an inter-religious faith leaders network in Belize with emphasis on contributing towards the end of AIDS. This meeting follows a series of regional meetings involving faith leaders.

In welcoming participants Hon. Laura Longsworth, OBE, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chair of the National HIV/AIDS Commission, acknowledged the assistance and support of Faith Leaders and other partners that have helped to sustain the efforts to end the AIDS epidemic; Mrs. Longsworth observed that faith leaders are key to the response because they believe in the intrinsic value of human beings and noted that faith leaders promote access to services with love and humanity.

In his opening statement Chair of the meeting, Bishop Roosevelt Papouloute noted that as human beings, faith leaders are challenged by the development in families and society. He lauded PANCAP for its leadership in advancing the Justice for All Programme and for recognizing the importance of the Faith leadership in accelerating the response to end AIDS by 2020.

Bishop Michael Perreira, Senior Pastor of the Eccles Assemblies of God Church Guyana in delivering the keynote address acknowledged the value of networking with other stakeholders to achieve the purpose of God in ending AIDS by 2030. He applauded PANCAP for providing a platform for engagement. He contended that “as a leader in the Christian community our task is not only to prepare people for heaven but provide them with a model for living a life here and now”. He urged that the Church should not be oblivious of the human condition and must not fail to protect social justice for everyone. “If the church cannot resolve to fight AIDS it is neglecting their duty; Religious organizations need to do more and be more consistent in spreading the words and work together to end AIDS”.

Bishop Perreira concluded his address by encouraging faith leaders to:

Love people without necessarily approving what they do;
Inform their views/concepts of persons of a different sexual orientation. He stated, “this is necessary because members of key populations are not inclined to take us (faith leaders) seriously, as they are convinced that we are not genuinely concerned about them”.
Preach and practice Christian Godly principles: love and respect all human beings whom God loves, just as they are our own.
Partner with other stakeholders giving loving, empathetic Godly support.
Find common ground as stated in the Regional Faith Leaders Forum Declaration of February 2017.

Director of PANCAP Dereck Springer provided the background to the national consultation in the context of the PANCAP Justice for All Programme and Roadmap. He reminded the consultation of the underlining principles of the JFA Roadmap: Enhancing family life and focusing on those in need; Increasing access to treatment and affordable medicines: PANCAP playing an important role in reducing the price of medicines; Reducing gender inequality including violence against women, girls, and adolescents; Promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights including age-appropriate sexual education; and Implementing legislative reform for modifying AIDS-related stigma and discrimination.

Dr. Francis Morey, Deputy Director of Health, Ministry of Health, Belize provided a status report on the HIV epidemic in Belize and the current response. He highlighted the challenges to achieving viral suppression among people living with HIV.

First Lady of Belize and Chair of the Spouses of Caribbean Leaders Action Network (SCLAN) Mrs. Kim Simplis Barrow identified the major issues addressed by the ‘Every Caribbean Women Every Caribbean Child’ (CARIWAC) initiative. In defining the role that faith leaders can play Mrs. Barrow noted that health and well-being could be advanced by increased collaboration between SCLAN and Faith Leaders. She called attention to the adolescent population that is being overlooked, noting that a considerable number of girls are giving birth under the age of 15 years, thereby perpetuating the cycle of poverty. She also called for engagement of men and boys in reducing inequality of women and girls.

Faith leaders who attended the regional faith leaders’ dialogues reflected on the experiences that helped them to dispel their apprehensions, the role of the science in achieving the end of AIDS, barriers to access to health services and the need to foster continued transformation of the mind.

Following deliberations in small groups, faith leaders identified the following challenges impacting faith leaders’ response including differences between religious principles and practices; creating refuge for those in need; lack of religious organizations’ input into the development of the sexual education curriculum; unified education and counselling; preparation for respectful dialogue when court rulings contradict religious doctrines; lack of concrete information; how to creatively utilize social media.

Participants provided several proposals for addressing the challenges identified. These included education of the congregation; liaising with key stakeholders including National AIDS Programmes (NAP); establishing a structured approach such as hubs; identifying and sharing best practices from other Faith-based Organizations (FBOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs); ensuring that faith leaders are relevant by utilizing social media; create spaces of refuge and places of acceptance; provide prevention services; sensitizing faith leaders about confidentiality; accept people where they are; uplift the community; encourage people to know their status and in the case of couples share their results and offer positive alternatively ways of living.

Faith leaders also recommended the promotion of the following programmes and policies within individual religious groups and national inter-religious networks: structured approach that is focused on helping people; development and implementation of youth education programmes utilizing creative methodologies such as edutainment and utilizing the mobile app developed by the National AIDS Commission (NAC), Belize to access information.

Faith leaders agreed on the need for an inter-religious organization that brings together the various groupings around the HIV response and will meet shortly to formalize the process for moving forward. The Director of PANCAP pledged the Coordinating Unit’s support to the national network as it evolves.

-ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

PANCAP is a Caribbean regional partnership of governments, regional civil society organisations, regional institutions and organisations, bilateral and multilateral agencies and contributing donor partners which was established on 14 February 2001. PANCAP provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, coordinates the response through the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS to maximise efficient use of resources and increase impact, mobilises resources and build capacity of partners.

10th European Development Fund (EDF) Programme of Support for Wider Caribbean Cooperation

Under the 10th (EDF) Programme of Support for Wider Caribbean Cooperation, PANCAP will strengthen coordination on human rights issues in keeping with the Justice For all Roadmap through the HIV and AIDS Thematic Task Force in CARIFORUM.

CARIFORUM

CARIFORUM refers to the Grouping of Caribbean States which are signatories of the Georgetown Agreement establishing the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). The ACP grouping is composed of 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states.

CARIFORUM is the recipient of and manages the implementation of Caribbean Regional Indicative Programmes financed by the EDF and Caribbean regional programmes financed by individual Member States of the European Union. It also provides technical assistance to agencies/institutions implementing projects under these programmes.

European Union

The Member States of the European Union have decided to link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders’.

Background to the PANCAP Justice for All (JFA) Roadmap

The PANCAP Justice For All (JFA) Programme was established in September 2013 as a regional response to the UN High-Level Political Declaration (June 2011) designed to reduce AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. The objectives of the JFA Roadmap are:

Enhancing family life and focusing on those in need
Increasing access to treatment and affordable medicines
Reducing gender inequality including violence against women, girls and adolescents
Promoting prevention with special reference to sexual and reproductive health and rights including age-appropriate sexual education
Implementing legislative reforms for modifying AIDS-related stigma and discrimination

Contact:

Timothy Austin

Communications Specialist

PANCAP Coordinating Unit

CARICOM Secretariat

Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana

Email: taustin.consultant@caricom.org

Tel: (592) 222-0001-75, Ext. 3409 | Visit www.PANCAP.org

Belize National Faith Leaders Consultation

Thursday, 3 May 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), with funding from the CARIFORUM 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Programme of Support for Wider Caribbean Cooperation, will host the Belize National Faith Leaders Consultation in Belize on the 10th May 2018.

This Consultation is a follow-up to a series of engagements with faith leaders including Belize under the PANCAP Justice for All programme. This consultation will facilitate the development of an action plan for advancing faith leaders’ implementation of key elements of the Justice for All programme. Participants will include 40 Faith Leaders representing national faith leaders’ network across Belize.

The action plan will include the establishment of the main goals for an inter-religious faith leaders network in Belize with emphasis on contributing toward the end of AIDS; identification of the lessons learned for ending AIDS from faith leaders’ engagements with people living with HIV and with other groups such as parliamentarians, youth leaders, civil society and members of the church communities; challenges for developing a viable Faith Leaders Network and proposals for overcoming them; specific recommendations to achieve the goals of the inter-religious/faith leaders network; and priorities and timelines for achieving the goals of the Network.

In an invited comment, Coordinator of the consultation, Bishop Roosvelt Papouloute, (Belize Council of Churches) said that this consultation will be an opportunity for leaders from the different Christians denominations and other religious communities to come together to strengthen the response to HIV and AIDS, to raise awareness and educate the wider population about issues relating to HIV and AIDS. He encourages all those who have been invited to make every effort to attend.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

– CARIFORUM

– European Union

Background to the PANCAP Justice for All (JFA) Roadmap

The PANCAP Justice For All (JFA) Programme was established in September 2013 as a regional response to the UN High Level Political Declaration (June 2011) designed to reduce AIDS related stigma and discrimination. The objectives of the JFA Roadmap are:

 Enhancing family life and focusing on those in need
 Increasing access to treatment and affordable medicines
 Reducing gender inequality including violence against women, girls and adolescents
 Promoting prevention with special reference to sexual and reproductive health and rights including age appropriate sexual education
 Implementing legislative reforms for modifying AIDS-related stigma and discrimination

PANCAP Welcomes Global Lifestyle Foundation

The Launch of Global Lifestyle Foundation (GLF) was held on 28 April 2018 at the Royal St. Kitts Hotel Frigate Bay before an audience including former Governor General Sir Edmund Lawerence, former Ministers of Government, Ambassadors, faith leaders, representatives of community organizations, youth, and well-wishers.

The Right Honorable Dr Denzil Douglas former Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, former Chair of PANCAP and founder and chair of the Foundation outlined its origins, vision, and mission. He acknowledged that many individuals assisted him along the way and without their support and nurturing he would not have become a medical doctor much less a Prime Minister. “GLF is my attempt to give back to the community, the nation and the region. Its major programmes revolve around health and wellbeing, climate resilience and the green economy program and changing the lives of others for the better ” said Dr Douglas.

In his feature address, Dr Edward Greene former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV and now PANCAP Advisor paid tribute to Dr Douglas for his exemplary role, unwavering commitment and effective advocacy for the regional integration process and his outstanding representation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Caribbean Community. He commended the Chair and Board of Directors and said that “GLF is ideally conceived and its entry into the family of civil society could not be timelier ”

Dr Douglas continues to be an active member of the Network of regional parliamentarians and participated in the recently concluded PANCAP Joint Consultation of faith leaders, parliamentarians, youth key populations and National AIDS Coordinators in Trinidad and Tobago, 24-25 April.

Commenting on the launch, Dereck Springer, PANCAP Director stated, “I congratulate Dr Douglas, welcome the Global Lifestyle Foundation and look forward to its engagement in achieving the goals of the PANCAP Justice for All Roadmap”.

For more on the Global Lifestyle Foundation, click here.

Joint Regional Dialogue Ends With Call from Stakeholders to Create Enabling Environment to Reduce Stigma and Discrimination

Wednesday, 25 April, 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, concluded the Joint Regional Dialogue with Faith Leaders, Parliamentarians, Civil Society Leaders, National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Youth Leaders in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago with an urgent call from stakeholders for creating an enabling environment to reduce discrimination which acts as a barrier for vulnerable groups accessing health services and hinders efforts to reduce HIV infections.

The Dialogue, which included approximately 60 delegates from 14 Caribbean countries, was intended to facilitate an examination of national and regional issues and goals for ending HIV, and to take into consideration the targets established by the United Nations High Level Meeting Political Declaration June 2016 on ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030; the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals approved by 192 nations at the United Nations in September 2015, and the commitments made by civil society, faith-based and other implementing stakeholder groups for ending AIDS during the PANCAP consultations in 2016 and 2017.

Participants were tasked with proposing initiatives within the context of the CARICOM Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation and the PANCAP Justice for all Roadmap.

Create an enabling environment to prevent stigma and discrimination

Among the strategic initiatives proposed by the wide cross-section of stakeholders was the creation of an enabling environment to prevent stigma and discrimination, which participants indicated, would reduce the incidence of HIV, increase testing, increase the number of people receiving antiretroviral drugs which would result in less deaths from AIDS and cost-saving within the health-care sector.

Participants underscored the importance of removing the barrier of discrimination as critical to the region achieving the 90-90-90 Targets by 2020, and keeping on track for ending AIDS by 2030.

Sensitization on the CARICOM Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation

To achieve the removal of discrimination as a barrier, participants proposed a Public Awareness Campaign on the CARICOM Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation targeted at Human Rights Activists, parliamentarians, faith leaders and youth. The campaign is intended to educate these stakeholders on the use of the Model Legislation as a tool for mobilizing action to reduce instances of discrimination against vulnerable groups.

Emphasis was placed on educating parliamentarians on the model legislation and establishing connections with the existing parliamentarian network.

Utilizing established mechanisms such as the Youth Parliament and similar platforms to increase awareness of the Model was also proposed as a mechanism for sensitizing key stakeholders including subject ministries and ministers responsible for reporting on Member States’ human rights obligations.

Standardize HIV education across the Region

The lack of standardized HIV education at the tertiary level was identified as a barrier for reducing HIV infections; participants proposed advocating for the introduction of such a programme through collaborations with Ministries of Education with the intention of exposing youth within vulnerable groups to new data on HIV and AIDS.

Comprehensive proposal on saving costs through reducing HIV infections

Participants underscored the importance of highlighting the connection between saving costs within the health care sector and reducing HIV infections. A detailed, evidence-based proposal illustrating the financial savings from reducing HIV infections was proposed as a mechanism to empower parliamentarians to advocate at the highest-level for domestic funding for the HIV response.

Next steps for stakeholders

Parliamentarians committed to advancing strategic initiatives to adopt the Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation. These included identifying the barriers to countries’ adoption of the Model Legislation; introducing Private Members Bill, utilizing existing Parliamentary Social Services Committees; sensitizing parliamentarians on the Bill, judicial activism; and establishing a Regional Parliamentarian Network.

National AIDS Managers, Civil Society Leaders and Youth Leaders committed to working collaboratively at the national level to advance elements of the PANCAP Justice for All (JFA) Programme, including policy advocacy for the provision of psychosocial support as part of the elements of the JFA Roadmap; addressing social protection issues including domestic violence through interagency collaboration and social determinants of health; mapping civil society service delivery; and to strategically collaborate with Live Up! The Caribbean Media Alliance.

Faith leaders committed among others to continuing and strengthening their response to HIV; sharing best practices within the faith community; delivering education to address stigma and discrimination; highlighting the responsibilities that are associated with sex, and providing love and compassion.

In his closing remarks, Dr Edward Greene former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, now PANCAP Special Advisor challenged participants to remain committed to the proposed review of the PANCAP Justice for All Roadmap and to enact the proposed initiatives with the overarching aim of successfully achieving the 90-90-90 Targets by 2020, and keeping on track for ending AIDS by 2030. He also challenged secular and faith stakeholders to foster age-related sexual education, promote tolerance and respect and to reconcile the difference between the rule of law and theology through respectful dialogue.

-ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.
By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

Contact:

Timothy Austin

Communications Specialist

PANCAP Coordinating Unit

CARICOM Secretariat

Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana

Email: taustin.consultant@caricom.org

Tel: (592) 222-0001-75, Ext. 3409 | Visit www.PANCAP.org

Minister Webster-Roy commits Trinidad and Tobago to Ending AIDS by 2030 at Opening of PANCAP Joint Regional Dialogue

Tuesday, 24 April, 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, commenced the Joint Regional Dialogue with Faith Leaders, Parliamentarians, Civil Society Leaders, National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Youth Leaders in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago with approximately 60 delegates.

The meeting came two years ahead of the 2020 deadline for reaching the 90-90-90 targets—90% of people living with HIV diagnosed, 90% of diagnosed people on treatment and 90% of those on treatment virally suppressed.

In his opening remarks, Director of PANCAP, Mr Dereck Springer stated that the meeting seeks to affirm the work done in response to HIV by stakeholder groups and individual organizations across the region. He explained that the five thematic areas for discussion include i) Access to HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health Services including adolescents’ access; ii) Stigma and Discrimination against People Living with HIV (PLHIV); iii) Access to Justice and Redress iv) Gender inclusive policies and laws; and v) Comprehensive sexuality education in schools.

The Director further explained that the aforementioned thematic areas were suggested by the stakeholders who participated in the various PANCAP consultations in 2016 and 2017 with faith leaders, parliamentarians, youth, key populations and NAP managers.

He stated, “We must now build upon these outcomes by facilitating the collaboration and partnership of our five stakeholder groups to take collective action to end AIDS by 2030”.

The PANCAP Director explained that the objective of the meeting is to move the stakeholders beyond information sharing and sensitization to discussing and agreeing on mechanisms or strategies for effecting harmonized and sustainable partnerships and collaboration between all stakeholder groups at the organizational, national, regional and international levels for ending AIDS.

Mr Springer highlighted that the most significant objective of the meeting is the identification of realistic joint organizational, national, regional and international level activities that the participants can partner, collaborate and engage in to advance the PANCAP Justice for All Roadmap and the Model Anti-Discrimination Legislation which was approved in 2012 but which no country has to date adopted in whole or in part. He emphasized the need for respectful dialogue over the next two days.

Dr Edward Greene former UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, now PANCAP Special Advisor delivered remarks on behalf of Professor Donald Simeon, Chair, Priority Areas Coordinating Committee (PACC) and Deputy Chair, PANCAP Executive Board. Professor Simeon in his speech emphasized the importance of examining the effects of stigma and discrimination. He noted that as a Health Research Scientist, he understands the value of using differences for the greater good. He explained that by observing how and why a few individuals respond differently to a specific exposure, many critical hypotheses can be generated, leading to life-saving discoveries in the field of medicine. Professor Simeon challenged the participants to seize the opportunity and use their differences to strengthen the regional response against HIV.

In her remarks, Hon. Nicolette Henry, Minister of Education, Republic of Guyana and Chair, PANCAP Regional Coordinating Mechanism commended PANCAP for creating a platform for collaboration among such a wide cross-section of stakeholders. “The dialogue has brought together a diverse group of advocates, experts, practitioners and stakeholders from across the region which is an embodiment of the commitment to achieve the internationally agreed targets for ending AIDS at national and regional levels,” stated Minister Henry.

She further stated that the Dialogue provides an ideal opportunity to take stock and reflect on how far we have come, and how far we have yet to go. She urged participants to collectively examine the many challenges still faced by the Caribbean in ending AIDS such as the annual number of new infections among adults across the Caribbean, which has remained static for the last six years at an estimated 17 000 as reported in 2016.

Minister Henry also highlighted that one-third (33%) of our Caribbean people living with HIV on treatment were not virally suppressed in 2016. “Additionally, retaining people on treatment has proven challenging for most countries in the region”, stated the Minister, “notably, of all people living with HIV in the Caribbean, 36% were unaware of their HIV status in 2016. And late diagnosis is still a challenge, particularly for men”.

Minister Henry also advocated for collective action for domestic financing of the HIV response. “If we are to ensure sustainability of the regional response and for ending AIDS, many countries in the region have to do more to make AIDS and health a financial priority,” stated the Minister, “let me say also that sustainability is not just about resources. It is also about ensuring that our responses are the most effective, based on science and epidemiology, and targeting those most in need. Sustainability is also about partnership”.

The Minister noted strong growth in the region’s HIV response, however, she warned that “more still needs to be done in order to sustain the response and the gains made”.

The Hon. Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, holding the portfolios of Gender and Child Affairs, Ecclesiastical Affairs and Central Administration Services, Tobago, in her feature address commended PANCAP for convening the meeting and thanked participants for tackling the issue of stigma and discrimination with honest discussions. She said that initiatives such as this are imperative as the Caribbean has a long way to go to achieve a future free of AIDS.

“As I look into the audience, I see a gathering of like-minded individuals who share a common interest for improving and sustaining the HIV and AIDS response within the region” stated Minister Webster-Roy, “It is through meetings like these that the realization of our future goal of ending AIDS by 2030 will be achieved”.

She further stated that the Region has made significant progress to date. “The Caribbean has halved the number of new infections among adults between 2000 and 2014”, stated the Minister, “however, our work is far from complete, as we have existing and new challenges to address. With the world economic downturn and the pending withdrawal of two key international donors, the funding mechanism will be affected in some countries, and the participating organizations gathered today, will be tasked with finding innovative ways for addressing the needs for sustaining our response campaigns”.

Minister Webster-Roy also challenged participants to examine national and regional issues and goals and to take into consideration the targets established by the United Nations High Level Meeting Political Declaration June 2016 on ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030; the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals approved by 192 nations at the United Nations in September 2015, and the commitments made by civil society, faith-based and other implementing stakeholder groups for ending AIDS.

She indicated “if we agree that our aim is a future free of AIDS and a reduction in the number of new HIV infections and if we understand that the effective guarantee of Human Rights is essential for our Sustainable Development Goals, we must also recognize that open, honest and consistent dialogue and collaboration are paramount to the achievement of our national, regional and international goals”.

The Minister emphasized that the region recognises that HIV is a critical development problem, which affects quality of life, labour, families, communities and the national economy in the present and the future. “Therefore, it is in your interest, along with all of our partners and stakeholders to ensure we all perform our critical roles in the care of persons infected and affected with HIV,” stated the Minister.

The Minister stated that all stakeholders must ensure that they all perform their critical roles in the prevention of and protection against HIV infection, and the mitigation of the spread of the disease. “It is conversations like these, which allow everyone, including representatives from Governments, to efficiently and effectively support meaningful change that benefits the region”.

The Minister reminded participants that CARICOM’s Vision Statement proposes a “Caribbean Community that is integrated, inclusive and resilient; driven by knowledge, excellence, innovation and productivity; a Community where every citizen is secure and has the opportunity to realise his or her potential with guaranteed human rights and social justice; and contributes to, and shares in, its economic, social and cultural prosperity; a Community which is a unified and competitive force in the global arena”.

Minister Webster-Roy invited participants to keep this vision in mind as they deliberate and agree on joint national and regional level policy formulation and activities for advancing the short, medium and long-term goals of the PANCAP Justice For All Roadmap to chart the way forward.

Minister Webster-Roy also pledged Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to ending AIDS and removing barriers of stigma and discrimination despite the challenges currently faced by the country. “I pledge our commitment to creating an environment that is both respectful and supportive to all including those living with or affected by HIV” she stated. “These are goals that I wholeheartedly believe we can achieve if we continue to place HIV and AIDS at the forefront of issues facing the Caribbean”.

The Minister underscored that the Joint Dialogue is another step in the correct direction for laying the foundations for increasing engagement and promoting solidarity among stakeholder groups as well as the persons they serve.

It is intended that the two-day Dialogue will culminate with practical and strategic initiatives for collaboration by all stakeholders under the PANCAP Justice for ALL (JFA) Programme for ending the AIDS epidemic.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

• By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
• By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.
• By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

Contact:
Timothy Austin
Communications Specialist
PANCAP Coordinating Unit
CARICOM Secretariat
Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana
Email: taustin.consultant@caricom.org
Tel: (592) 222-0001-75, Ext. 3409 | Visit www.PANCAP.org

PANCAP Presents Reverend Dr Nigel Taylor with Champions for Change Award

Friday, 20 April 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, will present Reverend Dr Nigel Taylor, President of the Barbados Evangelical Association, with the Champions for Change Award during the PANCAP Faith Leaders Consultation at the L.V. Harcourt Lewis Auditorium “Melbourne” Barbados.

Dr Taylor was recognized for his significant work and advocacy towards greater involvement of the faith community in national and regional HIV responses.

Dr Taylor stated that the leadership within the faith communities must be engaged at all times and that they should be a critical part of the decision-making process at all levels in the response to HIV and AIDS. He reiterated that Ministers are strategically placed in communities and as such, they must continue to “serve this present age.”

Dr Taylor is the Minister in Charge of the Calvary Evangelical Church. He holds Doctoral Degrees in the disciplines of Theology and Psychology. In addition to being the President of the Barbados Evangelical Association, he is the former Vice President of the Evangelical Association of the Caribbean.

He served as Chairman of the National HIV/AIDS Commission of Barbados and engaged the denominations in the country to get involved in the HIV and AIDS response.

Dr Taylor was also part of the Barbados Delegation to The UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV (UNGASS) and a Barbados’ representative to the 2012 AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C.

The Director of PANCAP, Mr Dereck Springer, who highlighted the value that Dr Taylor has brought to the region’s HIV response, presented the award. “Faith Leaders have a tremendous influence in shaping positive attitudes towards People Living with and Affected by HIV”, stated the Director.

Dr Taylor was officially named a PANCAP Champion for Change during the relaunch of the initiative (Champions for Change IV) on 12 September 2017 at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana, but was unable to attend due to prior commitments.
The Director of PANCAP explained that the PANCAP Champions for Change “was conceived as a “brand” or approach for promoting the reduction of stigma and discrimination and was intended to complement other approaches. It was felt that given the sensitivities involved in stigma and discrimination, the use of “Champions” to advocate for a change in attitudes could have a positive impact”.

The award presentation will be made during the Barbados chapter of the PANCAP Faith Leaders Consultation, which is a follow up to the national and regional consultations, which commenced in 2017, with a number of regional activities scheduled for 2018. The first Regional Faith Leaders Consultation held on February 1 and 2, 2017 in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, focused on the contributions of Faith Leaders toward ending the epidemic by 2030. It specifically addressed the recommendations from the UN High Level 2016 Political Declaration and agreed on strategies to promote healthy living for all age groups, addressed best practices, identified gaps to be filled, resources required and types of regional cooperation to be undertaken to implement recommendations from the consultation.

The PANCAP special Conference of Faith Leaders in Guyana on November 2005 set the stage for institutionalizing faith-based organizations in the PANCAP structure and utilizing their contributions to shape the various iterations of the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF), the latest being 2014-2018. The CRSF is the basis for the guidelines of the PANCAP network for action and resource mobilization especially in the areas of treatment, prevention, stigma and discrimination.

The 2017 Champions for Change include Guyana’s First Lady, Mrs Sandra Granger; the Executive Director of LIVE UP Dr. Allyson Leacock; Attorney-at-law Dr. Arif Bulkan; Canon of the Cathedral in the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, Canon Garth Minott, Member of Parliament (Guyana), Dr. Frank Anthony; the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE), Jamaica, Dwayne Gutzmer; Founder and Managing Director of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) in Guyana, Joel Simpson; Executive Director of the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) Kenita Placide; Speaker of the National Assembly of Belize and Chairperson of the National AIDS Commission, Laura Tucker-Longworth; Chair of the Caribbean Forum for Liberation and Acceptance of Genders and Sexualities (CariFLAGS), Lucien Govaard; Guyana’s professional squash player, Nicolette Fernandes; President of the Barbados Evangelical Association, Dr Nigel Taylor; Director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme at the Bahamas Ministry of Health, Dr Nikkiah Forbes; Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh; Operations Manager, Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral (COIN), Vanessa Uziely Rosario Brito; Deputy Programme Manager within the Communications Unit at the CARICOM Secretariat, Volderine Hackett; and Senior Pastor of The Poonah Open Bible Miracle Centre (POBMC), Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Rev. Winston Mansingh.

– ENDS –

Editor’s Notes:

What is the PANCAP Champions for Change Initiative?

The Champions for Change Initiative seeks to address the issue of stigma and discrimination through key advocates who are leaders in their communities and willing to be forerunners of the effort to change attitudes.

This Initiative has its genesis in the December 2003 Breakfast Meeting between the UK’s Prime Minister Mr. Tony Blair and Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and was based on the identification by The Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and Chair of PANCAP, that the issue of stigma and discrimination was a major gap in the Region’s response to HIV and AIDS.

Hence, the explicit recommendation from that meeting was that a joint UK/DFID-CARICOM/PANCAP Conference be held with a view to establishing a programme for reducing stigma and discrimination against People Living with HIV and AIDS.

What is PANCAP?

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

PANCAP Multi-stakeholders Forum to discuss collective strategy for ending AIDS.

Monday, 16 April, 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, will host the Joint Regional Dialogue with Faith Leaders, Parliamentarians, Civil Society Leaders, National AIDS Programme Managers and Youth Leaders.

Approximately 60 delegates representing Parliamentarians, Faith Leaders, Youth Leaders, Key Populations, People Living with HIV and Civil Society from across the Caribbean will meet in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on 24 – 25 April 2018. Their major focus as stakeholder groups under the PANCAP Justice for ALL (JFA) Programme is how best to collaborate to end the AIDS epidemic.

Since the inauguration of the JFA Programme in November 2013, PANCAP has convened approximately 16 consultations with national and regional stakeholder groups, meeting separately and in some cases jointly. All groups have agreed to contribute to ending AIDS around 15 actionable recommendations included in the PANCAP JFA Road Map. Some of these actions are already being implemented. Others can be implemented immediately while a few others require further discussion for implementation in the medium and long terms.

PANCAP Director, Mr Dereck Springer referring to the latest status report on AIDS by UNAIDS is of the view that “while there have been many successes in the areas of prevention and treatment, much more has to be done with respect to behaviour change, reducing stigma and discrimination, sustainable financing for HIV and integrated health if we are to get to the finishing line. AIDS is far from over”.

Indeed, the Caribbean can celebrate the fact that seven of the 11 Countries in the World to achieve the elimination of mother-to-child transmission are from this region and approximately 52 percent of People Living with HIV are on treatment today compared to less than 5% when PANCAP was established in 2001. Scientific studies have established the 90-90-90 Targets. These reveal that if by 2020, 90 percent of the people living with HIV get tested, 90 percent of those testing positive are treated immediately and 90 percent of those on treatment achieve low levels of virus in their blood so as not to transmit the disease, AIDS can be ended by 2030.

Test, Treat and Defeat

This multi-stakeholder Consultation is a continuation of an ongoing dialogue. It is organized to give each stakeholder group an opportunity to propose how they plan to contribute to achieving the end of AIDS and what type of collaboration is required.

The Regional Parliamentarians Forum held in Jamaica in May 2017 comprising 55 participants from government and opposition parties agreed to examine how best to implement the PANCAP Model Anti-Discrimination policies approved by the CARICOM Legal Affairs Committee in 2012.

Approximately 60 Faith Leaders representing a cross section of religious denominations from across the region met in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in February 2017 and issued a declaration with 10 actionable recommendations. Among the recommendations was to establish a Regional Consultative Group and National Faith Leaders Network and to include representatives of Key Populations to discuss the way forward. This was followed by a joint consultation of Faith Leaders and Key Populations in Suriname in February 2018.

Mr Colin Robinson, Chair of the Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO) and Co-Chair of the Joint Consultation warned that while we expect to encounter differences in opinions, this multi stakeholder consultation will be meaningful only if participants put forward frank ideas and are committed to honesty.

Canon Garth Minott Co-Chair, reflecting on the Joint consultation in Suriname said, “the agreements (from the joint consultation) will be valuable input into the agenda of the multi stakeholder forum partnership, as principles is one of the outcomes.”

Among the recommendations to advance policies and programmes designed to reduce stigma and discrimination were calls to the faith community to “create spaces of hospitality” based on human rights for all, reach out to the marginalized groups and incorporate sexual education in their programmes. Key Populations were requested to foster a spirit of appreciation for the differences among religious leaders and denominations through respectful engagement.

“This multi stakeholder consultation must constructively chart the way forward by accelerating the implementation of those common agreements while working through respectful dialogue rather than dogmatism to overcome differences among and even within stakeholder groups. Only in this way can we contribute to ending AIDS” said Dr Edward Greene former UN Secretary General Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean, now PANCAP Special Advisor.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.
By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.

Contact:

Timothy Austin

Communications Specialist

PANCAP Coordinating Unit

CARICOM Secretariat

Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana

Email: taustin.consultant@caricom.org

Tel: (592) 222-0001-75, Ext. 3409 | Visit www.PANCAP.org

PANCAP says ruling affirms the right to human dignity by all.

Friday, 13 April, 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, welcomes Judge Devindra Rampersad’s ruling which states: “The court declares that sections 13 and 16 of the [Sexual Offences Act] are unconstitutional, illegal, null, void, invalid and of no effect to the extent that these laws criminalise any acts constituting consensual sexual conduct between adults.”

The ruling in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago acknowledges that every individual regardless of their race, colour, gender, age or sexual orientation has the right to human dignity.

This ruling is aligned with PANCAP’s Justice for All Programme which calls for the establishment of procedures to accelerate the process for the repeal of laws decriminalising sexual acts in private between consenting adults and replace with or retain the provision criminalising sexual acts between any person in public, with the use of force, and acts of indecency committed against any person of less than 16 years of age.

PANCAP reflects on one of the recommendations of the Regional Consultation of Faith Leaders in February 2017 in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago which acknowledged areas of litigation that may challenge religious values and the responses required to harmonise principles and practices around human rights, human sexuality and human dignity. In handing down his decision, Justice Rampersad said that the ruling however is “not an assessment or denial of the religious beliefs of anyone …However, this conclusion is a recognition that the beliefs of some, is not the belief of all”.

PANCAP therefore encourages continued dialogue between the Faith Community and the LGBTI community on areas of agreement and commonality.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

Requests for information:

PANCAP Coordinating Unit
CARICOM Secretariat
Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana
Email: taustin.consultant@caricom.org
Tel: (592) 222-0001-75, Ext. 3409 | Visit www.PANCAP.org

Dialogue on Faith Leaders’ role in ending AIDS continues with consultation in Guyana

Friday, 6 April 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, hosted the Guyana Chapter of the Faith Leaders Consultation at the CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Georgetown Guyana.

The forum was held less than a month before the Joint Regional Dialogue with Faith Leaders, Parliamentarians, Civil Society Leaders, National AIDS Programme Managers and Youth Leaders which is scheduled for 24 and 25 April 2018 in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The forum was hosted by Ms Lorna Mcpherson, Member Religious Steering Committee, Mr Dereck Springer, Director of PANCAP and Dr Edward Greene, PANCAP Advisor. Also in attendance were Bishop Francis Alleyne, Roman Catholic Church, Pandit Navindradat, Lilah Guyana Pandits Council, Fr. Carl Peters Priest, Diocese of Guyana (Anglican), Bishop Glenna Spencer, Methodist Church, Guyana, Mr Telford Payne, Representative Seventh Day Adventist, Pastor Natasha Corrica Bible Way Church and Pastor Ronald McGarrell Chairman, Inter-Religious Organisations (IRO).

Image: L – R Dr Edward Greene, PANCAP Advisor, Mr Dereck Springer Director of PANCAP and Ms Lorna McPherson, Member Religious Steering Committee.

Faith leaders continued deliberations on the actions and activities that remove barriers of stigma and discrimination and create an environment in which vulnerable groups can access health care. The Director of PANCAP also challenged faith leaders to organize smaller meetings in which key strategic actions that support vulnerable groups can be determined.

The Consultation was a follow up to the national and regional consultations, which commenced in 2017, with a number of regional activities scheduled for 2018. The first consultation held on February 1 and 2, 2017 in Port-of-Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, focused on the contributions of Faith Leaders toward ending the epidemic by 2030. It specifically addressed the recommendations from the UN High Level 2016 Political Declaration and agreed on strategies to promote healthy living for all age groups, addressed best practices, identified gaps to be filled, resources required and types of regional cooperation to be undertaken to implement recommendations from the consultation.

Click here for more information on the PANCAP Faith Leaders Consultation.

National AIDS Programme Managers, Civil Society Leaders and Development Partners commit to support country ownership for HIV response sustainability

Friday, 16 March 2018 (PANCAP Coordinating Unit, CARICOM Secretariat): The Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), the mechanism that provides a structured and unified approach to the Caribbean’s response to the HIV epidemic, concluded the Sixth Meeting of National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers and Key Partners in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, 14 March 2018. The meeting came two years ahead of the 2020 deadline for reaching the 90-90-90 targets—90% of people living with HIV diagnosed, 90% of diagnosed people on treatment and 90% of those on treatment virally suppressed.

The forum opened on Monday, 12 March with a Feature Address by the Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh, Minister of Health, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Minister Deyalsingh noted that in light of reduced technical and financial support from international partners, the region must collectively mobilize domestic resources especially for the support of prevention and the elimination of HIV-related stigma and discrimination among key and vulnerable populations.

These sentiments were echoed by the participants including National AIDS Programme (NAP) Managers, Chief Medical Officers, Permanent Secretaries, development, and implementing partners, including civil society organizations that work with people living with HIV and key population groups and youth.

In closing remarks, Dr. Nikkiah Forbes, Director, National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Programme at the Bahamas Ministry of Health, proposed integration of HIV care into other healthcare services in order to assure sustainability of the HIV response. She highlighted that participants recognized integration as one potential solution for improving the accessibility of health services and suggested that it could help countries meet the demand for increased HIV-related treatment, care and support services in the context of scaling up to “Treat All”. (“Treat All” involves offering treatment to all people diagnosed with HIV regardless of CD4 count.)

“Caribbean countries are diverse and integration will need to be tailored for each country context,” stated Dr Forbes, “HIV should never have been completely separated from the health agenda and synergies need to be fostered with sexual reproductive health services”.

She further stated that integration requires healthcare worker training on “Treat All” as well as the meaningful and sustained involvement of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). For example, there should be leadership and inclusion of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and key populations on the prevention, treatment and care needs of their communities. Dr. Forbes noted that there should be a focus on quality of care, with steps taken to ensure that members of key populations can access sexual and reproductive health services including HIV and AIDS prevention.

She posited that to achieve integration the region should conduct south-to-south collaborations and draw on regional expertise for training healthcare workers on the front-line response.

Dr Forbes emphasized the integral role of civil society organizations, “CSOs we have not forgotten you”, she stated. “You must be placed and supported in the planning and implementation process which only strengthens the argument for the need for social contracting and crystalizing this in policy. This is how we will sustain the regional response”.

She concluded with an urgent plea for heightened government involvement in funding the HIV response. She advocated that governments need to own the HIV response and in owning it, they need to make the investments needed to reach the prevention, testing and treatment targets that will set the region on course to end AIDS by 2030.

“I make a respectful but urgent plea to our governments to commit to, as well as finance, their National and Regional AIDS response”, stated Dr Forbes. “Without an urgent strategy to sustain the response, we risk leaving many vulnerable groups behind and undoing the gains we have made in reducing HIV transmission”.

– ENDS –

What is PANCAP?

What are the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 Targets?

Background to the National AIDS Programme Managers and Key Partners Meeting

The Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF) 2014-2018 articulates the vision and collective priorities of Caribbean states through their membership in the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP). The core premise is that stemming the HIV epidemic in the Caribbean rests on the commitment, capacity and leadership of national authorities and effective response. The primary goal of regional collaborative efforts is to support country responses by addressing common challenges in the areas of evidence based policy formulation, and innovative responses to addressing legislative gaps, resource mobilisation, coordination and technical assistance., An effective regional response, guided by the CRSF 2014-2018, therefore requires that the links and interfaces between country programmes and regional support programmes be defined and agreed to by country partners. This is critical for strengthening country ownership of the PANCAP response and a shared responsibility to strategically align efforts to end HIV as a public health problem in the Caribbean.

The NAP (National AIDS Program) Managers and Key Partners Meeting provides an opportunity for joint decision-making in setting programmatic priorities and identifying partner contributions in order to strategically align efforts in the fight against HIV. The Meeting Agenda is intended to allow for in-depth analysis and discussion on the relevant aspects of the UN Post 2015 Agenda, and the overall advancements of the Caribbean Region in implementing new initiatives for HIV. It is within this context that opportunities and challenges for the Region and individual countries to expand the national responses will be discussed. PANCAP acknowledges the need for greater attention to inter- country linkages and greater collaboration with regional partners. This will serve to maximise synergies, and provide a mechanism for making regional public goods available to national programmes to enhance their delivery and impact.