UNAIDS: The First 10 Years

UNAIDS The First 10 Years178support them.The UN’s role as a source of technical support and as key partner to the variousministries was stressed by the Haiti’s First Lady, Mildred Aristide, during a visit byKathleen Cravero, then Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS, in April 2003. BothTallarico and Boyle mentioned Mildred Aristide as a committed leader on AIDSin general, and of the Global Fund’s Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) inparticular. In the meeting with Cravero, Mildred Aristide acknowledged that thegovernment faced challenges of coordination and she indicated the need for a moremultisectoral response.Haiti also provides some clear examples of how Programme Acceleration Funds (PAF)really can kick-start action or programming, or funding, in overlooked or sensitiveareas. Examples include the creation of the Network of People living with HIV, andsupport for an association of men who have sex with men. As this association becamemore involved in the Network of People living with HIV, it developed both capacityand credibility. This led to an increase in recognition among development partners ofthe need to address this group, and to the inclusion in the Global Fund proposal of aprogramme targeting men who have sex with men.For Boyle, the greatest confirmation of the trust and confidence in UNAIDS came in2004. When Aristide was removed from power, Mildred Aristide, who had chaired theCCM until that time, could no longer perform this function. As an interim solution,the CCM members agreed that UNAIDS was the most appropriate partner to chairthe CCM.The Theme Group was chaired by the UNFPA representative, Hernando Clavijo,who was a strong collaborator. As a Cosponsor, UNFPA was at the forefront of theresponse, as demonstrated by the agency’s support to the GHESKIO centre in Portau Prince. The centre provides counselling and testing, as well as care and support forvictims of sexual violence.That both HIV and violence against women were high on the agenda is exemplifiedby the inclusion of both areas in the flash appeal that went out to the internationalcommunity in 2004 after the overturning of Aristide’s government. Throughoutthe appeal, UNFPA and UNAIDS collaborated with the Ministère à la ConditionFéminine (the Ministry of Women’s Affairs) and nongovernmental organizations toraise awareness on AIDS, women and sexual violence. Again, UNFPA and the ThemeGroup Chair played a critical role in this, while these efforts were in part supportedby PAF.As a good example of advocacy, and as one of the main achievements of 2005, Boylementioned the production of the film, Le Président a-t-il le SIDA? (Does the President