Implementation of regional and international HIV prevention - SAfAIDS

9.3 Whistle-blower-protectionThe two countries do not have laws to protect whistle-blowers. If one blows the whistle onedoes it at one’s own risk. This has created a situation where people fear to report allegedcorruption cases for fear of victimisation. However, in Zambia the ACC has put a provisionin the draft National Corruption Prevention Policy. The idea eventually is to come up with awhistle blowers bill, which can then be enacted into law.9.4 Supreme audit institutionThe Supreme Audit Institution has the onerous responsibility of auditing not onlygovernmental but also quasi-governmental institutions and reporting on the audit to theSupreme Authority, whatever form it may take, depending on the prevailing political system.However, Krishnamachari (undated) indicated that unless Supreme Audit Initiators are assignedappropriate status and given adequate authority, they cannot function effectively.The Auditor’s-General in both countries has the mandate to inspect accounts of theMinistries of Health, and in Swaziland, this has been happening annually. The ZambiaConstitution has adequate provisions spelling out the work of the Auditors-General.However there is need to ensure independence of the functions of the Auditors Generalfrom the executive in the two countries.9.5 Oversight from media and civil society organisationsThe success of the fight against HIV and AIDS is dependent on the fundamental role of themedia. The ability to reach a wider population makes the media a superior weapon to fightthe spread of HIV and AIDS. However in Swaziland, there is considerable weakness in mediacoverage of gender violence stories. According to responses from FGDs, gender violencestories lack context, are not gender- balanced, ignore gender issues, and are normallyreported from a male perspective and negatively portray abused women. In 2007 the MediaInstitute of Southern Africa (MISA) reported Swaziland to have been amongst the four mostoppressive and media-unfriendly countries in the region. The other three were Zimbabwe,Lesotho and Angola. Government has tight control over the media. According to one localnewsletter, citizens rarely get the opportunity to air their views to a minister, governmentofficial, community leader or journalist (ASICHUMANE, April-June 2006). In an article by ReutersAlertNet 9 the Alliance of Mayors and Municipality Leaders on HIV/AIDS in Africa (AMICAAL) anNGO co-ordinating the response of urban leaders to their towns, felt that the response to HIVand AIDS by the Press was poor. The organisation proposed that reporters become involved,and attend conferences held on the epidemic. CANGO and MISA regularly try to meet thisneed by calling for workshops for the media and NGOs to discuss issues of HIV and AIDS(CANGO, 2007).46In Zambia the media is part of the five broad groupings of partners of the multi-sectoral HIVand AIDS response. In addition, the media is a member of the National AIDS Council. Themedia in Zambia is perceived to be relatively robust and a true watch-dog of society. Criticismof Government at times even emanates from State-owned media. The Press is free to publishanything critical of the establishment without any fear of reprisals.9 http://ourdevelopment.blogspot.com/2008/09/world-corruption-ranking-23-september.html