Marseille 2007
| Abstract #270 - Declaration fever: impacting the response to HIV/AIDS in Europe? | ||||
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Session: 6.1: Posters A (Poster) on Monday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Mr Jeffrey Lazarus - WHO Europe, Denmark |
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| Additional Authors: Mr Martin Donoghoe, Dr Srdan Matic, Ms Stine Nielsen, Mr Nikos Dedes, Mr Ton Coenen, | ||||
| Aim: To monitor the Dublin Declaration on Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia in a transparent and inclusive manner. | ||||
| Method / Issue: In February 2004, the 52 member states of the WHO European Region came together in Ireland to sign the "Dublin Declaration on Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia". They committed themselves to 33 "Leadership", "Prevention", "Living with HIV/AIDS" and "Partnership" actions. Key was action 33, which called upon: "the European Union and other relevant institutions and organisations [] to establish adequate forums and mechanisms including the involvement of civil society and PLWHA to assess progress at regional level every second year, beginning in 2006". While the Dublin Declaration is a milestone in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Europe, it is difficult to see the outcomes and efforts made to fulfil it, in large part because there are no clear ways to measure progress and no specific individuals or bodies currently in charged with doing so. | ||||
| Results / Comments: In March 2006 the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe initiated follow-up to the Dublin Declaration by convening the major multilateral, governmental and civil society actors to review and harmonise existing data collection mechanisms and relevant indicators. WHO Europe drafted a matrix which incorporates the information collected by each agency/group and by category, e.g., basic epidemiological indicators, service indicators, behavioural indicators and indicators related to prevention and treatment. This information forms the basis for progress reports on the fulfilment of the commitments made in Dublin in 2004. | ||||
| Discussion: As World AIDS Day 2006 promoted accountability as part of the "Keep the promise" campaign, actors in the field need to collaborate to ensure concrete follow-up of the Dublin and similar declarations instead of issuing new declarations. Civil society organisations indicate that there is "declaration fatigue" among their ranks as an increasing number of declarations and statements are signed but not monitored. This may decrease their motivation to become involved in and consequently legitimise such declarations. It is now clear that follow-up led by governments and international agencies requires closer collaboration with affected groups, such as people living with HIV and injecting drug users, and non-governmental service providers. The 2007 progress report on the Dublin Declaration was an inclusive and transparent process. It provided the opportunity to harmonise monitoring efforts, as well as to take stock of the current situation and reflect on recent changes related to HIV/AIDS in Europe - most importantly in partnership with those living with HIV and their advocates. | ||||
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