PartnersGF - 2005-01-17
Guidelines for Improving CCMs Through Greater PLHIV Involvement
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[Moderator's Note: The following Guidelines were prepared by the POLICY Project and the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+)
The handbook titled Challenging, Changing, and Mobilizing: A Guide to PLHIV Involvement in Country Coordinating Mechanisms will be available in early 20005.
We encourage members to make extensive use of these guidelines and to continue to share with us your personal experiences with CCMs.]
Guidelines for CCMs
CCMs should ensure membership from as wide a range as possible of different groups, including PLHIV.
PLHIV should constitute at least 10 percent of CCM membership, with a minimum of two PLHIV per CCM.
Selection processes for all CCM representatives should be fair, wide-reaching, and transparent.
PLHIV CCM members and alternates should be selected through an all-inclusive and democratic process that is totally independent of the CCM.
Alternates should be allowed to attend CCM meetings.
CCMs should ensure gender balance among their membership. PLHIV CCM members should ensure that gender balance is maintained when selecting an alternate.
All CCM members should receive HIV orientation and awareness training, including discussion of the GIPA Principle, UNGASS, and the Three Ones.
CCMs should rotate the positions of chairperson and vice-chairperson equally between civil society and government.
The length of term for a CCM member should normally be one to two years and never more than three.
The preliminary agenda for a CCM meeting should be disseminated no later than two weeks in advance of the meeting.
Each CCM decision should be reached through group consultation and consensus wherever possible.
CCM meetings should be accurately documented and minutes circulated widely within two weeks of the meeting.
In order to enhance communication and transparency, CCMs should publish regular updates
through newsletters and by e-mail.
PLHIV and other CCM members, including alternates, should be paid travel costs and per diems where appropriate
When necessary, PLHIV and other members of a CCM should have the right to seek outside guidance in specific areas, such as policy, finance and legal issues.
CCMs should support PLHIV in acquiring the relevant skills and capacity they require to fully participate on the CCM.
During meetings, interpretation and translation of documents should be made available to PLHIV and others who cannot communicate in the official working language of the CCM.
PLHIV CCM members should actively participate in executive committees and subcommittees.
PLHIV CCM members should be consulted in the planning and scheduling of CCM meetings and in agenda development.
CCMs should support PLHIV networks to hold meetings for discussion of CCM issues if such meetings are not already taking place.
CMM Secretariats should employ PLHIV in their staff teams.
Inductions should be done for all PLHIV CCM members to strengthen their knowledge and
understanding of Global Fund issues, systems, and procedures.
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Guidelines for the Global Fund Board and Secretariat
The Global Fund Secretariat should facilitate and encourage contact among PLHIV members of CCMs in different countries.
The Global Fund Secretariat should ensure PLHIV members of CCMs have access to and contact details for the appropriate person(s) in the Global Fund Secretariat and on the board delegations, including board members.
During country visits, Global Fund staff should, as a matter of course, meet with PLHIV networks.
During country visits, Global Fund staff, should, as a matter of course, contact the PLHIV CCM
member(s) if they are not present at any of the scheduled meetings.
The Global Fund Secretariat should lead by example, employing significant numbers of PLHIV across all teams of the Secretariat, with the eventual goal of having PLHIV constitute 10 percent of all staff. The Global Fund should use affirmative action when recruiting and seek to ensure that PLHIV are not only administrators or assistants but also employed in key leadership positions.
The Global Fund Secretariat should make available terms of reference and selection criteria for Local Fund Agents (LFAs).
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Guidelines for PLHIV CCM Members and Constituencies
PLHIV CCM members should have alternates to replace them if, for some reason, they are unable to participate in the work of the CCM.
CCM members and alternates should be selected through an all-inclusive and democratic process. The process for selecting PLHIV to sit on CCMs should be agreed on and conducted by national PLHIV networks, ensuring inclusion of all groups. The process should be totally independent of the CCM.
PLHIV representatives in the CCM should be appropriately skilled and belong to an organization or network of PLHIV that operates within a province, state, or country.
Terms of Reference (ToR) should be established for PLHIV CCM members and alternates by their constituencies.
Inductions should be organized by the PLHIV constituency for the PLHIV CCM members and alternates, in addition to the induction provided by the CCM.
PLHIV CCM members and alternates should exhibit qualities of good interpersonal and public relations in order to communicate effectively.
Geographical, gender, and vulnerability representation should be ensured by allowing a rotation of representation after each term, as well as by advocating for more than one PLHIV member per CCM.
If there are currently no PLHIV on a CCM, networks should advocate to change this situation. They should be proactive about attending CCM meetings and demand a place at the table.
Every decision scheduled to be taken by a CCM needs prior discussion by the network of PLHIV. A position and back-up positions should be agreed on in advance. Every decision should be made with group consultation and consensus, therefore reflecting a credible and united PLHIV perspective.
PLHIV CCM members should be well-prepared to speak on agenda items prior to a CCM meeting, after thorough consultation with their networks.
PLHIV CCM members should be prepared (and comfortable doing so) to ask probing questions and demand honest answers during CCM meetings.
PLHIV CCM members should be in direct contact with PLHIV CCM members in other countries and with the Global Fund Board delegation for communities living with the three diseases, via the relevant regional focal points for the delegation.
PLHIV CCM members should present clear written and verbal updates to their PLHIV networks on a regular basis.
PLHIV networks should develop user-friendly communication and coordination mechanisms. They should publish and disseminate regular updates for their members via newsletters and e-mail in order to enhance communication and transparency.
PLHIV CCM members should regularly attend network meetings so they can report on the CCM activities and to consult with members on upcoming CCM issues.
PLHIV networks should always allow adequate time to discuss CCM issues in meetings.
PLHIV networks should identify and build relationships with the Global Fund Secretariat staff covering their region and communicate with them on a regular basis.
PLHIV CCM members should be aware when Global Fund regional meetings are taking place well in advance of the date and ensure their attendance and/ or that of other representatives of PLHIV networks.
PLHIV networks should develop partnerships with international and national NGOs, and regional and international PLHIV networks (such as the
International Community of Women with AIDS [ICW] and GNP+). This should help improve access to technical support and increase collaboration, thus ensuring local input into global advocacy efforts.
PLHIV CCM members should ensure that PLHIV issues are given priority and adequately reflected in the Country Coordinated Proposals.
National PLHIV networks should, wherever possible, plan meetings two weeks before every board meeting to plan strategies for their Global Fund and CCM related work. The outcomes of these meetings should be communicated to the relevant Global Fund Board delegation representative for communities living with the diseases.
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For more information contact:
POLICY Project
policyinfo@tfgi.com
GNP +, Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS
infognp@gnpplus.net
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the funding agencies (USAID and GTZ) or the organizations with which the authors are affiliated. November 2004