Networking and Advocacy for
HIV, AIDS and Housing
Eunice L. Kyomugisha
SSA:UHSNET, Kampala, Uganda
Presentation outline
• About SSA: UHSNET
• Key Policy Issues for HIV, AIDS and Housing
Advocacy at local, national and regional levels
• Effective Strategies for Advocacy
• Action Tools and resource materials for
advocacy
• Benefits of networking
• Challenges in networking (SSA’s experiences)
About the network
• SSA:UHSNET is a network that brings together all
stakeholders in the human settlements sector to more
effectively address constraints to adequate housing,
especially for urban slum dwellers.
• Formally registered in 2010, the network is now
comprised of 58 members including Civil Society
organizations, Private institutions and professionals
and Students
Summary of Key Policy Issues
• There is need for comprehensive services such as health education,
HIV testing and counseling, Case management, Mental health services,
and Basic health care to be provided to PLWHA within informal
settlements
• There is need for poverty alleviation programmes as a prevention
measure to fight the spread of HIV in informal settlements
• The is need for alternative and affordable housing options, especially in
urban areas and for PLWHA.
• There is need for gender equality with regard to women’s access to
land and property rights and particularly those affected by HIV &AIDS;
this can be achieved through provision of legal and social services that
protect the rights of PLWHA and which leads to improved health
outcomes.
• There is need for legal and advocacy training programs that
empower PLWHA and low income groups to protect their rights and
interests. Improving women’s awareness on legal recourse to land and
housing is particularly important.
Key Policy Issues for HIV, AIDS and Housing
Advocacy at local, national and regional levels
Why are we concerned about HIV and AIDS and Housing?
• HIV and AIDS is a development issue – MDG No. 6
• The East African region is a high HIV prevalence region. Though the
rates have reduced significantly in the last decade, the impact
remains high.
• HIV/AIDS impacts on our development and human settlement
sector.
• The nature of the infection has shifted from specific groups to a
generalized infection such as
the married, the singles, the
fishermen, the prostitutes, the adolescents, etc are all affected.
• Our Housing sector development work can put beneficiaries at risk
or increase vulnerability e.g. construction of roads can open up an
area for infection, formation of Housing Cooperatives and
construction of unplanned settlements can increase vulnerability, etc
• Without putting on HIV/AIDS lenses, our Housing Development
sector can miss out on HIV and AIDS affected households and
individuals
Key Policy Issues cont’d
Summary of risk and contextual factors driving the HIV epidemic in Uganda.
(Ministry of Health, Uganda)
Risk factors for HIV Transmission
Contextual Factors for the HIV and
AIDS Epidemic
1. Multiple sexual partner
2. Discordance and non disclosure
Socio-cultural factors
3. No condom use
4. Marriage without testing
Wealth and Poverty
5. Transactional sex
6. Blood Transfusion
Low status of women and girls
7. Presence of HSV-2 & STIs
8. Intact fore skin
Human rights, stigma & discrimination
9. Alcohol and Drug use
10. Behavior laxity due to ART
Inequality to access to prevention, care and
treatment
11. Mother to Child Transmission
12. Poor Housing****
Key Policy Issues cont’d
• In 2012, SSA:UHSNET together with Consultants
from the Uganda AIDS Commission agreed to
add “poor housing” as a risk factor for HIV
Transmission.
• An analysis from the Table shows that all the
contextual factors for the HIV and AIDS Epidemic
in Uganda have a direct bearing on poor housing.
The situation may be the same for other
countries.
Greater risk for HIV and AIDS among Housing
Cooperatives – Training Experience by SSA:UHSNET
In 2011, Training for members of the Housing Cooperatives
revealed areas where housing cooperatives were likely to
have greater risk as follows:
• Multiple sexual partners - Infected members join cooperatives, and
engage in unprotected sex.
• Discordance and non disclosure- Members in the housing
cooperatives are not willing to disclose their HIV status
• Alcohol and drug abuse- In meetings held every Sunday, members
are free to come with their drinks including alcohol
• Sharing of sharp objects – After meetings, women tend to have
unsterilized manicures in a group.
• In the Housing Cooperatives, it is not mandatory to take an HIV test
before one becomes a member and there is no law that stops
members from relating like in some NGOs.
• Accidents- These could pose a threat of an infection while working on
projects like brick laying.
• Wealth and poverty - Some rich members of the Cooperatives
expecting sexual favors to help others.
Key Policy Issues cont’d
SSA’s Experience with HIV and AIDS Policy Workshops and
Conferences
•
•
•
In 2011, SSA:UHSNET participated in a consensus building workshop for
the Social Development Sector on HIV Prevention Strategy and Action Plan
under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. The need to
include people living in slums, the homeless and the internally displaced as
another special group in the HIV Prevention Strategy was pointed out and
incorporated.
In 2011, SSA:UHSNET participated in the UN Women Consultative meeting
on the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Bill. SSA observed that part VI
of the Bill (Discrimination on grounds of HIV Status) lacked a clause on
Discrimination on grounds of housing status. SSA highlighted related
housing issues of HIV and AIDS and gender which were incorporated in the
Bill. In May 2014, the Parliament passed the Bill and President Yoweri
Museveni signed the Act into law on July 31 2014.
SSA:UHSNET has been represented in international AIDS Conferences
under the Housing and HIV and AIDS Sessions. A related publication where
SSA contributed findings was produced.
Key Policy Issues cont’d
Key questions for HIV/AIDS mainstreaming in
housing.
• How does HIV/AIDS impact on the housing sector.
• How does work in housing increase beneficiaries’
risks to HIV.
• How does lack of adequate housing increase risk or
affect care, treatment and support.
• What can we do in our comparative advantage to
reduce risks and mitigate impact of HIV/AIDS to those
affected?
Effective Strategies for Advocacy
Steps in planning and
implementing advocacy
Step 1: Select an issue or problem
you want to address
Step 2: Analyze and gather
information on the issue
Step 3: Develop an aim
&objectives for advocacy work
Step 4: Identify your targets
Step 5: Identify your allies
Step 6: Create action plan
Step 7: Identify your resources
Step 8: Implement, monitor and
evaluate
Implementation of advocacy by
SSA
Right to adequate housing for
HIV &AIDS affected families
SSA has conducted research and
information gathering
To improve the lives of persons
living in slums
HIV &AIDS affected families
Network members and
communities
SSA mainstreaming plan
Resource mobilization
partnership building
Currently ongoing in SSA
SSA:UHSNET’s Strategic Advocacy in national
AIDS planning
• As housing Advocates, our role has been to
be part of the national workshops that
disseminate bills, policies and strategies on
HIV and AIDS. In these workshops, we have
advocated for the inclusion of Housing Status
as a risk factor
• We have invited parliamentarians and
representatives from Ministry of Health and
other stakeholders to be part of our yearly
National AIDS day celebrations.
• Engaging government officials such as line
ministries: MoHUD, MoH, MoFEP, MoGLSD,
Parliamentarians and KCCA informed about
what we are advocating for, that is, housing
for people living with HIV and AIDS. Support
in form of donations, land and housing has
been pledged.
• Dissemination of the Publication on HIV and
AIDS and Housing has contributed to the
broader
Action Tools and resource materials for
advocacy
• Policy analysis: to advocate for its
improvement, implementation or nonimplementation
• A position paper: SSA has taken a
step in delivering position papers e.g.
a position paper on evictions
• Using media advocacy: SSA has
had extensive media engagement to
influence the rights of the oppressed
• Using Press Releases: SSA has
responded to an action of Evictions.
• Engaging the media: SSA has
engaged in TV and Radio interviews
though not yet on HIV and AIDS and
housing related
• Community sensitization and support
Benefits of networking
Successful networking helps to:
• Accomplish something together which you could not
accomplish alone
• Strengthen advocacy
• Influence others inside and outside the network
• Broaden the understanding of an issue or struggle by
bringing together different constituencies
• Share the work
• Reduce duplication efforts and wasting resources
• Promote the exchange of ideas, insights, experiences and
skills
• Provide a needed sense of solidarity, moral and
psychological support
• Under certain circumstances, mobilize financial resources
The challenges of networking
SSA Challenges
• Personal interests of the individual members
• Taking so long to realize the tangible benefits of the
network
• The different paces at which we are as network members
at times stalls work especially trainings and community
mobilization
• High expectations of network members particularly
financial support
• The HIV affected communities are many and can not all be
reached by SSA.
End
Thank you