The last couple of years have seen several different humanitarian emergencies arising from various parts of the world. Some of the most notable ones include the Russo-Ukrainian War, the ongoing conflict in Sudan, and the catastrophic hunger crisis in Somalia. These crises create gaps in the global response to the HIV epidemic for people living with HIV.
Therefore, the NGO Delegation has decided that this year’s report to the PCB will focus on ‘HIV response for people living with HIV during humanitarian crises and emergencies’. The findings of this extensive study are to be documented, analyzed, and presented at this year’s PCB meeting in December. However, this cannot be done without input and participation from you as a civil society organization or activist within the HIV epidemic spaces.
The Working Group has administered an online survey, which was posted in early June on SurveyMonkey and made available in multiple languages. All members of the civil society were encouraged to respond to the survey. Additionally, there will be focus groups held between early July and early August, at which the civil society’s contribution would be immensely appreciated.
Beyond the online survey – which has generated some detailed data so far – and the focus groups, there are more opportunities for civil society to participate in developing the 2023 NGO Delegations report for PCB. These include interviews with key informants from civil society organizations and humanitarian organizations, as well as requesting feedback on the report in its various stages of development from the civil society expert panel (CSEP). The first meeting of the CSEP was on 14 September, when the CSEP gave feedback on the first draft of the report.