The NGO Delegations’ working group, under the coordination Aleksey Lakhov, is gearing to present this year’s report to the PCB. Titled, ‘HIV response for people living with HIV during humanitarian crises and emergencies,’ the findings of this extensive study are to be presented at this year’s December PCB meeting. However, this cannot be done without input and participation from you, as a civil society organization or activist within the HIV/AIDS spaces.
A seasoned researcher and journalist with experience spanning over 15 years, Aleksey is coordinating the process of producing the report at technical level. He confirmed that the structure of the report has been finalized and the data collection process is underway. He stressed that all the work completed so far has been a pure collaboration effort between his colleagues with assistance from a research consultant.
“Together with a group of my dedicated colleagues from the NGO Delegation, we were able to devise a solid structure of the report. This came together with assistance from a research consultant, Bryan Teixeira. Now, as we roll out the data collection phase of the work, we are appealing to you, a fellow member of the civil society, to participate. This will ensure that the finding represent a wide and diverse audience,” said Aleksey,
The last couple of years have seen several different humanitarian crises arising from various parts of the world. Some of the most notable ones include the Russo-Ukrainian War, the ongoing conflict in Sudan as well as the catastrophic hunger crisis in Somalia. According to Aleksey, these crises create gaps in the global response to HIV/AIDS for people living with HIV.
“We are undertaking this study and producing this report so that the United Nations and other global role players are not off the hook. We want to continue holding them accountable and not allow circumstances make them lose sight of the goal. The aim of this report is to highlight the issues that continue to face people living with HIV amidst humanitarian crises and to stress the urgent need for protection of human rights for people living with HIV. During crises such as this, basic human rights are often violated, especially for marginalized populations,” he explained
The Working Group has administered an online survey which was posted 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 in the upcoming weeks, at which the civil society’s contribution would be immensely appreciated. Aleksey and team will reach out to various communities within the civil society to share more details regarding dates and times.
“Beyond the online survey – which has generated some detailed data so far – and the focus groups, there are more opportunities for the civil society to participate in the development of the 2023 NGO Delegations report for PCB,” says Aleksey. “These include interviews with key informants from civil society organizations and humanitarian organizations as well as online meetings with civil society experts, which will be hosted by the Communications and Consultation Facility of the NGO Delegation. We are also going to be writing 5 or 6 good practice case studies by civil society representatives.”
Interviews with key informants are also being coordinated by the research consultant. “We are aiming to complete a literature review of the study and all preparatory work by the end of June,” said Aleksey.
“In July, we will be focusing on completing the outline. That process involves finalizing topics/angles for the focus groups and the case studies, hosting the focus groups, collating comments from the NGO Delegation’s Working Group and drafting the case studies. And then by August to mid-September, we are looking to submit the first draft of the report because by then, all focus groups and interviews would have taken place. A second draft of the report will be submitted by mid-October after incorporating comments from UNAIDS and relevant co-sponsors. The final report will then be submitted by the end of November ahead of the PCB presentation in December,” he added.