The International Community of Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa and American Jewish Society (AJWS) participated at a briefing on the Global Gag Rule (GGR) with International Women’s Health Coalition at the Senate Russell Office Building in USA on April 19, 2018. The meeting had CSOs representatives from South Africa, Kenya, Uganda (ICWEA) and US.
During the discussions, it was noted the GGR undermines women’s health, rights and autonomy and has greatly affected funding from other donors because it forces organizations that provide information, referrals and services to choose between receiving U.S. funding and providing high quality reproductive health services and counseling to women.
Participants further noted that The Gag Rule has caused cuts in services, increases in fees and closures of clinics and organizations have lost valuable technical assistance and U.S. donated contraceptives, including condoms. During the meeting, the representatives of organizations from Kenya and South Africa testified how they lost funding from USAID because of the GGR. They had choose between continuing with the quality services they were providing women who were from hard to reach areas but loose funding from USAID or accept funding from USAID but stop providing the most needed services.
The fact that GGR is tagged with funding, it has reduced space for maternal health rights advocates. Most advocates choose to protect their organizations if they receive USAID funding by keeping quiet. Participants were worried that GGR will reverse decades of progress on reproductive, maternal and child health and increase unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions by putting critical.
The day before, the team met Ms. Nithya Mani, the Acting Branch Chief, Gender and Sexual Diversity, Office of HIV and AIDS Bureau for Global Health, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to discuss the impact of Global Gag Rule on PEPFAR programs. AJWS explained that there was need to filter proactive information about GGR, the exceptions to the rule for rape, incest and life, and Comprehensive Sexuality Education to sub-grantees would be helpful in alleviating some of the confusion and fear around the GGR.
Matters Human Rights with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
The team also held meetings related to issues of Human rights. The first meeting was held with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on April 19, 2018. The meeting focused on the human rights violations that happen across the globe and against the various sub populations. Some of the highlighted violations included gender based violence, stigma and discrimination. Also discussed were the conventions and other legal instruments that guaranteed human rights which could be used as a basis for advocacy.
On April 20, 2018, ICWEA and AJWS representatives held a meeting with a team of 6 people who were convened by Mr. Derek Wright, Uganda Desk Officer, Office of East African Affairs to discuss the legal environment and issues of human rights violations experienced by people living with HIV including women living with HIV. The participants wanted to have better understanding of the provisions in HIV law which were problematic and examples of human rights violations which were shared. Among the participants, was In-Charge of the grants for Adolescent girls and young women, she wanted to know the challenges experienced by Adolescent Girls and Young Women.
AJWS and ICWEA representatives explained the SRHR challenges faced by AGYW include; stigma and discrimination experienced by those living with HIV, failing to continue with education due to poverty and economic vulnerability.
Challenges to Advocacy Funding: The ICWEA Advocacy Manager and AJWS representatives partners also met with Mark Lagon, and Chris Collins who work with the US Friends of the Global Fund. The focus of the discussion was on the challenges faced by the CSOs that purely focus on advocacy. ICWEA the meeting that Eastern Africa like other civil society organization countries, is facing dwindling funding for advocacy focused organizations. Chris Collins indicated that the Open Society Foundation received huge funding for human rights related issues which could be tapped into by ICWEA. Chris and Mark were also interested in knowing whether there were concerns with the Global Fund especially under catalytic funding. The team explained how there was need to find funding for advocacy around the human rights and legal environment especially in Uganda.
