Global Citizens Summit 2009

During all this time, the citizens were on the periphery of this fight. It was all about CSOs and NGOs in the driving seat. The ideas on what works were being generated in conference and workshop halls, internet and offices. 

The people most affected and infected hardly had a chance to contribute. Yet they have coped for all this long with the pandemic. As resources dwindle, and the pandemic become more ruthless in its kill, what is that the global response must do to mitigate the situation? “Mobilize the Nations” has been the answer.

A number of participants from across the world representing social movements, human rights groups, media, PLHA, I/NGOs, people’s networks, faith based organizations, UN agencies, donor agencies have gathered together in Kenya at the Citizen Summit to critically discuss about the global AIDS response and to explore alternatives around social mobilizations.

As the global citizens’ summit on HIV&AIDS opened in Nairobi today, Prof. Were, the chair of the National AIDS Control Council in Kenya noted that it was actually social mobilization that was the missing link in our efforts. The citizens were not involved as deep as they should in the response.

The ideas on which AIDS response is being funded are not locally generated.

At this critical time however, the challenges facing the citizens are many. The funds are dwindling, only 10% of people living with HIV &AIDS actually know their status, AIDS funding has continued to be donor driven, project based and unaccountable, but worse still it (AIDS) has to compete with all the other global problems like Climate Change, poverty, food, etc.

The summit therefore has been focusing to “rethink HIV and AIDS strategies to Stop its spread”.

With 3 days of dialogue and discussions, it is therefore hoped that at the end, the citizens will have fulfilled generated;

• A new impetus for demanding the right to universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support.
• A roadmap for renewed, people-centered, human rights based radical social mobilization for universal access, and
• A movement of agents of change using the lens of human rights for social mobilization
  
  

In his opening remarks, Mr. Leonard Okello, the summit convener said that what we needed was that the world commits itself to universal access to testing, prevention treatment care and support.

To him, there is a need for repackaging the response by mobilizing communities to go and test, our governments to avail treatment, care and support, but most importantly, recognize the indigenous knowledge that have always helped our communities to cope.

Similarly, Shalil Shetty, the MDG Director said, “This is high time for citizens across the world to be angry and channel their anger into social movements and social actions so as to make their governments accountable towards people’s issues.” He added, “This summit will be instrumental to initiate a momentum in mobilizing citizens to achieve UN Millennium goals and also addressing HIV&AIDS.”

Other speakers have also focused on a need to re think HIV&AIDS interventions. Social mobilization has been recognized as one of the strong and most powerful actions to address the causes and consequences of HIV&AIDS. Going beyond time bound projects and mobilizing citizens have been center of discussing during the discussions. Moreover, community based actions and experiences have been the major discussion agenda during the sessions.

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