NGOs show accountability starts at home

06 Nov 2006 – 16:02 (modified on 29 Nov 2006 – 15:56)

by mlepeska

Dec 1

An open letter to government leaders, and representatives of multilateral and civil society organisations involved in the response to HIV and AIDS

We, the undersigned non-governmental organisations (NGOs), are Signatories to the Code of Good Practice for NGOs Responding to HIV/AIDS. The Code provides a shared vision of good practice principles to which we are committed and can be held accountable. Based on fundamental human rights and public health principles, the Code of Good Practice draws on lessons learned over the past twenty years. It includes guiding, organisational and programme principles, with references to the evidence on which they are based

Accountability is the theme of this year’s World AIDS Day. The key message is ‘STOP AIDS. Keep the Promise’ . This message applies to all those involved in the HIV/AIDS response, including NGOs. As signatories of the Code we hold ourselves accountable to continuously improve our practices in line with the Code’s principles.

We believe that:

• Communities affected by HIV and AIDS should be involved in the response at every level. When efforts to respond to HIV/AIDS are grounded in the lived experiences of those affected, they are far more likely to address the many factors that shape HIV risk, HIV transmission and the experience of living with HIV and AIDS.
• NGOs take an active role in advocating for the accountability of governments, private and public sector agencies. We too must be accountable to the communities we are a part of, work with, represent and serve.
• Accountability, transparency and effective stewardship of resources are crucial. This is vital to our credibility with the communities we work with and the agencies that supply the resources.

We believe that the Code of Good Practice for NGOs Responding to HIV/AIDS is an important tool helping us to improve our accountability, and the quality and effectiveness of our programmes. We urge others involved in the response to assess their policies and practices, and to demonstrate their accountability to the promises they have made to stop AIDS.

Sincerely

Acción Ciudadana Contre el SIDA -Venezuela

Acción Contra el Hambre - Spain

ACT International

Action Against Hunger - UK

ActionAid International

African Council of AIDS Service Organizations

AIDS Action Europe

AIDS Calgary

Anti-AIDS Centre - Russia

AIDS Hilfe - Austria

AIDS Infoshare - Russia

AIDS Network Development Foundation - Thailand

AIDS Saint John - Canada

AIDS Society of Kamloops - Canada

Alan Guttmacher Institute - USA

Alberta Community Council on HIV - Canada

All-Ukrainian Network of PLWH

Alliance National Contre le SIDA - Sénégal

Amnesty for Women - Germany

African Medical and Research Foundation

Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations

Asia-Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS

Asociación Costarricense de Personas Viviendo con VIH/SIDA - Costa Rica

Asociación Dominicana Pro-Bienestar de la Familia - Dominican Republic

Association Marocaine de Solidarité et de Développement - Morocco

Association Rwandaise pour le Bien-Etre Familial - Rwanda

Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations

Australian Red Cross

British Columbia Persons with AIDS Society - Canada

Brot fur die Welt (Bread for the World)

Cameroon National Association for Family Welfare

Canada – Africa Community Health Alliance

Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange

Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network

Canadian Society for International Health

CARE International

Caribbean Regional Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS

Catholic Medical Mission Board – USA

CAUSE – Canada

Central and Eastern European Harm Reduction Network (CEE-HRN)

Chi Heng Foundation

China Family Planning Association

Christian Aid

Christian Children’s Fund

Church of Sweden

Coalition of HIV/AIDS Service Organisations – Ukraine

Community Action Resource (CARe) –Trinidad

Concern Worldwide

Conference of European Churches

Corporacion Kimirina – Ecuador

Dan Church Aid

Danish Red Cross

Deutsche AIDS Hilfe e. V – Germany

Diakonie Emergency Aid, DIFAM

German Institute for Medical Mission

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance

Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism

Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network

European AIDS Treatment Group

European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies

Family Planning Association of Estonia

Family Planning Association of India

Family Planning Association of Kenya

Family Planning Association of Malawi

Family Planning Association of Nepal

Family Planning Organization of the Philippines

Federation of Family Planning Associations – Malaysia

Fondazione Villa Maraini – Italy

Global Chinese AIDS Network

Global Network of People living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+)

GNP+ Europe

GNP+ North America

GOAL

Grupo Pela Vidda – Brazil

Groupe Chrétien Contre le SIDA au Togo

Healthlink Worldwide

HelpAge International

HIV/AIDS and STD Alliance – Bangladesh

Hoffnung fur Osteuropa (Hope for Eastern Europe)

Hong Kong AIDS Foundation

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations

International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS

Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association

Initiative Privée et Communautaire de Lutte Contre Le VIH/SIDA - Burkina Faso

Inppares – Peru

Interact Worldwide

Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

International Harm Reduction Association

International HIV/AIDS Alliance including Caribbean Regional Programme, China Programme, Myanmar Programme

International HIV/AIDS Alliance Madagascar

International HIV/AIDS Alliance Mozambique

International HIV/AIDS Alliance Ukraine

International HIV/AIDS Alliance Zambia

India HIV/AIDS Alliance

International HIV/AIDS Institute – Ukraine

International Planned Parenthood Federation including Central Office London, European, South Asia, Africa and Western Hemisphere regional offices

International Planned Parenthood Federation – Laos

International Relief Teams

International Service for Human Rights

Irish Red Cross

Jamaica Family Planning Association

Japan AIDS & Society Association

Kazakhstan Crisis Centres Union

Kenya AIDS NGO Consortium

Kiribati Family Health Association

Latin America and Caribbean Council of AIDS Service Organizations

LEPRA Society – India

Life Quality Improvement Organisation (NGO) – Croatia

Lutheran World Federation

Lutheran World Relief

Marie Stopes Clinic Society – Bangladesh

Marie Stopes International

Megapolis Saratov Oblast Nongovernmental Foundation – Russia

Mexfam – Mexico

MSM: No Political Agenda

North American Council of AIDS Service Organizations

National AIDS Foundation – Mongolia

National AIDS Trust – UK

National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS – Australia

Namibia Red Cross

Naz Foundation International

NELA - Network on Ethics, Law, HIV/AIDS, Prevention, Support & Care – Nigeria

New Way (Center of Psychosocial Informationand Counseling) – Georgia

Northern AIDS Connection – Canada

Norwegian Church Aid

Norwegian Red Cross

ODYSEUS - Slovak republic

Organization for Social Development of Unemployed Youth – Bangladesh

Oxfam International

Palmyrah Workers’ Development Society – India

Pathfinder International

PLANeS - Fondation suisse pour la santé sexuelle et reproductive

Plan USA

Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa

Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada

Population Action International

Population Services and Training Center (PSTC) – Bangladesh

Radda MCH-FP Centre – Bangladesh

REDLA+ (Latin American Network of PLWHA)

Regional Public Foundation - Novoye Vremya (New Time) – Russia

Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia

Roses and Rosemary – USA

Russian Association Family Planning

Save the Children – Canada

Sensoa International

Singapore Planned Parenthood Association

Soroptimist International

Southern African AIDS Trust (SAT)

STI/AIDS Network – Bangladesh

TAMPEP International Foundation

Tonga Family Health Association

Tuvalu Family Health Association

UK Coalition of People Living with HIV and AIDS (UKC)

Vasavya Mahila Mandali

Voronezh Regional Fund to Support Youth Entrepreneurship – Russia

Voluntary Services Overseas

Wild Foundation

Wilderness Foundation - South Africa

World Alliance of Reformed Churches

World Alliance of YMCAs

World Council of Churches

World Student Christian Federation

World YWCA

Steering Committee members:

Care International

Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations

International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

International HIV/AIDS Alliance

International Planned Parenthood Federation