UNGASS

FÓRUM UNGASS - UNGASS ONU

IN 2003, GESTOS was chosen as one of representatives in the working group on UNAIDS in Brazil and presented a plan of action for the mobilization of civil society for monitoring UNGASS. The process of holding forums to discuss UNGASS was begun in this way, with the objective of including the Brazilian movement to fight AIDS in the agenda, under the slogan 'Civil Society Fighting for Rights.'

The first UNGASS Forum (Recife, 2003) was convened in partnership with the Forum of NGOs of São Paulo, with the objective of discussing the goals of the Declaration of Commitments. Beginning with the second forum (Recife, March 2005), the leadership role shared between GESTOS and GAPA/SP was strengthened. The third UNGASS Forum (Curitiba, September 2005) had as its objectives the presentation of partial results from a case study, incorporating suggestions and overcoming gaps, discussing with the National Program on STDs and AIDS the process for including the results of the case study in the official government report, and preparing the civil society agenda for 2006. This forum also brought a partnership with the Health Institute of the State of São Paulo for the convening of a seminar in which researchers involved could debate and broaden the goals of the Declaration of Commitments, forming yet another partnership in the processing monitoring UNGASS.

The methodology of the UNGASS forums has stimulated and strengthened the actions focused on Brazilian AIDS policy. In December 2005, the first state-level UNGASS forum was held in Pernambuco, this time with the participation of AIDS managers and technicians from different cities. As a result, the state began to define a broader discussion of UNGASS, to include areas outside of the capital city. Currently GESTOS is working to monitor the goals on sexual and reproductive health in the United Nations declaration on HIV/AIDS in 16 countries: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Nicaragua, Belize, Mexico, the Ukraine, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Uganda, South Africa, and Kenya.