Report Launch – Chasing Numbers, Betraying People: Relooking at HIV Services in Karnataka

Aneka and Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum

Invite you for the launch of their report “Chasing Numbers, Betraying People: Relooking at HIV Services in Karnataka”.  

By

Dr. R Balasubramaniam (Founder of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) and ex special investigator and vigilance director for the Karnataka Lok Ayukta) and

Dr. Kamala Hampana (Scholar, Author of over 50 books and served as Chairperson -All India Kannada Literary Meet 2003)

The report is also endorsed by People’s Health Movement‘s Bangalore Urban Chapter (JAABU – Janarogya Andolana – Bangalore urban).

On Saturday, 17th December 2011, At  United Theological College, Millers Road, Near Cantt Railway Station’s Back Gate, Bangalore. Between 4:00 – 6:30 PM

While issues related to spread and prevention of HIV has received considerable attention – the quality of services,  compromises of people’s right – to health, to participate and shape policies as well as issues around privacy, and ethics do not are sidestepped or ignored.

This report focuses on the experiences of male-born sexual minorities in Karnataka vis-à-vis HIV related services– and is an outcome of a collaborative process where community members have been co-producers of knowledge.

Sexual minority communities have long faced challenges in accessing public services; including healthcare. Given that HIV places a significant burden on male-born sexual minorities; there are a range of HIV-related services and interventions that especially addresses them. The report sketches the barriers encountered by them in receiving or seeking care in terms of access and availability of services. Attention is also drawn to the lapses and violations that occur in the name of providing heath services The report ends with a set of recommendations that have emerged from the sexual minority communities for policy makers, health-workers and activists

For more information contact  Rajesh (9886155148)  or Shubha (9243446105)

Vacancy for PROJECT MANAGER in Sangama, Bangalore for GFATM Round 9 HIV/MSM-TG component

Employing organization: Sangama, Bangalore

Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Date of Issue: October 13, 2010

Closing Date: October 20, 2010

About Sangama: Sangama, a human rights organization founded in 1999 works mainly with sexual minorities, sex workers and people living with HIV in India through human rights activism, community led campaigns, providing support to community based organizations, producing documentary films, reports, etc. Helping community organizations in providing health services and advocating for health rights is an important part of our work.

Sangama will implement a long term project titled Project Pehchan: Strengthening of MSM (Men who have sex with Men) and TG (Transgender) Community Systems in partnership with emerging and existing Community Based organisations (CBOs) in the states of Karnataka & Kerala, with funding support from the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), and technical assistance from India HIV/AIDS Alliance, New Delhi. Main objectives of this intervention are: a) To strengthen community systems that reach MSM and TG communities; b) To increase the number of beneficiaries reached by such systems; c) To strengthen the relevant health system resources and d) To increase knowledge and advocacy for MSM and TG concerns.

Sangama is looking for a suitable individual for the position of Project Manager, Project Pehchan.

Job description of Project Manager – Main Functions:

The Project Manager will primarily be responsible for the overall implementation of the project with the MSM and TG communities. The project entails development and strengthening of 34 CBOs across Karnataka & Kerala to reach MSM and TG individuals with HIV messages and services over a period of five years.

The principal role will be managing programmatic, technical and organizational development within Sangama and provide similar support to the programme implementing partner CBOs; supporting and managing programme development and capacity building; promoting innovation and documentation of good practices in HIV/AIDS programming for MSM and TG communities and other vulnerable populations; and, actively representing and contributing to planning and policy work on behalf of Pehchan Project.

Key Responsibilities of the Project Manager:

– The Project Manager will lead, support and manage the development and implementation of various programme implementation plans and budgets (including that of the partner CBOs).

– S/he needs to contribute to the development and implementation of effective monitoring, review and evaluation strategies and activities for the programme against agreed project deliverables.

– S/he needs to work along with other team members in preparing and submitting necessary reports to India HIV/AIDS Alliance, different State AIDS Control Societies (SACS) and Technical Support Units (TSU) on timely basis, and coordinating with the said authorities for various programmes.

–S/he will be required to contribute towards operational research related to the project, and developing tools and resources in prevention programming.

1. Capacity Building and Technical Support to CBOs

– The Project Manager will assess the programmatic, organizational and technical support needs of the CBO partners and will accordingly identify, develop and implement capacity building plans for needs identified for community mobilization, CBO formation and functioning.

– In collaboration with the administration and finance team s/he will review partner financial systems and procedures and facilitate specific technical support in areas of overall programme budgeting, financial management, internal control systems and grant management. S/he also needs to monitor, review and evaluate the progress and impact of the capacity building programmes.

2. Team Planning and Development

– In consultation with Program Director, the Project Manager will develop strategic direction and work plans for the project staff and will closely work with the project team for implementation of all the activities.

 

3. External Relationships and Networking

– The Project Manager will work closely to strengthen Sangama’s working relationship with India HIV/AIDS Alliance, partner CBOs and external institutions involved in HIV/AIDS prevention programmes (including key government agencies, donor agencies, NGO/civil society partners and research institutions).

– In close consultation with the advocacy team, s/he will identify the key advocacy issues at the state and districts levels, and will provide necessary support to develop and implement effective advocacy strategies and activities.

 

Skills/ Qualities Required:

– At least 3 to 5 years of relevant project management experience in the health or development sectors, including at least 3 years’ middle management experience.

– At least 3 years working in HIV prevention programmes, including experience working with MSM and TG populations.

– Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of development issues and the HIV epidemic(s) in India, particularly in relation to MSM/ TG populations and other vulnerable populations.

– Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of donor environment, donor relations and donor Monitoring & Evaluation and reporting systems.

– Demonstrated experience of project proposal development and budget preparation.

– Excellent analytical, writing and verbal communication skills.

– Experience of working with multiple stakeholders in civil society and the government at different levels.

– Experience of providing technical support to and capacity building of organisations, especially those working at the community or grassroots level.

– Ability to work effectively in teams as well as independently.

– Ability and willingness to undertake extensive travel, primarily within India.

– Strong commitment to HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

– Fluency in English required. Fluency in Kannada/ Malayalam preferred.

 

 

Salary will be based on experience and skills.

 

Sangama believes in affirmative action and encourages people from marginalized backgrounds to apply for this post, including: sexual minorities and their family members, sex workers and their family members, people living with HIV and their family members, women, dalits, adivasis, religious minorities and persons with disability.

 

Interested candidates may apply by sending their complete CV (with contact details of self and 2 people who know their work as references) to sangamavikasa@gmail.com by 20^th October, 2010.

 

In Solidarity

 

Arockya Selva

Administrator

Sangama

 

My (Suraksha WRHCP) election to the Global Fund’s India CCM

I should have written about it a longtime ago. Here is the letter I sent to many friends about my election to the IndiaCCM

——————————————————-

Dear friend(s)

I am overwhelmed by the tremendous support that I have received in getting elected as the representative of Sexual Minorities in the Global Fund’s India CCM for the next 2 years. This has come from those of you who voted for me (69 out of 88 i.e. 78.4% of the polled votes), and the many friends and supporters who helped me:

– file my candidature

– fight against the scuttling of India CCM election process that arbitrarily invalidated my candidature and

– encouraged and helped me through the voting process.

I see this as an endorsement of certain ideas whose time has come. The simple idea of change in India CCM processes. Change to allow for greater transparency, accountability and participation of affected people. Change that allows issues of diverse populations to be voiced and respected. The diversity that I hope to represent is not only the many identities among sexual minorities but also diversity in terms of size, access to funding and thrust of the organisation. I clearly see my mandate to also represent other discriminated communities – sexworkers, drug users, dalits, disabled and others that otherwise seems to have very little or no space in the CCM.

I am serious about pursuing this agenda of change with the support of all of you.

The CCM is an interesting and bold experiment – to open up the funding process, to fund innovative ideas and needs that are not addressed by other funding, to be a multiple stakeholder forum and to work on the principle of consensus. But in reality there seems to be very little role for the civil society agencies in the India CCM process .

There is an urgent need to increase the role and participation of civil society in setting policy and programmatic priorities for the proposals submitted to the fund. In India CCM, opinions of the civil society and affected communities should at least carry equal weight as that of the government, if not more. I need all your support, in advocating for the primary role for the civil society and affected people in India CCM, in spite of it being an uphill task.

It is these objectives that we should together work towards realising. We need to make a joint claim to this process.

I was waiting to hear from the India CCM secretariat about the next steps (I have  received that information very recently), hence the delay in sending this.
I look forward to receiving your suggestions and comments.

In solidarity

Elavarthi Manohar

India CCM Election Sub-committee accepts the candidature of Suraksha

I am HAPPY to SHARE this GOOD NEWS.  

India CCM Election Sub-committee has accepted my candidature.  

My name is added to the election website’s contesting list. You can find it at http://www.indiaccm-elections.org/contesting-list.aspx (look under Sexual Minorities)

Scuttling of Global Fund’s India CCM Election Process

My (representing Suraksha) candidature to contest India CCM Election was denied unfairly. Here is the letter explaining the same in detail:

Bangalore
4th April, 2009

Dear friends

We are shocked at the way our (Suraksha WRHCP) candidature to contest Global Fund’s India CCM CSO Elections 2009 (http://www.indiaccm-elections.org) under the sub sector ‘Organizations working on the issues of Sexual Minorities’ was rejected.

The stated reason for rejecting our application was “Your organisation has in fact not met the following criteria set by the CMM Election Sub-Committee.
– Primarily working in the specific sub-sector that is sought to be represented”

We are at a loss how the committee came to this conclusion given that most of our work and almost all of our funding in the past 4 years has been for working with sexual minorities, primarily from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

We are also shocked at the blatant unfairness of the whole process, given that the India CCM election process claims to be transparent and fair. Below we list the events that lead us to come to the above conclusion.

– Finalized list of eligible candidates was suppose to be uploaded to the website on 2nd April however the same was put up only on April 3rdafternoon

– The email informing the rejection of our candidature arrived on the afternoon of 3rd April

– On April 4th morning when we contacted Mr. Pawan Varma (Election Secretariat, MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child) and enquired about reason for stating that Suraksha doesn’t primarily work with sexual minorities, he stated that it was the decision of the Election Sub-Committee. When asked about the detailed information for rejecting our candidature and to the process to appeal against the decision, he asked us to send a email to him, which he will forward to the sub-committee. He said that a we may not get a response till the 6th given that 4th and 5th are holidays

– Given the urgency of the matter (voting starts 9am on 7th April) how fair is it to have the rejection of the candidate and no time/ process to appeal?

– When asked about the composition of the Election sub-committee, he said that he is not authorized to reveal this info. When questioned about the lack of transparency and lack of a contact point to discuss this matter, he asked us to get in touch with  Komal Khanna and Ashima Mohan  from the Secretariat of the India-CCM for The Global Fund. He was willing to give us only the land line phone numbers and not mobile phone numbers. He also stated that they will not be working on the 4th and 5th April. We called the landline phone numbers mentioned in the India CCM website on 4th morning one of the numbers is invalid and there is no response to the other number.

This makes us believe that these elections are seriously compromised and raises serious questions about democracy, transparency and participation.

We appeal to all fair minded people and organization to raise your voice against this wilful scuttling of the election process.

Please feel free to contact us for more information.

In Solidarity

Elavarthi Manohar
Suraksha WRHCP
Bangalore, India

Copies to:
1. Communities Delegation to the board of the Global Fund
2. Developing Country NGO Delegation to the board of the Global Fund
3. Developed Country NGO Delegation to the board of the Global Fund
4. India CCM Secretariat