Download this Women4GlobalFund & Her Voice Fund Call to Action here
Background Summary
We represent women in all our diversity[1] in more than 62 countries, advocating for gender transformative policies and programmes. We are 35 participants from Women4GlobalFund (W4GF), HER Voice Fund, and Impact Drivers who gathered virtually from across Africa and Asia. We are driven by our personal experience with a mission to strengthen our voice and advocacy, to influence the 7th Replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Global Fund).
HIV, TB and malaria can affect anyone, but many of us are at risk and continue to face negative repercussions either through restrictive national policies or our socio economic status in society, exacerbated by our age, sex, and gender. Too often, information is not available, coupled with limited access to support and services. We are not homogenous and are often not afforded the same rights as our male counterparts.
These vulnerabilities heighten our risk of contracting HIV, TB and malaria, making the lives of women living with or affected by just one of the three diseases more challenging. The Global Fund’s Results Report, released in September 2021, highlights the devastating impact of COVID-19 in the lives of women and girls in relation to HIV, TB and malaria programmes in 2020.[2]
COVID-19 and other global events including the war in Ukraine and instability in other challenging operating environments continue to wreak havoc, catalysing change on a wider scale than any event in recent history. With the world on the verge of global conflict, our insecurity is heightened. This has had direct threats to basic needs, including our right to food and nutrition security, and social protection, affecting our overall health and well-being (including safety when faced with violence), self-determination and our ability to enjoy our sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). Now, more than ever, we need a fully funded Global Fund.
Living in a world where the Global Fund does not have enough money to continue to address these challenges and save our lives will have dire consequences on communities. A fully funded Global Fund is therefore essential, bringing with it great opportunity through its new Strategy (2023 -2028) to reduce persistent gender inequalities that increase and sustain vulnerability to the three diseases.
Our Call to Action
We call on donor governments as leaders in your country! We ask you to step up and invest in the Global Fund and demonstrate what counts, with us and for all communities. We call on:
- All donor governments, the private sector, foundations and innovative financing initiatives to increase your pledges by a minimum of 30% to ensure at least US$18 billion is raised for the Global Fund. A fully funded Global Fund will ensure that the commitment to women and girls is upheld and sustained.
- All pledges to be made early, so we request you to act now.
- National governments to honour your commitments as part of the Abuja Declaration and provide at least 15% of national budgets towards health to meet the health and development needs of women and girls.
Our commitment to action
We are committed to lend our voices to ensuring a fully funded Global Fund. We are committed to Fight for What Counts to ensure women’s rights and gender equality as outlined in the Global Fund new Strategy.
We will collaborate and advocate to increase pledges to the Global Fund 7th Replenishment by:
- Lobbying governments and their embassies, policy makers, parliamentarians and the private sector to increase financial resources; and
- Engaging with mass media and social media to raise awareness and catalyse continued interest.
Who we are?
This Call to Action is a result of a W4GF media advocacy training held from 23 to 27 May 2022 that brought 35 women together from Africa and Asia. The training is part of strategic advocacy activities to ensure young women from diverse backgrounds and experiences are more engaged and better understand the Global Fund’s 7th Replenishment.
We are: Albertina Nyatsi, Positive Women together in Action, Eswatini, Alice Ahadi Magaka, The Pink Box Initiative, Tanzania; Bester Mulenje, Her Voice Fund, Zambia; Brenda Baks, National network of YPLHIV (Y+Kenya), Kenya; Cecilia Lodonu-Senoo, Hope for Future Generations, Ghana; Chrystal Bonzo, Dzidzo Safepad Initiative, Zimbabwe; Ethel Mkandawire, Supreme sanitary pads, Malawi; Eudora Ogechukwu, African Network of Adolescents and Young Persons Development, Nigeria; Galaletsang Phalatse, Impact Drivers, South Africa, Gracious Lekgoathi, Impact Drivers, South Africa, Gloriah Moses, National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, Kenya, Grace Febbie Ngulube, Youth Health Connect360, Malawi, Hortencia Nuhu, Her Movement Project, Tanzania, Khanyisa Dunjwa, South Africa, Passionate Unlimited Peers in Action (PUPA); Marcia Jeiambe, Associação Coalizão da Juventude Moçambicana, Mozambique; Millicent Sethaile, SRHR Africa Trust, Botswana; Nana Gleeson, Botswana Network on Ethics, Law & HIV/AIDS (BONELA), Botswana; Nthabeleng Nts’ekalle, Lesotho Network of AIDS Service Organisations, Lesotho; Olena Stryzhak, Positive Women, Ukraine; Olerato Keegope, Sentebale, Botswana; Pertulla Ezigha Ketcha, Leap Girl Africa, Cameroon; Priscilla Ama Addo, Young Health Advocates, Ghana; Saidy Brown, Impact Drivers, South Africa; Sanyu Hajjara Batte, Lady Mermaid Empowerment Centre, Uganda; Sara Thapa Magar, National Federation of Women living with HIV and AIDS, Nepal; Saro Imran, Wasaib sanwaro, Pakistan; Sekar Putri Sruning Tanjung, Female Plus, WHRIN, Indonesia; Sirri Cynthia Wakuna Ngang, Mother of Hope Cameroon, Cameroon; Simphiwe Manhica, Swaziland Network Of Young Positives (SNYP), Eswatini; Sharifah Nalugo, Joint Clinical Research Center, Uganda; Tambudzai Magwenzi, Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+), Zimbabwe; Tariro Kutadza, Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+), Zimbabwe. From the W4GF Team: Aulora Stally; Fezile Kanju; Lucy Wanjiku Njenga; Miranda Ndolo Ekema and Sophie Dilmitis.
W4GF is a dynamic global platform of women and gender equality advocates who share a deep commitment to ensuring that Global Fund programmes are gender-transformative to meet the rights and priorities of women and girls in all our diversity. For more information, contact Sophie Dilmitis, Global Coordinator, Women4GlobalFund (W4GF) EMAIL | WEB | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
The HER (HIV Epidemic Response) Voice Fund supports the meaningful engagement and leadership of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in decision-making spaces with the aim of reducing HIV incidence and improving our broader health, well-being, and rights. For more information, contact Maximina Jokonya, HER Voice Fund Coordinator, EMAIL, WEB, FACEBOOK, TWITTER
[1] women and girls in all their diversity highlight the inclusiveness and shared challenges and priorities across a broad range of people, including women living with HIV or affected by TB and malaria; women who identify as heterosexual, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex or non-binary; women who use drugs; sex workers over 18 years old; adolescent girls and young women; Indigenous women; women who are sometimes displaced internally; migrants and refugees; women and girls who are or have been incarcerated; and women with visible and invisible disabilities.
[2] Global Fund Results Report reveals COVID-19 devastating impact on HIV, TB, and Malaria Programmes (www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/2021-09-08-global-fund-results-report-reveals-covid-19-devastating-impact-on-hiv-tb-and-malaria-programs/)