We write to you on behalf of Women4GlobalFund (W4GF) Advocates and the Her Voice Fund. We are a global network of gender equality advocates from 62 countries1, committed to ensuring that the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) programmes are gender-
transformative to meet the rights and priorities of women and girls in all our diversity.
H.E. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre
The Norwegian government
Norway
CC: Minister Anne Beathe Tvinnereim – Minister of International Development
August 2022
Re: The Norwegian government’s commitment to the 7th Replenishment of the Global Fund
With less than 40 days left until the 7th Replenishment pledging conference in September, we look to you with hopeful anticipation as the most generous – on a per capita basis – public donor to the Global Fund. Your contribution of NOK 2.04 billion to the 6th Replenishment, together with your pledges of NOK 285,2 million and NOK 440 million toward the COVID-19 Response Mechanism in 2020 and 2021 respectively, remains exemplary on how all donor governments need to scale up investments for us not to derail efforts toward equitable access to HIV, Tuberculosis (TB) and malaria services.
We implore you to pledge early and demonstrate strong leadership toward reaching the US$18 billion target for the 7th Replenishment.
The world continues to face numerous complex challenges including global pandemics such as COVID- 19 and conflicts. Within these uncertain times, the needs of women and girls, especially living with and affected by HIV, TB and malaria, must not be forgotten. The last couple of years reminds us that, providing health and social services to mitigate the impact of a disease cannot be dissociated from social issues like gender equality that define how service provision is designed, and which impact our ability to access services and to have bodily autonomy. Access to quality and equitable health services, food and nutrition security, economic justice, including safety against violence we experience remain goals we hope to realize in our lifetime.
As a network of women and girls in all our diversity, we see our role and that of your commitment to the Global Fund efforts as critical in challenging what you rightly describe as the contradictions and paradoxes that characterise gender equality globally.
Women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by ill health as a result of AIDS, TB and malaria. Your overall contribution of NOK 9,24 billion to the Global Fund to date, has been instrumental in helping to ensure that women and girls, especially those living with HIV and young women in most affected countries, are able to realise their SRHR. We know this because about one third of Global Fund funding directly benefits SRHR, including activities such as comprehensive sexuality education, addressing gender-based violence and supporting girls to stay in school. This makes the Global Fund arguably the largest multilateral provider of grants to improve the health and wellbeing of girls and women globally.
As a diverse network of women and girls, we have seized all opportunities to inform HIV, TB and malaria policies, strategies, and national responses. We are proud of our contributions and advocacy in the new Global Fund Strategy (2023 -2028) to prioritize human rights and gender equality across the three diseases. We could not have achieved this if it were not for strong leadership as a member of the Point Seven Constituency on the Global Fund Board, and your action plan for women’s rights and gender equality in foreign and development policy which sets the framework for all your international gender equality efforts.
We commend your recognition of human rights, women’s rights, and gender equality as cross-cutting issues in development efforts
Reaching US$18 billion would allow the Global Fund to reduce HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women in the most affected countries by 72% and save 20 million lives (from 2024-2026) and reduce the mortality rate by 64% across the three diseases by 2026, relative to 2020 levels. We also know that every US$1 invested increases 31-fold and supports health gains and economic returns, further contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.
We are relying on you to keep up the momentum and continue to support gender transformative and affirming approaches, including through the Global Fund, now and in the future. Inequitable access to health services and commodities exacerbates inequalities and undermine progress made.
Failing to commit 30% more than in the 6th Replenishment will undermine the ambition for the next three years and will have devastating impacts for women and girls the world over, including on previous investments made by all donors.
We thank you for your leadership and hope for assurances of your highest consideration to this pressing matter of global concern.
Most respectfully and in solidarity,
Ángela León Cáceres ─ She/Her
W4GF Global Coordinator
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 Ángela León Cáceres, 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
Headquartered in Senegal, Speak Up Africa is a policy and advocacy action tank dedicated to catalyzing leadership, enabling policy change, and increasing awareness for sustainable development in Africa. With ensuring health and well-being of all at our core, we support SDGs 1 to 6 in transforming societies throughout Africa. For more information, contact Maelle Ba, Strategic Communications Manager at Speak Up Africa | EMAIL | WEB | FACEBOOK | TWITTER