HIV+ Nepalese women suffer “layers of discrimination”

In the AIDS epidemic in Nepal, the most-at-risk populations are female sex workers, injecting drug users, migrants and men who have sex with men.

In 1988, Nepal launched the first National AIDS Prevention and Control Programme. This programme, known as the Short-Term Plan for AIDS Prevention and Control, formed the basis for the First Medium Term Plan 1990-92. This programme was externally reviewed in December 1992 and on the basis of the recommendations made during the review, the Second Medium Term Plan for AIDS Prevention and Control in Nepal was formulated covering the years 1993-97.

Currenly the country is implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy 2006-2011 and the National Action Plan 2008-2011.

A brief of the national response to HIV and AIDS in Nepal is as below:

1988 Launched the first National AIDS Prevention and Control Program (short term)

1990-1992 First Medium Term Plan

1993-1997 Second Medium Term Plan

1993 National Policy on Blood safety

1995 National Policy on HIV/AIDS

1997–2001 Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS Prevention

2002–2006 National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan

2003-2007 National HIV/AIDS Operational Plan

2006-2011 National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan

2006-2008 National HIV/AIDS Action Plan (I)

2008-2011 National HIV/AIDS Action Plan (II)

National Advocacy Plan on HIV and AIDS 2008-2011

Advocacy plan provides comprehensive guidelines to the concerned advocacy group/s to concentrate their efforts to ensure change.
It explains the major issue that need to be addressed by the advocates as the specific target area on which advocacy needs to be continued. The advocacy group/s should be clear on their goal and objectives that help them to be focused, persistent and to have patience in their efforts. Similarly, the advocacy group/s should also identify the advocacy partners who can influence the change and take collaborative actions.

This Advocacy Plan has been developed to strongly support the implementation of the National Action Plan on AIDS 2008-2011 based on the National HIV/AIDS Strategy 2006-2011 and thereby accelerate an expanded response on HIV and AIDS in Nepal. Relevant international, regional and national
documents served as guiding principles in developing this Plan. The documents include the following: 2007 National Estimates of HIV Infections, UNGASS,
Millennium Development Goals, the Report of the Commission on AIDS in Asia (Redefining AIDS in Asia – Creating an Effective Response), the Progress Report on the Global Response to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, 2008 and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework for Nepal 2008-2010 (UNDAF). This Advocacy Plan will also help to synergize advocacy efforts in line with UNGASS, MDGs and Nepal’s other international commitments, and high level recommendations for effective response to HIV.

All national partners working on HIV and AIDS program are supporting advocacy effort towards a common cause. However, there are instances when approaches are unaligned to the national strategy, messages are confusing, and results are neither concrete nor measurable. Realizing this, the National Center on AIDS and STD Control, with support from UNAIDS led the process of developing this Plan.

This Advocacy Plan is likewise envisaged to bridge the gap between policy and programmes, and to assist partners in deciding priority advocacy program based on Nepal’s changing realities and advocacy needs.

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