Overcoming challenges to social integration through access to health and education services: Rhon Reynolds Co-Chair AFRICAN AND BLACK DIASPORA GLOBAL NETWORK ON HIV AND AIDS (ABDGN) ICHAD CONFERENCE-2012
WHAT IS ABDGN? African and Black Diaspora Global Network (ABDGN), a unified network of networks whose mission is to strengthen the global response to existing and emerging HIV and AIDS epidemics amongst African/Caribbean/Black populations in the Diaspora (ABD), including migrant/immigrant/refugee (MIR) populations.
WHAT IS ABDGN? Mission: To strengthen the response to emerging HIV and AIDS epidemics among African/Black communities in the Diasporas Led by a Governing Council with global representatives with organizations and networks located in North America, Western Europe, Caribbean, Pacific Region
ABDGN Governing Council Members WHIWH (Women's Health in Women's Hands-Canada) ACCHO (African Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario-Canada) ICAD (Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development-Canada) BAI (The Black AIDS Institute-USA) ASC (African Services Committee-USA) AIDES (France) CVC (Caribbean Vulnerable Communities-Jamaica) AHPN (African Health Policy Network-United Kingdom) EATG (European AIDS Treatment Group-Netherlands) AFAO (Australian Federation of AIDS Service Organizations- Australia) Together Forging Change
WHAT IS ABDGN? BUILD Country specific and regional civil grassroots society stakeholders Empowering the voices of ABD and MIR Inform the development of population/community and issue-specific action plans LEVERAGE Partnerships with country specific and regional government authorities and population health stakeholders Knowledge generation and sharing between civil society stakeholders and their respective country and regional authorities INFLUENCE ECOSOCS status UN Member states and diverse UN-related global health stakeholders Regionally contextualized action plans and recommendations
Migration and HIV Diversity of migrant experience: mobile, undocumented, irregular, illegal, labor, settled, temporary, circular, economic, climate, political, refugees, detainees, asylum seekers, internally displaced, knowledge travelers Multiple and intersecting experiences of migration have varying impact on HIV vulnerability
Despite stereotypes and common assumptions it is neither migrants nor migration per se that increase the risks of HIV transmission: it is the trying conditions and hardships that many face throughout the migration experience that makes them more vulnerable to infection. (United Nations Population Division-State of the World Population 2006)
Current Committments to Address the Needs of Migrants include: 2001 Declaration of Commitment UNAIDS Strategy The Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework 2008 2012 Eur. Parl res. on right-based approach to HIV/AIDS, 2010 African Commission on Human & People s Rights res., 2010 2011 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS
Selected Epidemiological Highlights for ABD populations
Selected Epidemiological Highlights for ABD populations continued
BUT potential and everpresent risks for migrants living with HIV Human rights abuses impede access to HIV prevention and treatment for migrants living with HIV during: Deportation Detention Dispersal Destitution
HIV and black African Communities Black African are rendered significantly less powerful than other groups by a range of factors including: Social and institutional racism anti-asylum discourses and practices the capacity to spread disease and to drain state resources. www.ahpn.org
Deportation 31 countries force HIV+ migrants to leave based on HIV status Many more countries may deport HIV+ migrants Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe: Quick Reference, Berlin 2010
Criminalization of HIV transmission in England and Wales Are the people prosecuted for HIV transmission in the criminal courts representative of the UK epidemic? NAT, April 2007 http://www.nat.org.uk/document/331 www.ahpn.org
Response from the Press www.ahpn.org
Response from the Press www.ahpn.org
Response from the Press Coverage primarily negative about migrants/ immigration Migrants rarely personified or quoted. Coverage generally faceless unless subject is prosecution: references to cases, victims, sufferers. Immigration: migrants as fraudsters/cheats; HIV status presented as further evidence of degeneracy. Prosecution: people who have transmitted HIV are presented as criminals; immigration status presented as further evidence of degeneracy. Poor understanding of terminology: interchangeable use of HIV, AIDS, migrant, illegal immigrant, asylum seeker. HIV and Migration in the British Press, Victoria Field Terrence Higgins Trust NAHIP Conference, May 2006 Start the Press, How African communities in the UK can work with the media to confront HIV stigma, AHPN and Panos London, 2007 www.ahpn.org
Strategic Directions Increased Surveillance and Standardization Better definitions of ABD populations and all their heterogeneity More research on migration patterns Improved and standardized HIV surveillance with more defined ethnicy markers, transmission categories crossed with ethno-racial data Monitoring MIR access to and update of prevention, treatment and care services Development of data collection models that avoid stigmatization and discrimination Production of country specific reports Development of mechanisms for sharing lessons between countries, regions and globally
Strategic Directions Community-Based Research and Evaluation More research and evaluation to determine effectiveness of interventions targeted to ABD More research on access to HIV-related services by ABD communities More research attention on ABD population e.g. youth including children infected prenatally, drug users, incarcerated and LGBTQ populations within ABD Building systems for knowledge mobilization and sharing of promising best practices
Strategic Directions More Diverse and Culturally Appropriate Programming Heterogeneity of ABD populations and their cultural world view needs to be integrated into HIV programming Creation of comfortable and safe environments Comprehensive programs that address intersecting issues Collaboration with social cultural and faith organizations Building and strengthening the capacity of social and healthcare providers
Strategic Directions Policy Changes Development of national policies and strategies that are specific to the needs and diversity of ABD populations with dedicated funding Analysis of intersections between HIV, discrimination, criminalization and deportation issues Assessment of policies, legislations and laws that negatively impact on ABD populations
Strategic Directions Mobilizing and Involving Migrant Communities: Supporting greater involvement, participation and input from people living with HIV/AIDS from ABD populations Building partnerships with community leaders (formal and informal) Engaging community organizations and cultural leaders in planning and implementation of interventions Building and supporting mechanisms to improve sharing of resources, expertise and information about HIV/AIDS and services for MIR populations with ABD
Conclusion ABD communities: have many diverse stories of settlement, but common challenges of oppression and social exclusion Regardless of geographic location, ABD communities have a disproportionately high burden of HIV incidence and prevalence. We need international, cross-sectoral and crossjurisdictional knowledge sharing and partnerships We need coordinating mechanisms to keep global attention on the ABD issues
AFRICAN AND BLACK DIASPORA GLOBAL NETWORK ON HIV/AIDS WWW.ABDGN.ORG