Engaging civil society with CCM's

[Personal e-mail from Mabel Bianco, STFS, 15 October 2008]

Today the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) issued its latest report, Making Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanisms work through full engagement of civil society. The report, along with audio commentary by each research team, is available at www.itpcglobal.org. The report is also at www.aidstreatmentaccess.org.

The new ITPC report looks at the functioning of CCMs in seven countries - Argentina, Cambodia, Cameroon, India, Jamaica, Romania, and Uganda - with a particular focus on civil society engagement in CCMs. Research teams sought to look beyond simple issues of civil society representation to understand whether and how civil society has had meaningful involvement in the design and monitoring of Global Fund- supported programming, and, ultimately, how civil society can be most effective in improving delivery of Global Fund- supported services.

Each country chapter provides unique findings and recommendations. Overarching findings, discussed in the executive summary, include:

• Civil society CCM members have been responsible for notable contributions but, in general, there is limited influence of civil society in proposal preparation, shaping program implementation, and program oversight.
• There is a need to improve civil society representation of constituent priorities as well as communication between civil society CCM representatives and the broader civil society sector.
• Civil society CCM representatives need more opportunities to build their skills and capacities on a range of issues.

Recommendations include:

The Global Fund should:

• Do more to promote capacity building for civil society members of CCMs.
• Empower CCMs to play the program implementation oversight role expected of them.

UNAIDS should:

• Help convene civil society on neutral ground outside of CCM meetings and support efforts of civil society to identify strategic priorities.
• Disseminate information and provide technical support to enable civil society to play a more effective role in CCM deliberations.

CCM leadership should:

• Provide resources and support to enable the full participation of civil society representatives in CCM deliberations and ongoing communication with constituencies.
• Ensure that civil society and all members of the CCM are engaged in oversight of grant implementation.

Civil society representatives and organizations should:

• Seek funding to ensure civil society CCM members have access to the capacity development opportunities.
• Communicate with the broader civil society sector and health care consumers, including grassroots and underserved communities, on a regular basis.
• Address potential conflicts of interest openly by being transparent about the financial involvement of civil society and other agencies represented on the CCM.

[PDF copy of report can be downloaded HERE.]