NATIONAL ACTION PLAN ON HIV & TB RESPONSE AGREED AMONG KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN KENYA

“This forum comes at the most opportune time, because it will offer an incredible opportunity to all stakeholders from the governments and civil society, to sit down and formulate action plans to carry forward policy reform and guarantee access to HIV services for Key and affected populations.” Said Mr. Ambrose Rachier, KELIN Board Chairperson, during his opening remarks at the National Action Plan workshop on strengthening the legal and policy environment for HIV and TB response.

The national action plan meeting was conducted on 9 – 10 March at the Windsor Golf Hotel, in Kiambu County. It was an activity under the Africa Regional HIV Grant – Removing Legal Barriers, financed by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for a period of three years. The meeting, focused on carrying forward recommendations of the two legal environment assessment on laws and policies affecting access to HIV and TB services for key populations. These assessments were conducted by NACC and KELIN in 2013 and 2016 respectively.

The objective of the forum was to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to critique recommendations made in the legal environment assessments, formulate action plans and timelines that would guide efforts at strengthening the legal environment for HIV and TB response. Also, the meeting sought to build partnerships for policy, strategy and law reforms for effective HIV & TB response in Kenya

This forum was attended by 64 participants including law enforcement officers, lawyers, the office of the Attorney General, health care workers, human rights institutions, Ministry of Health, National AIDS Control Council (NACC), National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP), civil society organizations and representatives from the key population community.

At the end of the meeting, participants committed to taking forward a number of action points including:

  • Creating an enabling legal and social environment for key population through enhancing access to justice and legal and/or policy reform on laws and policies affecting key population.
  • Promoting human rights for key population through improving public participation and inclusion of key population community in legislative processes and decision making forums.
  • Improving and sustaining access to health services for key population by sensitizing and strengthening the capacity of key actors and stakeholders.

To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our social media platforms: Twitter: @KELINkenya using these hash tags: #StrentheningResponse; Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya

For more information, contact:

Ted Wandera

Program Officer, Key & Affected Populations

Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV/AIDS (KELIN)

4th Floor, Somak Building, Mombasa Road

Tel +254202515790; Cell +254708389870

Email:twandera@kelinkenya.org