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THE ROBERT CARR CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORKS FUND
(RCNF) was launched in Washington DC in July 2012 in memory of
Dr Robert Carr and his work in protecting the human rights of
vulnerable communities. The fund aims to support global and
regional civil society networks, addressing critical factors for
scaling up access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support,
as well as protecting the rights of inadequately served populations
(ISP) across the world.
The RCNF responds
to the reduction in
adequate and reliable
funding for networks. At
country level, inadequate
attention is paid to the
communities
and
populations most in need
of
effective
HIV
prevention, treatment, care and support, to the protection of their
human rights, and to overturning stigma and discrimination.
Inadequately served populations include people living with HIV, gay
men and other men who have sex with men, people who use
drugs, prisoners, sex workers and transgender people. In a
number of localities, women and girls, youth, migrants and people
living in rural areas could also be considered ISP.
Civil society networks play a crucial role in addressing barriers
to universal access to HIV-services and play a strong role in
advocacy by securing the voice and leadership of the communities
and populations most affected by HIV. When properly resourced
and effective, many networks influence important policy
developments that lead to more effective and efficient national and
local programmes.
The RCNF is overseen by an International Steering Committee
(ISC), bringing together the founding donors, the governments of
Norway, the UK and US, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
(BMGF), as well as representatives of global and regional civil
society networks. The ISC is advised on funding by a Programme
Advisory Panel (PAP) and the fund is supported by a Fund
Management Agent, Aids Fonds.
The RCNF funded 24 networks in its inaugural year, and has
recently announced the second request for proposals. More
information at www.robertcarrfund.org
Harm Reduction International, the Eurasian Harm Reduction
Network and the International Network of People who Use Drugs
are hosting a forum for conference delegates to meet
representatives of the Robert Carr civil society Networks Fund and
ask questions about the fund and the application process, on
Monday, 10 June at 3pm–4.30pm in The Delta Room, 23rd
Floor, Radisson Blu Hotel.
6 –
Daily Update
– Monday 10 June 2013
Robert Carr civil
society Networks
Fund hosts Q&A
ACROSS THE WORLD
, civil
society organisations play an
important role in promoting
alternative drug policies that are
grounded in human rights and
public health,
writes Ann Fordham
.
Civil society can hold govern-
ments to account for the harms of
ineffective, repressive policies,
and help to ensure the supportive
policy environments in which harm
reduction services can operate
effectively. These groups have helped to build the global
momentum in favour of drug policy reform.
In order to further build the capacity of civil society around
the world, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) has
been working alongside the Eurasian Harm Reduction
Network (EHRN) and other partners to develop a com-
prehensive drug policy training toolkit. The toolkit is the only
resource of its kind focusing on global drug policy reform, and
its goal is to help advocates understand and influence drug
policy making processes at home and abroad.
The toolkit is the result of several years of development and
the delivery of IDPC training sessions in Poland, the
Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Kenya. It has been
designed to allow IDPC, EHRN and a wide range of other
individuals and organisations to deliver workshops on drug
policy advocacy. It is an open access resource, meaning that
anyone is free to download, use and adapt the materials for
their own needs.
The toolkit includes a number of activities, presentations
and exercises, all designed to keep participants engaged
and active. These range from the ‘tree of good drug policy’
to the creation of ‘advocacy action plans’, and the activities
are split into four modules – the current drug control system,
effective drug policy, harm reduction advocacy, and civil
society engagement in drug policy advocacy. To deliver
every activity in the toolkit would take about a fortnight, so
instead it is meant as a menu from which a facilitator can
pick and choose the activities which best suit their context,
audience and timeframe.
The toolkit will be launched at a special lunchtime event
on
Monday 10 June, from 12.45 – 13.45 in the Sky Bar of
the Radisson Blu Hotel
, followed by a one-day sample
training event on
Thursday 13 June
– also in the Radisson
Blu Hotel. Visit www.idpc.net, or contact jbridge@idpc.net,
for more information.
Ann Fordham is executive director of the International Drug
Policy Consortium
Equipping people
to influence policy