INPUD Director Stijn Goossens Nominated For United Nations Civil Society Task Force

INPUD Director Stijn Goossens
Nominated by ICASO

Dear all

On behalf of the Civil Society Support Mechanism, I would like to give you a quick update about the selection process for the UN Civil Society Task Force.

1. The Office of the President of the General Assembly requested the creation of a Civil Society Task Force to be convened to assist in key decisions relating to attendance and participation of civil society organizations in the UNGASS High Level Review Meeting to be held in New York on 10 and 11 of June, 2008. The role of representatives is unpaid but expenses and travel will be covered by UNAIDS.

2. The Support Group of the Civil Society Support Mechanism was requested to facilitate a call for nominations (sent in January 2008). Different HIV and AIDS community networks were requested to submit two to three nominations to be reviewed by members of the Support Group for the following constituency categories:

Networks of people living with HIV

- Networks of key populations:

i. People Who Use Drugs

ii. Sex Workers

iii. Men who have sex with men

- UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board NGO delegate

- Labor organizations

- Women’s organizations

- Youth Networks

- Faith-based organizations

- Civil Society Support Mechanism

3. These networks used their own process to select these nominations. It was left to each network’s discretion to identify and carry out their selection process.

4. The Support Group received 35 nominations. These nominations were assessed against an overall criteria set out in the terms of reference of the Task Force, including gender balance, at least one person from each major geographical region, a minimum of three of people living with HIV, representation of key populations and key issues, and to include people with experience of national review processes and of the 2006 Task Force.

5. The support group nominated 12 individuals (below) to be considered by the OPGA. The final decision rests with the President of the General Assembly.

6. Individuals nominated and recommended to the Task Force are:

Networks of people living with HIV:

Lilian Mworeko, Uganda,

National Forum of PLHA Networks in Uganda.

Elina Azaryan, Armenia,

Real World, Real People.

Rolake Odetoyinbo, Nigeria,

Positive Action Treatment Access.

Networks of key populations

Stijn Goossens, Belgium,

International Network of People Who Use Drugs

Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, India,

Dai Welfare Society (Sex Workers)

Robert Carr, Jamaica,

Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (Men having sex with men)

PCB NGO delegates

Vince Crisostomo, Guam/Thailand,

Seven Sisters Network

Labor sector

Syed Asif Altaf Chowdhury, Bangladesh,

International Transport Workers' Federation

Women’s organizations

Zonibel Woods, Canada,

International Women’s Health Coalition

Youth Networks

Claudia Ahumada, Chile,

World AIDS Campaign

Faith-based organizations

Linda Hartke, USA/Switzerland,

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance

Civil Society Support Mechanism

Kieran Daly, UK/Canada,

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations

7. Once the Office of the President of the General Assembly confirms the selection of individual members, more details will be provided.

8. It is planned that the first meeting of the Civil Society Task Force will take place 19 and 20 of February, which presents major logistical challenges (particularly visa and travel). Other options are being considered e.g. joint in-person and teleconference for first meeting.

9. Other nominations received outside the established process will be considered for other roles within the High Level Meeting, such as participants/speakers on the Civil Society Hearing and/or the panel discussions.

We thank the networks and organizations that nominated individuals for the Civil Society Task Force and the Support Group who reviewed a great pool of candidates and made its recommendations to the OPGA based on the agreed criteria.

Mary Ann Torres

Senior Policy Advisor

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO)

65 Wellesley St. E., Suite 403

Toronto, ON

Canada M4Y 1G7

Tel: +1 416 921 0018 ext. x 16

Fax: +1 416 921 9979

Work cell: +1 416 419 6338

Email: maryannt@icaso.org

Website: www.icaso.org

Mobilizing and supporting diverse community organizations to build an effective response to HIV and AIDS.

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