SAATHII advocates for HIV/AIDS in India and the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of government, UN agencies and civil society members - non-government, community-based, faith-based, private sector agencies and positive networks – as part of its capacity building efforts. SAATHII advocates for universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, care, support and treatment services, health and legal policy reforms and reduced stigma and discrimination for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and people vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

Universal Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care, Support and Treatment Services

The Problem: More than 1,500 HIV/AIDS service providers emerged since the first detection of HIV in India in 1986. Despite this significant response, universal access to prevention, care, support and treatment services remained and still remains a distant dream. The emphasis on stand-alone prevention programs continues despite worldwide evidence that care, support and treatment programs not only alleviate the suffering of PLWHA but also help fight stigma and discrimination and increase effectiveness and reach of prevention services. Moreover, India supplies some of the cheapest ARV drugs to other countries but availability of the same drugs within India is limited.

The Project: Beginning as early as its founding in February 2000, S AATHII has adopted a two-pronged approach to promote universal access to prevention, care, support and treatment services. This approach involves advocacy for the development of integrated treatment and prevention programs (where treatment propels prevention) coupled with advocacy for a more balanced and fair pricing of ARV drugs. Steps taken by SAATHII towards universal access include 1) high-powered meetings and consultations with multilateral United Nations bodies, pharmaceutical companies, Indian government agencies and PLWHA networks, as well as 2) preparation and dissemination of background papers.

SAATHII's Role: SAATHII serves as a facilitator and/or participant of high powered meetings and coordinates the preparation and dissemination of background papers.

Project Impact: Advocacy-related efforts often take a long time to show concrete or visible impact. However, the collective immediate-term impact that SAATHII's advocacy activities have had was best reflected during the India satellite meeting SAATHII organized at the 15 th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok in 2004 – “Scaling Up Prevention and Treatment Services: A National Movement Towards Universal Access”. This meeting involved key speakers from the Indian government, international funding and policy- making bodies and Indian PLWHA Networks. More than 200 participants from India, Asia Pacific and the Indian Diaspora attended the meeting. The number and profile of people who participated showed that universal access issues have caught the imagination of a wide cross-section of people involved in HIV/AIDS work.

Project Funder: Conference Organizers; SAATHII; and Collaborators.

Health and Legal Policy Reforms

The Problem: India's policy environment – particularly with regard to health and legal issues – has been minimally conducive to HIV/AIDS related work. In a democratic system, the involvement of political leaders as “prime movers and shakers” is crucial towards creating an environment where HIV/AIDS services can be delivered and received effectively. Greater involvement of political leaders can enhane grassroots-level

HIV/AIDS related resource allocation, mobilize public opinion favorably towards PLWHA and help in framing laws and policies that are non-discriminatory and protect particularly vulnerable sections of society.

The Project: Since February 2000, SAATHII has been participating in nationwide efforts to involve political leaders in the HIV/AIDS movement and to frame humane and futuristic laws concerning HIV/AIDS, PLWHA and particularly vulnerable sections like women and children, injecting drug users and males who have sex with males (MSM). SAATHII's activities in this regard have so far included participation in HIV/AIDS forums involving political leaders, consultations for drafting HIV/AIDS related legislation, and campaigns for reform of laws concerning sexual behaviors/preferences and substance use.

SAATHII's Role: SAATHII serves as facilitator and/or a participant of forums and campaigns.

Project Impact: SAATHII's role as facilitator has helped increase the number and diversity of individuals and organizations involved in these advocacy and reformative processes.

Project Funder: UNAIDS India and Lawyers Collective, India.

Reduced Stigma and Discrimination for PLWHA and People Vulnerable to HIV/AIDS

The Problem: AIDS as an issue of public health concern is still peripheral in importance for the general public in India. It is largely seen as the “other person's disease” or the “bad person's disease”. As a result sensitivity towards HIV/AIDS issues and PLWHA is still low, stigma and discrimination widespread, demand for quality HIV/AIDS and related services low and accountability among service providers oftn non-existent. This calls for concerted awareness and advocacy activities directed at the general public through various forms of mass media to which most people relate to easily and on a daily basis.

The Project: Since early 2003, SAATHII has undertaken a number of arts-related and newspaper-based advocacy activities. Some major activities include 1) the annual Siddhartha Gautam Film Festival on AIDS and sexuality organized in the memory of the late Siddhartha Gautam, one of the earliest and pioneering AIDS activists, 2) ‘Positive Lives' – a dance visual montage that advocates for elimination of stigma and discrimination against PLWHA and seeks to raise funds in support of PLWHA self help groups, 3) newspaper advertisement campaigns with HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support related messages and supplemented with public events that involve film and theatre shows and 4) fund raiser cultural events and get-togethers in support of PLWHA, particularly children living with HIV/AIDS or orphaned because of HIV/AIDS.

SAATHII's Role: SAATHII serves as project coordinator.

Project Impact: More than 100,000 people in West Bengal and other parts of India have been reached through the mass media based AIDS advocacy activities so far, while the fund raisers have managed to channel at least Rs.30,000 to agencies working with PLWHA in Calcutta, Chennai and Hyderabad. The film festival and “Positive Lives” initiative have received wide media coverage. The film festival in particular has made several pioneering films from India, USA, Canada and Pakistan accessible not only to the general public but also to HIV/AIDS service providers and resource centers.

Project Funder: Elton John AIDS Foundation, UK; West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society, India; SAATHII and Collaborators.