Last week I participated in Walking Faster and Reaching Farther: Strengthening Public Sector-NGO Partnerships in the AIDS Response, the final discussion in a four-part series on capacity development and country ownership hosted by AIDSTAR-Two.
This topic is very timely. Many local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) around the world depend on the Global Fund, PEPFAR, and other donor money to respond to HIV and support people living with the virus. But with diminishing donor funds expected, the funding base of these organizations is unstable. In many cases, they are not closely aligned with the Ministry of Health or other public-sector entities, and their relationships need strengthening. There are, however, some examples of local CSOs and NGOs working closely with the public sector, as well as examples of what it takes to strengthen both sectors to work together productively to assure an appropriate HIV response. Further strengthening of these partnerships is critical. Read more »