|
Joint
memorandum submitted by the Coalition Of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (
In reference to Annex 5 - Effectiveness of UK Aid in
pursuing the MDGs in the PSA countries (
Agricultural Subsidies
1) The Coalition Of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (COWLHA), the Malawi Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (MANET+) and One World Action (OWA)[1] would like to bring to the attention of the International Development Committee discrimination faced by people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Malawi which directly impacts the achievement of the MDGs especially MDG1, 3 & 6.
2) For Malawi to reach the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative completion stage, donors insisted that the Government of Malawi remove all agricultural subsidies and privatise the state marketing board, the Agriculture and Marketing Corporation. The decision to stop all subsidies in 1994 due to pressure from the donors actually resulted in widespread hunger and food insecurity as Malawi had no coping mechanisms in place.
3) Agricultural subsidies became the key election mandate in the 2004 elections. Going against the wishes of the donors the new government of President Bingu Mutharika announced fertilizer subsidies would be introduced in 2005-06 funded entirely by the Government of Malawi. Due to relatively effective distribution of the coupons and good and timely rains, Malawi had a bumper harvest and food insecurity was significantly reduced across the country. DFID and other donors then realised the vital role that agricultural subsidies could play in countries such as Malawi and decided to implement an extensive subsidies programme for the following year.
4) According to DFID, 2006-07 was also a successful year because actual wages increased, food prices remained low and acute food need disappeared. However, the picture on the ground is more complex.
5) We would like to raise the following concerns regarding the fertilizer coupons that were distributed as part of the agricultural subsidies scheme of the Government of Malawi from 2005-08 which DFID helped support:
a) Fertilizer coupons were distributed through the agricultural extension workers who first of all consulted village headpersons. Village headpersons are often aware of the HIV status of community members so discrimination faced by PLHIV can start at this level. Some village headpersons refused to distribute coupons to HIV positive persons because they were already 'half dead'.
b) As in the past, village headpersons were used by the ruling party to influence potential voters, so the fertilizer coupons became political tools. In many instances coupons were distributed to friends and relatives of headpersons.
c) Women living with HIV faced specific discriminated during coupon distribution which led to increased food insecurity for women headed households.
d) Rural communities in general have had difficulty in accessing fertiliser coupons.
e) Business people accessed the coupons and then began selling the fertilizer on the open market.
f) Coupon distribution for 2007-08 has been delayed to such an extent that it is too late now to use the fertilizer and for it to have any effect. This is particularly devastating for those who are dependent on the coupons.
6) These issues have contributed to a situation in Malawi where people - particularly women and PLHIV - are facing grave food insecurity and are forced to survive on one meal a day. Currently a small bucket of maize is being sold for MK600 by local traders (a prohibitive price for the majority).
7) Malawi has one of the highest HIV
prevalence rates in the world[2].
Out of a population of 12.3 million, almost one million people in
8) Issues of discrimination faced by PLHIV have to be directly addressed by DFID if they are to support the achievement of the MDGs, particularly MDG 1, 3 and 6.
9) DFID should take steps to ensure that agricultural subsidies schemes are assessed and then monitored on how they impact the most excluded and vulnerable sections of society. Bridging this gap between policy and implementation is crucial to achieving the MDGs and protecting the rights of women and PLHIV.
18 June 2008
ANNEXE 1
Coalition Of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (COWLHA)
COWLHA was formed on
June 29, 2006. They have 50,000 registered members from all districts of
COWLHA is now one of the strategic partners of the Ministry of women and the Office of the President and they have been selected as a winner of the Red Ribbon Award 2008. From a pool of over 560 organisations, the Technical Review Committee of the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) considered the action and leadership of COWLHA exceptional in terms of sustainability, adaptability, impact, innovation, empowerment, involving PLHIV and developing strategic partnerships.
MANET+ was established in 1997 as a coordinating and facilitating body with the main goal of promoting effective networking amongst associations and support groups of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). It was founded and run by PLHIV who felt the need to coordinate their activities and work towards common goals that will contribute to improving their lives.
MANET+ lobbies for representation of PLHIV at the district level on District Assemblies and District AIDS Task Forces. MANET+ sits on the board of the National AIDS Commission (NAC) as the official representative of PLHIV, a position they won through intensive lobbying. They are also part of the Coordinating Mechanism meetings of the Global Fund.
As part of the National Steering Committee, MANET+ coordinated the launch of the 25th Annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial on May 18, 2008. Initiated by the Global Health Council the Candlelight Memorial remembers those who have died of AIDS and raises awareness about the epidemic and the rights of those who live with it.
One World Action (OWA) OWA was founded by Glenys Kinnock on December 21 1989 in
memory of Bernt Carlsson, the former Swedish UN Commissioner for
|