EI attends IATT Meeting on Education and HIV and AIDS
The Inter Agency Task Team on Education and HIV and AIDS (IATT) is composed of UN agencies, bilateral donor agencies and civil society representatives. The group of approximately 20 members convenes twice a year to exchange views and discuss issues related to HIV, AIDS and Education. EI attended the most recent meeting, which took place in Washington in May.
The recent IATT meeting had a full agenda which focused on 6 main points:
1. IATT review of case study on coordination efforts: A review was made in 4 countries (Jamaica, Kenya, Zambia, Thailand) focusing on the level of coordination and information sharing between education and health authorities, donor agencies, UN Agencies and civil society organisations. The findings are preliminary but already indicate that there is a lot of room for improvement. In Jamaica, Kenya and Zambia consultation meetings were held with EI affiliates.
2. EFA Fast Track Initiative and HIV/AIDS This involved the discussion of a new study which highlights the absence of HIV/AIDS considerations in the Fast Track Initiative.
3. Greater involvement of Teachers Living with HIV and AIDS The IATT noted that one of the main priorities for the coming period would be the involvement of teachers living with AIDS. EI fully supports this initiative and is about to publish a new toolkit on the issue entitled ‘Inclusion is the Solution.’
4. Gender Safe School Toolkit EI discussed its second upcoming publication, ‘Building a gender friendly school environment.’ The kit offers a set of tools to help educators and unions to promote gender safety, equity and equality in schools. The document was explained and it led to a good discussion and considerable interest from other members of the IATT.
5. Global Monitoring Report and HIV Mark Richmond of UNESCO reported on the plans for the Global Monitoring Report 2008.
6. Girls education and HIV and AIDS At the International AIDS Conference in Toronto last August, a plenary session was held on ‘Girls Education and HIV and AIDS’. A follow up event took place at the 2007 UN Commission on the Status of Women. The theme was “The elimination of all forms of violence against the girl child”. A document was distributed detailing the outcomes of the Commission on the Status of Women as related to education and HIV/AIDS.
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