EFAIDS looks ahead to 2009
The EI EFAIDS Evaluation and Planning Workshop for EI staff and partners was held in early September and provided an opportunity to review the Programme which has expanded steadily since 2006 and is now successfully implemented in almost fifty countries across four regions.
The three day meeting brought together EI staff, from the regional offices and head quarters, with partners from the World Health Organisation, the Education Development Center and the Global Campaign for Education-Real World Strategy to evaluate progress and identify priorities for the next year.
EI Coordinators from Africa, Asia Pacific, the Caribbean and Latin America presented the situation of education and HIV/AIDS in their regions and engaged in discussion and debate on how the programme can continue to work to promote quality education and contribute to combating HIV/AIDS.
Fred van Leeuven, General Secretary of Education International programme said “the enthusiastic feedback of unions involved is one of the most powerful indicators of a successful programme – EFAIDS is such a programme”. Attesting to the successful growth of the Programme he added, “the momentum of established programmes needs to be maintained and younger programmes fostered, as together we strive to maximise the reach of EFAIDS activities and advocacy at national and international level”.
Jan Dereymaeker, HIV/AIDS Coordinator at the International Trade Union Confederation highlighted the Global Unions AIDS Programme and the development of the ILO Recommendation on HIV/AIDS in the World of Work. This will be discussed at the ILO in 2009 and 2010. University of Amsterdam research student, Hermann Kruijer, presented the results of a survey on teachers’ motivation to join the teaching profession in Tanzania.
Regional workshops in the coming months will facilitate planning of union activities under the EI EFAIDS Programme.
