annual

report

2013

until we end aids

until we end aids

annual report 2013

W e e nv is io n an e n d to the AID S
pa n de m i c thro ugh uni ve rsal ac c e ss
t o H IV pr e ve n ti o n , tre atme n t, care
a n d s u ppo rt w i thi n a h uman ri gh ts
fr a m e w or k . O u r missio n i s to mo bi l i z e
a n d s u ppo r t di ve rse c o mmu ni ti e s f o r
a n e ffe c t i v e re spo n se to e n d th e AID S
pa n de m i c .

Let's End AIDS

TOGETHER
2

message from the

Executive

R
O
T
C
E
R
I
D
We believe

that the end of AIDS is in sight.

Everything we do is dedicated to making this a reality.
Even when faced with the enormous challenges of a virus that
continues to spread in spite of existing effective prevention
efforts, we do not give up. Rather, we tackle the problem of
insufficient comprehensive prevention efforts or ones that are
not tailored to local epidemics through a community-driven
response.

It means ensuring that community-driven evidence that may

otherwise be lost, is captured so as to contribute to the global
HIV response. It also means that we can measure our impact
against our organizations goals. If we look three years ahead,
will we be able to say that indeed, the fully rolled-out Global
Fund new funding model was influenced by evidence-based
advocacy related to Country Coordinating Mechanisms structure
and functions? Have we fulfilled our accountability role in

improving civil society monitoring systems? And have we remained committed to the
values that drive our organization supporting the many advocates and community
members in playing a lead role in the response to HIV? In other words, have we kept
our promise to continue our work until we end AIDS?
All of this can happen if we continue to focus squarely on the global community
responding to HIV, of which we are a part. Together, we share the many hopes and
setbacks, not giving up, because we know that community-based advocacy and
evidence has the power to bring about a more just world for those living with and
affected by the disease, to effect change, and to make sure that health investment
dollars and other resources work better.
We do all of this with a vision driven by accountability and effectiveness, the power of
partnerships, and recognizing that our decisions are guided by those who are directly
affected by the epidemic. It is this reality that inspired me to focus on the need to
end criminalization and discriminatory laws affecting people living with HIV and key
populations, when I participated in a United Nations panel discussion on AIDS and
Development: Accountability and Results for 2015 and Beyond during the AIDS review
meeting in 2013. And it is a vision that continues to inform our work as we started
preparing for the AIDS 2014 conference as a member of the Conference Coordinating
Committee and for our joint post-2015 advocacy.
For more than 20 years we have committed to working with individuals and
communities affected by HIV. It has been a long journey, and one that is not yet over.
We will continue to do this because we believe that only if communities are part of the
solution and involved in effecting change, will we end AIDS.
Mary Ann Torres
Executive Director

until we end aids

from

S
L
A
O
G
to community-driven
ACTI ON
For us,

the most effective response

to the epidemic and the way to bring about change for the
better is to work with civil society and the communities
responding to the disease. Therefore, ICASOs response to HIV
is grounded in the community the people we work with and
who continue to inspire us in our everyday response to HIV. By
being grounded in the community, we can achieve our goals that
relate to: leadership and advocacy; community engagement on
emerging policies and issues; ensuring that strong community
systems are in place for health and rights; and a commitment to
a strong global community movement.

In 2013, our activities focused on translating these strategic

goals into demonstrable outcomes and actions: Global Fund
advocacy; the prevention of vertical transmission of HIV;
the Post-2015 Development Agenda; the International AIDS
Conference; and the Robert Carr Research Award and Memorial
Lecture.
Four areas frame our work: policy analysis and strategic
information-gathering, paying special attention to communitybased research; building the capacity of community leaders
to act as strong advocates and stewards of community-based
structures for HIV mobilization and engagement; advocacy for
accountability for evidence-based and human rights-based
approaches, and for the strategic use of HIV resources for
maximum impact; and developing networks to support an HIV
movement that contributes more broadly to health, human rights
and gender equality. This is the central focus of our theory of
change, and in this way, as part of the community responding
to HIV, we can effect change at the structural macro level to
ensure positive changes with regard to policies; the intermediate
level to ensure ongoing and substantive public debate about
HIV; and at the micro level to encourage positive shifts in
individuals knowledge, beliefs and behaviors about HIV and
AIDS. Because to end AIDS, we need change.

.
S
ID
A
d
n
e
lp
e
h
to
t
n
if you wa

..
7

. . . TcoHmmINunitKy

ationd strategic inform

Policy analysis an
to
special attention
gathering, paying
research.
community-based

. . . BaUderIsLD

le

ers to act
of community lead
ty
ci
pa
ca
e
th
g
in
Build
of communitytes and stewards
as strong advoca
ion and
for HIV mobilizat
based structures
engagement.

H
. . . PsUtroS
ng approach
a
for

and human
r evidence-based
fo
y
lit
bi
ta
un
co
ac
Advocacy for
tegic use of HIV
, and for the stra
es
ch
oa
pr
ap
d
se
rights-ba
imum impact.
resources for max

CT
E
N
. . . CllaO
N
+ co borate
orks to
Developing netw
ovement that
support an HIV m
broadly to
contributes more
hts and gender
health, human rig
equality.

Y
T
I
N
U
M
M
CleaO
y
c
a
c
o
v
d
a
d
n
a
ip
h
s
r
e
d
Throughout 2013 we focused on
fa cilita ting com m unity l eadershi p
a nd advocacy on the Globa l Fund's
Country Coordina ting Mecha nism s,
A IDS 2014, the prevention of
vertica l tra nsm ission, a nd the post2015 developm ent a genda .

11

community leadership and advocacy

A
M
G
I
T
S
cial
ti
r
e
v
f
o
n
o
ti
n
e
v
e
r
p
and
transmission of HIV

The prevention

of vertical transmission
of HIV project was implemented in India, Ivory
Coast, Cameroon, Indonesia and Ethiopia. The
final report, Stories of Stigma, Stories of Hope:
Experiences of Pregnant Women and Mothers
Living with HIV is a powerful reminder of the
stigma and discrimination that pregnant women
and mothers living with HIV still face in many
parts of the world, daily.

12

THE COU R A GE of women an d moth ers in sh arin g th eir stories can n ot

be u n derestimated. As th e
E xecu tive Director of UNAI DS, Mich el Sidib, said:
This work t akes us anot her st ep closer t o zero discriminat ion. Daxa Patel of
th e Gu jarat State Network
of People L ivin g with HI V/
AI DS (GSNP+ ) referred to
th e report as an eye opener for t he net work.

In memory of Robert Carr, an unfailing and

passionate advocate for those marginalized
and excluded by society.

13

community leadership and advocacy

5
1
0
2
T
S
O
P pment process
develo

In partnership

A KEY outcom e of this

joint a dvoca cy wa s the
UN A IDS PCB ca lling for
a high-level m eeting on
A IDS to review progress
on the im plem enta tion
of the 2011 Political
Decla ra tion on A IDS.

with Stop AIDS Alliance (SAA!) and International

Civil Society Support (ICSS), ICASO continues to
lead the work of the Civil Society Working Group
on AIDS (CSWG) in the post-2015 development
process. The working group was created to
strengthen the involvement of civil society
and key populations in the post-2015 process.
Ongoing work includes developing joint advocacy
strategies to ensure that AIDS is included in the
post-2015 debate.

14

15

community leadership and advocacy

global fund

Y
C
A
C
O
V
AD
The Eastern European
Harm Reduction Network (EHRN), a long-term partner of ICASO,
was selected as a regional early applicant under the Global
Funds new funding model. It is an important opportunity, with
many lessons to be learned, and ICASO provided support to
EHRN to document and communicate the process of developing
a regional civil society concept note for the Global Fund. ICASO
also partnered with Health Gap to do an assessment of the
challenges and opportunities EHRN encountered during the
process of preparing, negotiating and beginning to implement
their regional civil society application under the new funding
model.

16

THI S WOR K led to specific r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s t o t h e

Globa l Fund a nd pa rtners tha t
em pha sized the critica l role,
involvem ent a nd pa rticipa tion
of civil society a nd key a ffected popula tion in ea ch step of
the process tha t drives the
new funding m odel.

17

community leadership and advocacy

global fund

Y
C
A
C
O
V
AD
Along with
International Civil Society Support
(ICSS) and the Global Fund Delegations,
ICASO discussed the lessons and
recommendations in the development
of the first three pilot concept notes
related to the new funding model. ICASO
presented its lessons learned related to
its support work, with an emphasis on
brokering and providing technical support
to civil society organizations.

18

THI S CON TR I B U TED to the

developm ent of the Joint Civil Society A ction Pla n (JCSA P)
tha t builds on the known
needs of civil society a nd key
a ffected com m unities in support of their enga gem ent with
the Globa l Fund a nd ea rly lessons lea rned in the roll out of
the new funding m odel. It a lso
provides recom m enda tions for
concrete a ction, a ppropria te
ca pa city a nd division of la bour
for the Globa l Fund Secreta ria t, the technica l pa rtners a nd
civil society a nd key com m unities orga niza tion a nd/or networks.

19

community leadership and advocacy

Robert Carr

H
C
R
A
E
S
E
R
Award
Human Rights Watch, the International AIDS
Society and the John Hopkins University
Bloomberg School of Public Health have all
lent support to ICASO for the Robert Carr
Research Award. The award, to be inaugurated
during AIDS 2014, promotes projects that
demonstrate how community-relevant evidence
and research findings inform advocacy efforts
and strategies. This award is unique among
the prizes presented at the International AIDS
Conferences. It addresses the need for high-

20

quality, methodologically rigorous scientific

research in the rapidly evolving field of HIV
and human rights. It also speaks to the need
to use research findings to strengthen human
rights protections for populations affected
by HIV, and inform advocacy efforts.
The Robert Carr Research Award is
awarded in memory of Dr. Robert Carr who
passed away in 2011. Robert was a tireless
leader in the AIDS response and for years
worked to find genuine solutions to the
AIDS pandemic. He always advocated
that comprehensive responses to AIDS
must address issues of vulnerability
and stigma, and believed passionately
in the need to address the underlying
structural issues that continue to
deny people their basic rights. In
particular, he demanded that AIDS
responses challenge the continued
marginalization and vulnerability to
HIV of men who have sex with men,
transgender people, sex workers,
and people who use drugs.

21

T
SforUthePgloPbaOl HR
IV community

e
u
s
is
y
c
li
o
p
n
o
e
g
a
g
to en

ICASO
played
an
important
role
dissem ina ting i nf orm at i on, anal ysi s a nd
t ool s a bout releva nt HIV issues to key
com m unity sta keholders in 2013 . We
focused on our core work rela ted to the
Globa l Fund a nd UN A IDS, A IDS 2014, a nd
prepa ring for the post-2015 developm ent
process.

22

23

support for the global HIV community to engage on policy issues

B
C
P
S
D
I
A
N
U

D
N
U
F
L
A
B
G L O advocacy

After almost three years

as host, ICASO successfully handed over the Communications
Facility of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board NGO
Delegation at the beginning of the year.

ICASO produced
a policy brief on the concerns of key populations that synthesized
the challenges and opportunities presented by the Global Funds
new funding model, as well as some partners recommendations.

A N I MPOR TA N T com ponent of the a dvoca cy

a genda is the need for increa sed ca pa city a nd
knowledge of key popula tion groups to enga ge
in the new funding m odel. ICA SO a lso produced
a guida nce note for sta nda rd a pplica nts under
the new funding m odel. This tool describes key
elem ents of the new funding m odel a nd suggests steps tha t civil society a dvoca tes ca n
ta ke to ensure m ea ningful pa rticipa tion in the
design, im plem enta tion a nd oversight of Globa l
Fund-rela ted projects.

24

25

support for the global HIV community to engage on policy issues

ICASO in partnership with

late
e
-r
y
c
li
o
p
l
a
b
lo
g
r
e
oth

3
1
0
2
N
I
K
R
WO
ICASO supported

the Inter-Agency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD),

hosted a civil society roundtable with the Executive Director of
the Global Fund in Ottawa. Participants shared key advocacy
messages with the Global Fund, and had an opportunity to
engage with the organizations head, Mark Dybul, who attended
the meeting the only non-governmental one during his visit to
Canada. It was live cast to allow people from around the world
to participate.
Interagency
Coalition on AIDS
and Development

Coalition
interagence sida
et dveloppement

advocates to attend the 56th

Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna.
For the first time an HIV resolution was adopted that
refers to people who use drugs and not addicts or
drug abusers or other pejorative terms. This continued
interaction has opened the door to further collaboration
in 2014 and beyond, particularly for the United Nations
General Assembly Special Session on drugs in 2016.

ICASO co-hosted a side-event

during the 68th Session of the General Assembly focused on
youth and key populations the only HIV-focused and youthfocused event during the General Assembly. Building a Civil
Society Common Agenda aimed at helping civil society
engage with the process and providing them with common key
messages for their advocacy.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE UNITED NATIONS

26

27

support for the global HIV community to engage on policy issues

5
1
0
2
T
S
O
P development agenda
HIV-centered

political commitments
and designated funding to address the AIDS epidemic is
central to Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6. This
concerted action towards Universal Access has led to
significant progress in many countries, which however,
remains unequal. Key populations continue to bear
the brunt of the epidemic and face greater barriers to
accessing services to promote their health and dignity.

28

DI SCU SSI ON S A MON G key sta keholders (including a ctivists focusing on TB , m a la ria , a n d s e x u a l a n d
r e p r o d u c t i v e hea lth a nd rights)
identified the need to develop joint
stra tegies, a genda s, a nd a ctions
between now a nd Septem ber 2015
to influence the outcom es of the
Millennium Developm ent Sum m it
a nd the new developm ent fra m ework post-2015.

29

strong community

S
M
E
T
S
Y
Sfor health and rights

In 2013 , we continued to
ra ise awareness of the need
for good, strong hea lth a nd
com m unity system s tha t will
deliver qual i t y servi ces to a ll
people, when a nd where they
need them .

31

strong community systems for health and rights

Y
T
I
N
U
M
M
O
C systems strengthening

The IOTT was created to increase

awareness, overall understanding,
and profile of community systems as
a critical component of any effective
response to HIV, TB and malaria.

ICASO serves as the

Secretariat for the Inter-Organization Task Team (IOTT)
on Community Systems Strengthening (CSS). This multistakeholder group advised the Global Fund Secretariat
on issues related to CSS, particularly the development of
modules and the integration of CSS into these modules
to respond to the needs of the new funding model.
ICASO co-hosted a face-to-face meeting of the IOTT at
the Global Fund Secretariat to reorganize, recommit and
produce a 2-3 year roadmap outlining the role of the
IOTT in moving the CSS agenda forward. In addition,
based on feedback from key CSS experts and advocates,
ICASO produced a Question and Answer Guide to
CSS for community advocates and technical support
providers to increase their understanding of what CSS
is and how it can be used for maximum benefit by
communities.

32

ICASO produced a
Question and Answer
Guide to CSS

33

strong community systems for health and rights

country

G
N
I
T
A
N
I
D
R
COOmechanisms
ICASO provided support
to Southern African AIDS Trust (SAT) to organize a meeting of
CCM civil society representatives in Southern Africa at ICASA
2013 in Cape Town. It provided an opportunity to share insights,
identify gaps and opportunities, and develop joint strategies for
action. Parallel to this, ICASO synthesized lessons learnt over
the course of the Open Society Institute(OSI)-supported CCMII
and CCMIII projects. CCMII and CCMIII are advocacy projects
designed to document and address some of the obstacles
to meaningful civil society engagement in CCMs. ICASOs
intervention included highlighting strategies that proved useful
in improving community sector engagement in CCMs, and the
persistent challenges hindering this engagement. In addition,
ICASO supported Positive Generation (PG) in Cameroon (a
partner under CCMII and CCMIII) to document the restructuring
process of the CCM as a good practice of civil society
strengthening and engaging in national processes.

34

THE GLOB A L FU N D la unched the CCM

Key A ffected Popula tions (KA P) Enga gem ent Pilot (pilot) in June 2013 to
support grea ter enga gem ent within
the country coordina ting m echa nism s
of representa tives of key a ffected popula tions a nd people living with the disea ses, a nd to enha nce their intera ction
with their constituencies. The Globa l
Fund selected ICA SO to conduct the
officia l a ssessm ent a nd eva lua tion of
the pilot, which will be com pleted a t
the end of 2014.

35

a strong global

Y
T
I
N
U
M
M
COHIV movement

One of our aims in building a strong global

community HIV movement is to maximize
shared effectiveness and efficiency of support
for community mobilization and leadership in
the HIV response. We do this by assessing and
pursuing options for consolidations, mergers,
co-locations and other approaches with key
partners. ICASO continues to forge new
partnerships - with International Civil Society
Support (ICSS) and StopAids Alliance - to host
the coordination function of the Civil Society
Working Group on post-2015 advocacy.

36

37

a strong global community HIV movement

HIV must be part of the post-2015 development agenda if the gains

made over the last decade are not to be lost. ICASOs work is focused
on making sure that the voices of people living with HIV and key
populations are front and center in the global debate and process.
This means support for community AIDS advocates and in particular
key populations networks to convene, develop advocacy strategies,
mobilize broader community action (including linking with youth, sexual
and reproductive health rights, and other activists), and to participate
in key processes, at global, regional and national levels. It is a huge
undertaking, and to facilitate the process, ICASO created an interactive
tool* that allows advocates to follow the process of developing the post
-2015 development agenda and identify key advocacy entry points and
milestones.

looking

AHEAD

As we look ahead, we see

how much work still needs to be done. At the end of
2012, an estimated 35.3 million people were living with
HIV worldwide; two-thirds of them living in sub-Saharan
Africa. However, the significant expansion of access to
antiretroviral therapy has helped reduce AIDS-related
deaths in recent years, with the number of people dying
of AIDS-related complications falling to 1.6 million in 2012,
down from 2.2 million in the mid-2000s.
ICASO and its partners will continue our commitment to
build community capacity and champion its involvement
at country-level, and mobilize and strengthen the
community sector to ensure engagement and centrality
at a policy level and meetings such as the International
AIDS Conference. We will also continue to facilitate
the capacity of affected communities to engage with,

38

* see http://www.icaso.org/timeline

39

participate in, and monitor and hold to account HIV

initiatives, whether at the national, regional or global
level, including ensuring that health funding reaches
those who need it most.

our

DONORS

As we look forward, ICASO will continue to:

40

Support the engagement of civil society in a

funding environment that is less supportive;

Support civil society to gather evidence and

demonstrate the value of their involvement and of
civil society-led activities;

Advocate with the Global Fund and other

stakeholders to continue maintaining their
commitment to partnerships with communities;

Support civil society to make a case for their

continued or increased involvement at national
level to decision makers;

Advocate for technical assistance and technical

support at the national level where regional and
global funding has been cut.

ICASOs support to community organisations responding to HIV and

AIDS would not have been possible without the generous support of
our donors and partner organizations, including:

41

Statement of Financial Position

December 31, 2013, with comparative information for 2012

L
FINAinfoNrmCatioIA
n

2013

Assets
Current assets:
Cash
Short-term investments
Accounts receivable
Prepaid expenses and deposits

Statement of Operations
Year ended December 31, 2013, with comparative information for 2012
2013
Revenue:
Grants and contributions
Interest
Other
Expenses (recovery):
Salaries and benefits
Professional fees
Occupancy
Regional and country technical support
Travel - meetings held abroad
Travel and accommodation
Office and general
Amortization of capital assets
Foreign exchange (gain) loss

Excess (deficiency) of revenue over expenses

42

2012
Capital assets

884,406
1,892
12,191
898,489

469,851
165,420
76,957
69,460
45,295
32,993
29,496
3,794
(26,776)
866,490
$

2012

31,999

1,638,399
4,630
18,332
1,661,361
749,086
236,101
70,069
392,317
30,789
109,766
49,077
7,395
18,238
1,662,838

(1,477)

559,777 $
375,120
56,123
11,679
1,002,699
4,308

1,007,007 $

354,698
533,039
155,385
7,646
1,050,768
7,123
1,057,891

Liabilities and Net Assets

Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

Deferred contributions:
Expenses of future periods
Net assets:
Invested in capital assets
Internally restricted net assets
Unrestricted

56,320 $

45,712

156,509

250,000

4,308
529,818
260,052
794,178

7,123
529,818
225,238
762,179

1,007,007 $

1,057,891

43

until we end aids

Tel +1.416.921.0018
Fax +1.416.921.9979
www.icaso.org
Contact us: icaso@icaso.org
65 Wellesley St. E., Suite 403
Toronto ON Canada M4Y 1G7

designed by harold@nsitu.ca