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| Coalition of African Cities Against Racism and Discrimination launched in Nairobi, Kenya |
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| Within the framework of UNESCO’s initiative to create an International Coalition of Cities against Racism and Discrimination, the regional African coalition was launched in September 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya, on the occasion of the fourth Africities Summit (18-24 September 2006). |
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 Four cities have been called upon to take on the role of “lead city” – Bamako for West Africa, Durban for Southern Africa, Kigali for Central Africa and Nairobi for East Africa.
In a combination of efforts by the Mayor of Nairobi, UNESCO Nairobi and UNESCO’s Section of Struggle against Racism and Discrimination, a significant number of participants and cities attended the event, totaling over 150 participants, including 54 Mayors/Vice-Mayors of cities actively taking part in the session. All of them praised the efforts put towards the launching of this Coalition, and for the need for all cities on the continent to join it and to incorporate in their municipal policies, th ten commitments of the adopted Plan of Action. It should be noted that all 54 cities present, without exception, joined the Coalition by signing its accession form. Furthermore, the meeting enjoyed the presence of the former President of Benin, now Mayor of Cotonou, who is very knowledgeable and interested in the Coalition and, at the special invitation of the Mayor of Nairobi, made the trip to specifically attend the session.
It should also be noted that representatives of civil society groups, of networks of cities against AIDS as well as others have also decided to join in as associated members. We can also highlight the presence of representatives of the City of London (UK), members of the European Coalition, who for quite some time have been interested in the project in Africa. The event was also very widely covered in National media (TV, radio, newspapers) and a copy of two articles in the Daily Nation is also attached.
The programme of the African Coalition of Cities against Racism and Discrimination addresses all forms of discrimination.
In this regard, HIV and AIDS are one of the biggest challenges that Africa is facing. The rate of infection is rapidly increasing and more and more people are getting ill and dying from AIDS. Although AIDS has become very common, it is surrounded by silence. People living with HIV and AIDS are exposed to daily prejudice born out of ignorance and fear. We can not tackle the epidemic unless we can break the silence and remove the stigma and discrimination that surrounds it. The rights of people living with HIV and AIDS often are violated because of their presumed or known HIV status. This also contributes to the vulnerability of others to HIV infection, since HIV-related stigma and discrimination discourages individuals infected with and affected by HIV from contacting health and social services. The result is that those most needing information, education and counselling will not benefit even where such services are available. Women are most affected by this situation and face a double discrimination. Cause HIV related stigma and discrimination build upon and reinforce existing negative stereotypes and preconceptions related to sexuality, gender, race and poverty.
Against this background, UNESCO’s initiative African Coalition of Cities against Racism and Discrimination put HIV related stigma and discrimination as a priority in its agenda, and therefore organized a thematic panel on this issue on the occasion of its launching.
Prof. Babacar Kante: The Vice-President of the Senegalese Constitutional Council and the Legal Adviser of the Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders on HIV/AIDS in Africa and the UN- AMICAALL Partnership Programme, (Senegal); Dr Kevin Kelly, Director of the Centre for AIDS Development, Research and Evaluation Institute for Social and Economic Research, Rhodes University, and Editor of the African Journal on AIDS Research (South Africa); Ms Margaret Jobita, National Technical Advisor AMICAALL-Kenya; and Ms Nokuthula Mthembu, Mayor of Ezulwini, (Swaziland) participated the panel and their interventions were followed by the debates with the mayors and cities participating the launching.
Prof. Kante’s and Dr Kevin Kelly’s presentations conceptualized the framework of the panel. Prof. Kante addressed the importance of protection and promotion of Human Rights for an effective response to HIV and AIDS. Dr Kevin Kelly focused on the urbanization of AIDS and addressed HIV related stigma and discrimination as epidemiological problem and municipal governance priority. Mayor Mthembu’s and Ms Jobita’s presentations focused on their respective experiences from the ground.
The main theme of the panel was on HIV related stigma and discrimination and municipal-local policies and initiatives to tackle this issue. Some of the main issues and recommendations for local policies that were addressed at the panel were the following:
• The importance of protection and promotion of Human Rights for an effective response to HIV and AIDS
• The importance of addressing HIV related stigma and discrimination also as a major management issue.
• Promoting sustainable HIV mainstreaming in local government departments
• Involvement of civil society, people living with HIV and AIDS and all the main stakeholders, including business in local government initiatives.
• Development of a specific action plan to which the municipality can be held accountable
• Inclusion of AIDS funding in poverty reduction strategies
• Promotion of prevention, treatment and care oriented for groups most exposed to HIV
• Adoption of a human rights framework to justify a framework for accountability and action and access to procedural, institutional and other monitoring mechanisms for enforcing rights.
Cities and municipalities are well positioned to adopt key strategies in the development of a comprehensive response to HIV and AIDS. It is why an alliance of mayors and municipal leaders in Africa together with the United Nations Development Programme has developed the Alliance of Mayors Initiative for Community Action on AIDS at the Local Level- AMICAALL Initiative.
The UN-AMICAALL Partnership Programme collaborated with UNESCO for the organization of the above mentioned panel. And UNESCO wishes to explore and share future collaboration opportunities with the AMICAALL programme in the framework of its African Coalition of Cities against Racism and Discrimination which is being launched.
Related Links
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| Author(s) |
UNESCO - Social and Human Sciences Sector |
| Publication Date |
20-10-2006 |
| Source |
UNESCO |
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| File/document |
africa_plan_of_action.pdf |
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