Journalist Against AIDS (JAAIDS) has joined other counterparts across the globe to mark the Global Week of Action for the Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Global Fund).
The Global Week of Action which is being coordinated by Civil Society for Malaria Elimination (CS4ME), Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN), GFAN Africa, and GFAN Asia-Pacific (GFAN AP), is focused on drawing the attention of donors, implementers, and countries, to contribute resources of at least 18 Billion dollars to the Global Fund.
To this effect, JAAIDS as a member of GFAN Africa and local organizer for the Global Week of Action campaign in Nigeria held a meeting for the production of campaign materials and signing of letters to the embassies of the donor countries.
Speaking at the meeting, Olayide Akanni, Executive Director of JAAIDs, shared that the essence of the Global Week of Action is to ensure that “countries invest their resources to tackle HIV, TB, and Malaria, and most importantly contribute at least 18 billion US dollars in the Global Fund.”
Akanni buttressed that “the Global Week of Action is anticipated to mobilize communities and civil society collectively to create momentum around the Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund at the national, regional, and global levels through gathering communities and civil society to come together collectively through action.
“Raise awareness through the diplomatic channels of donor embassies of the Global Fund for the Seventh Replenishment using key messages of the Investment Case presented at the Preparatory Meeting, and build and/or strengthen partnerships nationally, including with donor embassies.”
She explained that the campaign symbols of the Global Week of Action are the origami paper crane and elephant, “the origami paper crane is a traditional Japanese handicraft. The crane is a symbol of success and good fortune in Japanese culture and the origami paper crane is a symbol of peace, love, hope, and healing during challenging times.
“Many African cultures revere the African elephant as a symbol of strength and power, and it is used to represent wisdom, strength, royalty, and moral and spiritual strength.”
Participants drawn from various Civil Society Groups and media were involved in the folding of the origami paper crane and elephants which would be delivered to the embassies, alongside letters of request.