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WACI Health Executive Director Rosemary Mburu Named to TIME100 Health

Portrait of Rosemary Mburu, 2026 honoree from the Time100 Health List

WACI Health Executive Director Rosemary Mburu Named to TIME100 Health

NAIROBI, KENYA — WACI Health is proud to announce that Executive Director Rosemary Mburu has been named to the 2026 TIME100 Health List, an annual ranking of the 100 most influential individuals transforming the global health landscape.

The honour recognises Rosemary’s visionary advocacy and reflects the collective impact of WACI Health and our partners in strengthening civil society leadership in Africa and globally.

This recognition comes at a critical juncture when civil society leadership is essential to driving health equity and sustainable financing for health for the continent. As traditional development assistance undergoes massive realignments, WACI Health has been at the forefront of championing global solidarity expressed through multilateral institutions such as the Global Fund, domestic resource mobilisation, sustainable financing for health, regional manufacturing, and health sovereignty.

Through coalition-building, policy advocacy, and strategic partnerships, WACI Health works alongside communities and civil society to ensure African voices shape the decisions that affect our health and our futures. 

 “I am honoured to be included among such powerful health leaders,” said Rosemary Mburu. “I accept this in the name of the community of global health advocates around the world, working tirelessly to defend health and well-being, especially for the most marginalised. Our voice is not just a ‘perspective’ but rather, the blueprint for global health governance.”

At WACI Health, we believe communities and civil society must be at the forefront of health governance and financing. Whether working with directly impacted communities, youth advocates, parliamentarians, or multilateral institutions, we remain committed to building a world where all people, everywhere, can realise their right to health. We work to ensure that African civil society voices are not only heard in decision-making spaces but also, holding the pen on the policies that impact our lives.

“For too long, African expertise was sidelined in global health decision-making. Civil society platforms such as those led by WACI Health are changing that,” said Dudu Simelane, WACI Health Board Member and Director of Social and Human Development at the SADC Secretariat, “The future of global health is Africa-led. As a changemaker, Rosemary is stewarding the foundational shifts that make transformative change inevitable. As a Board, we are proud of Rosemary – she is really the leader that Africa needs at this time of major global shifts in health.”

We thank TIME for acknowledging that the future of global health depends on who is heard, who is trusted, and who leads. We also celebrate the communities and partners across Africa whose leadership and commitment make this movement possible.

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About WACI Health:

WACI Health is an African regional advocacy organization that champions an end to life-threatening epidemics and advances health for all, shaping political priorities through an effective, evidence-driven Pan-African civil society voice and action.

WACI Health hosts or co-hosts networks of communities and civil society, including the African Civil Society Platform for Health (CiSPHA), the Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) Africa, the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 (CSEM), Africa free of HIV infections (AfNHi), and Youth Leaders for Health (YL4H). It is also playing a convening role in the global health reform dialogues as a member of the HEAR CSO (Health Architecture Reimagined Civil Society Organizations) Consortium.

Media contact:

Carthi Mannikarottu
Communications Lead, WACI Health
carthi@wacihealth.org

CategoriesGfan Forum 2025
byWACI Health

One Fabric, One Fight, One Future

One Fabric, One Fight, One Future

By Nuradeen Zakariyya.

When I speak about malaria, I do not speak as an observer, I speak as a survivor. I lost my father and baby niece to malaria. I nearly lost my mother too, and I have fought the disease myself. These experiences are not isolated tragedies; they are the daily realities of millions across Africa. Each life lost leaves a scar, but also a thread, a thread of courage, of resilience and hope. In our culture, fabric tells stories. Through the Fabric Campaign Activation, I see those stories woven together; the pain of loss interlaced with the promise of change. Each pattern becomes a voice, calling the world to remember that behind every statistic lies a human life worth saving.

As a young African and a future doctor, I believe our generation carries both the memory and the mandate, to transform grief into action and resilience into advocacy. At the GFAN Africa Youth Forum, I called on youth to use creativity, art, and storytelling to champion the Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment. Because this campaign is not just about dollars, it is about dignity, about keeping promises to the world’s most vulnerable. The Global Fund has already saved over 70 million lives, but millions more depend on what we do next. When youth raise their voices through fabric, digital art, or policy engagement, we are not just asking for funds; we are demanding a future where no child dies from a mosquito bite, no dream is ended by preventable disease, and no community is left behind. This is our story, one fabric, one fight, one future.

Author picture

Nuradeen Zakariyya is a storyteller, malaria advocate, and aspiring doctor from Nigeria who shares his personal story of loss to highlight the ongoing fight against the disease and the vital work of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Watch his story here.

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Youth Forum 2025: Young Leaders Mobilize for Global Health at TICAD!

Youth Forum 2025: Young Leaders Mobilize for Global Health at TICAD!

By Miranda Ziba

As the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) approached, young leaders from across Africa gathered at the Youth Forum 2025 to ensure health and equity remain central to the agenda. The Forum amplified the impact of the Global Fund, Japan’s leadership, and the importance of advancing gender equality framed within the context of Women’s Month.

The Global Fund has already saved over 50 million lives through its fight against HIV, TB, and malaria.Yet, with global donor fatigue threatening progress, participants underscored the urgency of sustained investments in resilient health systems. Speakers commended Japan’s long-standing partnership with the Global Fund, affirming that TICAD is a pivotal opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen this leadership.

A highlight of the Forum was an interactive session where youth co-created advocacy messages for TICAD. Using real time digital tools, participants crafted messages centered on partnership, youth empowerment, and gender equity. They expressed gratitude for Japan’s support while calling for a shared vision and collaboration to secure Africa’s future.

The Forum’s resonance was deepened by Women’s Month, spotlighting the disproportionate health challenges faced  by adolescent girls and young women. These women  remain both vulnerable and disproportionately affected by health challenges yet they are the  key drivers of resilience and progress.

The outputs from the Youth Forum including youth crafted advocacy messages  were shared online and amplified during The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) held in Yokohama on 20th–22nd August 2025.

 “Investing in health means investing in women and girls and in Africa’s future.”

Author picture

Miranda Ziba is the Senior Programs Officer at The Youth Platform (TYP360) in Zambia and a Youth Substantive Member on the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) in Zambia. Passionate about health equity and gender equality, she champions youth-led advocacy to amplify the voices of young people, especially adolescent girls and young women, in shaping global health agendas and building stronger, more inclusive health systems.

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CategoriesUncategorized WACI Health News
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South Africa–UK Parliamentary Exchange: Political Leadership for One World, One Fight

South Africa–UK Parliamentary Exchange: Political Leadership for One World, One Fight

In July, WACI Health co-led an MP exchange programme alongside STOPAIDS and South African civil society leadership.

The visit convened parliamentarians from South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK), civil society, and communities as an active representation of moving beyond transactional aid relationships toward genuine partnerships for #OneWorldOneFight – partnerships that are grounded in equity, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.

As South Africa and the UK prepare to co-host The Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment, this exchange laid the groundwork for deeper collaboration, stronger accountability, and renewed political leadership to end HIV, TB, and malaria.

The UK delegation was in South Africa in July and the South African delegation will be visiting their UK counterparts in September 2025.

South African – UK MP Exchange Initiative
South Africa Segment Report

Day 1: Monday 28 July

The trip opened with a briefing session where the group were given an overview of the country’s context from Dr Thembi Xulu, SANAC Civil Society Forum CEO. Dr Thembi highlighted the critical opportunity and essential need to ensure equitable access to Lenacapavir for South Africa stressing that “We participated in the science, in the research but are denied the benefits”. An overview of the critical role of Unitaid and Global Fund was given by Yvette Rapahel and Mulalo Murudi, both of which institutions the UK government was a founding member of, and the critical need for a fully replenished global health architecture to ensure both access and affordability of critical health products.

The first visit was to Thembisa Clinical Trial Site, with Aurum Institute, to showcase their Increasing Market and Public Health Outcomes Through Scaling Up Affordable Access Models of Short Course Preventive Therapy For TB (IMPAACT4TB) consortium, which is funded by Unitaid and is comprised of; the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Johns Hopkins University, KNCV the Dutch TB Foundation and the Treatment Action Group (TAG) for the scale-up of short course rifapentine-based TB preventive therapy (TPT) among high-risk groups: People living with HIV (PLHIV) and child contacts of persons with active TB infection.

The project was initially focused on 3HP (a three-month, once-weekly oral treatment of rifapentine 900mg and isoniazid 900mg for 12 weeks). IMPAACT4TB project commenced with a clinical study that ascertained the safety of co-administering and dosing of 3HP and DTG (DOLPHIN).

Following the success of the study, Unitaid and the IMPAACT4TB project led negotiations that resulted in global rifapentine price reductions in 2019 and 2021. In parallel, the project facilitated the introduction of 3HP as an additional TPT option among PLHIV and household contacts of TB patients in 12 project countries (Brazil, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Indonesia, South Africa, India, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, and Tanzania). Unitaid and the IMPAACT4TB consortium also brokered collaboration with PEPFAR, USAID, CDC the Global Fund, and other stakeholders to accelerate wider scale up of 3HP, successfully introducing 3HP in over 100 countries globally with over 12 million patient courses procured. 

The delegation were able to see first hand the critical importance of the UK’s investment in ensuring more affordable access to Rifapentine.

In the evening, the delegation were welcomed to learn more about the range of Unitaid funded projects in South Africa through a World Cafe to meet the grantees. The grantees included; CHAI, Aurum, WITS and PATH.

Day 2: Tuesday 29 July

Day 2 focused on innovative HIV prevention research, youth empowerment programmes, and advancing South Africa’s local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, before concluding with high-level diplomatic engagement.

WITS – Project PrEP

The day began in Soshanguve at Maria Rantho Clinic, where the WITS team presented Project PrEP (Integrating PrEP into Comprehensive Services for Adolescent Girls and Young Women), a Unitaid-supported initiative with three workstreams:

  1. Implementation Science Study. Since 2018, PrEP options have been offered alongside comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services at six fixed clinics and three mobile clinics in three districts. By June 2025, 46,512 people had initiated PrEP, 72% of whom were adolescent girls and young women. A nested cohort study offers participants a choice between oral PrEP, dapivirine vaginal ring, and long-acting injectable CAB-LA.
  2. Phase 3B LEN4PrEP Study. Planned for October 2025–March 2026, this will integrate Lenacapavir (LEN) for HIV prevention into real-world services, enrolling 2,000 participants.
  3. Market Shaping. In collaboration with CHAI, the team is working with generic manufacturers to accelerate the availability of affordable long-acting PrEP and support policy, training, and health system readiness in early adopter countries.

Delegates also visited one of the mobile clinics, meeting peer educators and counsellors providing frontline prevention services.

Soshanguve Safe Space – Childline & MIET Africa
 The delegation then visited a Childline Safe Space in Tshwane, part of NACOSA’s My Journey Adolescents and Young People Programme funded by the Global Fund. This programme aims to reduce HIV incidence, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence while increasing school retention and economic opportunities. Activities include psychosocial support, economic strengthening, homework support, and outreach to both girls and boys, including One Man Can gender equality workshops.

MIET Africa, another NACOSA sub-recipient, provides biomedical HIV prevention, testing, and treatment at community level, contributing more than 50% of PrEP provision in Tshwane. Young women shared powerful testimonies about the support received, prompting Lord Oates to affirm, “We will take these stories home.”

CPT Regional Manufacturing Facility – Rifapentine API
In the afternoon, delegates toured CPT Pharma, a subsidiary of Chemical Processing Technologies, supported by Aurum under the IMPAACT4TB project. CPT is finalising development and pilot production of locally manufactured rifapentine active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), the main component of the 3HP TB-preventive therapy regimen. This work will establish domestic rifapentine API production capacity, with potential to expand into other APIs such as Lenacapavir in future.

Reception with the British High Commissioner
The day concluded in Pretoria at a reception hosted by British High Commissioner Antony Phillipson, providing an opportunity for reflection and further engagement with partners on the importance of sustaining and scaling innovations in HIV prevention, community support, and local manufacturing.

Day 3: Wednesday 30 July 

The final day of the programme provided delegates with an in-depth view of two key Global Fund-supported interventions addressing the needs of marginalised communities, followed by a joint Civil Society Townhall.

Visit to OST Clinic – Yeoville, Johannesburg

The day began at the Yeoville Department of Health Clinic, where delegates met with NACOSA and Anova Health Institute teams implementing the People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) Programme. The programme, funded by the Global Fund, uses a peer-led model to reduce health and human rights risks for people who inject drugs (PWID) across eight districts in South Africa. Services include opiate substitution therapy (OST), safe injecting equipment, hepatitis C and HIV screening, psychosocial support, economic empowerment, and parenting initiatives.

Delegates heard powerful testimonies from beneficiaries, including OST patients, economic empowerment participants, and needle and syringe service users. Clinical staff provided an overview of the daily operations and addressed common misconceptions about harm reduction. The group then visited a PWUD hotspot to observe outreach work in action. Lord Oates expressed his gratitude, sharing personal reflections on friends who had faced similar challenges, and commended the critical role these services play in saving lives and restoring dignity.

Visit to CPC West Rand Sex Worker Programme
The delegation then travelled to the West Rand to meet with the Centre for Positive Care (CPC), a sub-recipient of the Global Fund sex worker programme implemented by AFSA. CPC reaches over 4,000 sex workers – female, male, transgender, MSM, and minors selling sex, providing HIV prevention and treatment services, oral PrEP, economic training, and support to transition to alternative livelihoods if desired.

During discussions, sex workers highlighted ongoing human rights violations, including gender-based violence, often perpetrated by police. While many cases are resolved internally, others are settled financially or remain before the courts. A key request from participants was to increase the frequency of CPC visits from monthly to every few weeks. Ms Clarke emphasised the importance of the proposed decriminalisation of sex work bill in reducing stigma and rights abuses.

Civil Society Townhall
The programme concluded with a Civil Society Townhall in West Rand, co-hosted by UK and South African MPs alongside SANAC Civil Society Forum leaders. The session focused on the urgent need for a fully funded Global Fund to sustain progress against HIV, TB, and STIs. Participants shared lived experiences of accessing Global Fund–supported services, underscoring the importance of sustained investment to reach key and vulnerable populations, strengthen health systems, and protect global health security.

The day closed with a strong call to action for leaders at all levels to champion health equity, human rights, and sustained global health financing.

CategoriesWACI Health News
byWACI Health

WACI Health Leading Bold Push for Health Equity in C20 South Africa

The Civil 20 (C20) is an official engagement group of the G20, providing a structured space for civil society to engage with G20 leaders on critical global issues. As South Africa takes on the G20 presidency in 2025, this is a crucial moment for African voices to be at the forefront of global policy discussions.

Community and civil society organisations (CSOs) across Africa and around the world are essential in creating the inclusive and equitable policy dialogues we need at the global level.

WACI Health is honoured to join advocates for the C20 process and is co-leading the Equitable Health for All Working Group within the C20. Our leadership role reinforces our commitment to advocating for inclusive, people-centered health policies and ensuring that civil society voices remain at the heart of global health governance.

The G20, originally formed in 1999 to address global financial crises, has evolved into a strategic platform for addressing cross-cutting global challenges, including health equity. South Africa and the African Union are the permanent members of the G20 from the region. 

The C20, established in 2013, brings together civil society to engage with G20 processes and influence policy discussions. Other engagement groups for non-governmental stakeholders at the G20 include Labour 20 (L20), Women 20 (W20), and Youth 20 (Y20), among others. 

This year, the C20 engagement is coordinated through 14 Working Groups that are aligned in their roles and priorities with the G20 South Africa’s thematic areas. These C20 Working Groups will play a critical role in developing recommendations for G20 leaders in each thematic area, ensuring that people’s needs and priorities drive decisions made through the G20 process.

About the Equitable Health for All Working Group

The C20 Equitable Health for All Working Group will focus on ensuring that universal health coverage (UHC), pandemic preparedness, financing for global health, and equitable access to health care remain central to the G20 agenda.

Sizwe Nombasa Gxuluwe (Programs Manager, WACI Health) is the C20 Equitable Health for All Working Group Chairperson and also a focal point for C20 for G20 HWG. WACI Health co-leads the working group along with the National Association of People living with HIV and AIDS (NAPWA) South Africa and AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF).

Our role includes:

  • Ensuring diverse perspectives from civil society across the world inform G20 health discussions
  • Engaging with the G20 Health Working Group by actively contributing to discussions and advocating for health policies that prioritise equity, access, and sustainability
  • Hosting monthly working group meetings and leading the development of the policy brief
  • Co-developing the C20 Policy Pack, which will outline civil society’s policy recommendations for G20 leaders, alongside contributions from 13 other working groups

Through our leadership, WACI Health is committed to bringing civil society voices, particularly from the Global South, to the forefront of G20 health discussions. Our participation ensures that the perspectives of communities affected by inequitable health systems shape global health policies, funding mechanisms, and governance structures.

WACI Health has been helping establish and coordinate the C20 structure and working groups, developing the C20 Concept Note, supporting group leads, and facilitating participation. We are also contributing to implementing the communications strategy, ensuring widespread engagement and visibility of civil society recommendations.

The C20 governance is structured to promote coordinated, inclusive, and strategic civil society action for the G20 process. The governance framework includes the C20 Chair (Thulani Tshefuta) and Co-Chairs, who are responsible for steering the overall process; a C20 Sherpa (Mabalane Mfundisi), who serves as the main point of contact with G20 representatives and other stakeholders; and a Secretariat (led by Nhlanhla Ndlovu), which provides logistical support and coordination.

A C20 Steering Committee ensures the C20 remains an open and diverse space for civil society engagement. At its core is the C20 Troika, which brings together civil society representatives from the previous host country (Brazil, 2024), the current host (South Africa, 2025), and the next host (United States, 2026). This structure facilitates sustained dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and institutional memory across C20 cycles. Additionally, an International Advisory Committee (IAC), composed of international CSOs with experience with the G20, provides strategic guidance. 

How to Engage

The success of the C20 depends on our participation and collective action. We invite community advocates and civil society organisations to join the C20 working groups as early as possible. Please contact us for questions about the Equitable Health For All Working Group.

Follow C20 South Africa updates on X and WhatsApp. 

Listen to the C20 Connection podcast to learn more!

In this episode, Noko Mashilo (Show Me Your Number) interviews Nombasa Gxuluwe (WACI Health), the C20 Chairperson for the Equitable Health for All Working Group.

CategoriesWACI Health News
byWACI Health

Recognition at the African Women Prevention Community Accountability Board (AWPCAB) Awards 2025

We are proud to celebrate Joyce Nganga, Senior Policy Advisor at WACI Health, for receiving the Sankara Leadership Award at the African Women Prevention Community Accountability Board (AWPCAB) Awards 2025.

The Sankara Leadership Award recognizes her transformative vision and bold leadership in building a healthier, self-reliant Africa. Joyce is a true champion for HIV prevention and health equity with decades of experience driving progress in the region.

The AWPCAB is a powerful collective of women and girls committed to advancing HIV prevention programs and strategies that center the voices and needs of African women. WACI Health is a proud partner of the AWPCAB and hosts its communications hub.

CategoriesWACI Health News
byWACI Health

CSEM for UHC2030 Champions Civil Society Perspectives on UHC at NEAPACOH 2025

WACI Health joined representatives of over 30 African parliaments and development partners at the 16th Network of African Parliamentary Committees on Health (NEAPACOH) meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from March 5–7, 2025. 

Rosemary Mburu (Executive Director, WACI Health) delivered an intervention on the critical role of civil society in accelerating progress toward universal health coverage (UHC). Representing the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 (CSEM), she presented key priority areas for parliamentarians and policymakers to accelerate the implementation of UHC in African countries.

The NEAPACOH meeting aimed to assess the continent’s progress toward achieving UHC and fulfilling the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda. Focus areas included: domestic financing for health, progress on the health of women, children, and adolescents in Africa, non-communicable diseases and immunization funding, progress towards UHC, and harnessing the demographic dividend for socio-economic transformation.

As a co-host of the CSEM Secretariat alongside Management Sciences for Health, WACI Health remains committed to ensuring that civil society perspectives are central in the UHC implementation conversation – nationally, regionally and globally. 

In her presentation, Rosemary underscored the stark reality outlined in the 2023 Global Monitoring Report on UHC by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. While UHC remains a global priority, progress has stalled, and financial barriers continue to push millions into poverty. 4.5 billion people—more than half the world’s population—still lack access to essential health services. Financial protection has deteriorated in 70 percent of countries over the past two decades. Unless governments act now, UHC will remain an unfilled promise, especially for the most vulnerable populations. 

African leaders have recognized the importance of UHC by including it as a key objective in the Africa Health Strategy 2016–2030. In fact, between 2023 and 2024, 23 African countries increased their health spending as a percentage of GDP, moving closer to the aspirational target of 5%. However, we need to accelerate progress. The fact remains that 615 million people in Africa still lack essential health care services and 97 million people face catastrophic health care costs. 

Rosemary called for urgent and coordinated action to change this trajectory. Governments must prioritise delivering on the global and regional commitments to UHC at the national level. Parliamentarians play a crucial role in strengthening support for health and building the political will necessary to make these commitments a reality.  

She also called on policymakers to increase domestic financing for health and within that, prioritise financial protection for low-income and marginalized communities. Finally, governments must expand spaces for civil society engagement. The 2023 World Health Assembly Resolution on Social Participation for UHC provides a framework for ensuring that civil society voices are not only heard but are actively involved in shaping health policies. Parliamentarians should facilitate institutionalising social participation to ensure inclusive policies that are responsive to the needs of communities and accountable to the people they serve.

In her closing remarks, Rosemary reaffirmed civil society’s readiness to work alongside parliamentarians to accelerate the implementation of UHC. She urged decision-makers to champion bold policy reforms, increase domestic health investments, and create inclusive platforms where all stakeholders, especially the most vulnerable, can contribute to shaping the future of health in Africa.

Platforms like NEAPACOH are critical to strengthen the role of parliamentarians in improving health financing and developing equitable policy frameworks for health. We look forward to continuing to support regional leadership and coordinated actions toward health for all.

 

To join the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (CSEM) on UHC2030, register here.
Follow updates on social media (LinkedIn, Bluesky, X). 

Follow WACI Health updates on social media (LinkedIn, Bluesky, X, Facebook). 

CategoriesWACI Health News
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Appointment to the World Bank CSPF Working Group

Appointment to the World Bank CSPF Working Group

Rosemary Mburu, Executive Director of WACI Health, has been elected to serve on the World Bank and IMF Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) Working Group. Over 2,600 civil society representatives voted in the elections, selecting eight representatives for the working group. Rosemary is representing the Eastern and Southern Africa Region for the term January 2025 – December 2026.

The CSPF is the primary platform for CSOs to engage in the Spring and Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is an opportunity for direct dialogue with World Bank and IMF staff, governments, and other stakeholders on critical policy issues, including in health financing and governance.

The CSPF Working Group is a civil society-led body that advises the WBG and IMF on the structure, agenda, and implementation of the CSPF. The Working Group helps shape discussions, improve participation, and ensure a fair, transparent, and representative process.

As a CSPF Working Group member, Rosemary will support the representation of civil society voices from Eastern and Southern Africa in the discussions, ensuring that CSPF sessions are inclusive and responsive to the priorities of communities and civil society in the region.

“I’m truly honoured to take on this role and grateful for the trust of fellow advocates across the region,” Rosemary stated, “Community and civil society voices in global governance platforms are instrumental in pushing for more just and equitable policies. I’m committed to making sure we are heard loud and clear to ensure the CSPF puts people first.” Learn more.

Participate in the CSPF

The World Bank and IMF invite registrations to participate in the CSPF at the Spring Meetings 2025 as early as possible. All CSOs must register for the Spring Meetings to attend. Registration closes on April 11. For more information, subscribe to the World Bank Civil Society Newsletter. 

Stay Engaged!

WACI Health invites community and civil society advocates in Eastern and Southern Africa to stay informed on CSPF opportunities and provide inputs ahead of the Spring and Annual Meetings. Updates and announcements for the network will be shared through the African Civil Society Platform on Health (CiSPHA) – please join the listserv here. 

CategoriesMeet the Team Edition Article
byWACI Health

Meet ‘David’

‘Meet the Team Edition’ is a new series where you get to know our WACI Health Team much better. This month we will be focusing on David Kabera, the Policy and Advocacy Officer at WACI Health. 

Question: What made you interested in advocacy and how long have you worked in this field?

Answer:
I’ve been in advocacy for five years now, starting in 2020. My interest came from my background in financial engineering—I initially thought I’d work on financial solutions, but I quickly realized the same skills could drive bigger change in health advocacy. The combination of impact and growth drew me in, and it’s been an incredibly fulfilling journey ever since.

Question: What has your experience been at WACI and what are your key takeaways?

Answer:

It’s been an incredible journey. Taking on new and challenging roles has helped me grow both professionally and personally. My key takeaways include the importance of personal character and leadership, and bringing these to the teams and partnerships I work with.

Question: What advice would you give to Africans looking to strengthen their advocacy and pushing for health for all?

Answer:

I’d encourage them to:

  1. • Build evidence-based campaigns to persuade decision-makers effectively.
  2. • Forge strategic partnerships to leverage diverse networks, skills, and knowledge.
  3. • Understand your community’s needs and context within broader policy landscapes to amplify their voices at decision-making tables.

Question: What do you think is the most critical issue facing the communities we serve, and how are we addressing it at WACI Health?

Answer:

The critical issue is resources for health care—both their availability and effective deployment. Vulnerable populations still struggle to access quality healthcare. WACI Health advocates for increased and effective distribution of resources and inclusive policies that prioritize marginalized communities to ensure everyone in Africa can access quality services.

Question: What upcoming project or area of work are you excited about, and why?

Answer:

I’m especially excited about the upcoming Global Fund replenishment year—it’s a full advocacy cycle where I can learn, grow, and make a real impact alongside the GFAN Africa team. It’s not just about the mechanics of funding but about ensuring these resources reach the people who need them most.

Question: One interesting/ unique thing you love doing.

Answer:

Music is my go-to for creativity—I play the guitar, and it’s amazing how a jam session can clear my mind and spark new ideas.

Question: Best song you’re currently listening to?

Answer:

Nyashinski’s GOAT

 

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byWACI Health

World AIDS Day 2024: Take the Rights Path

Walking the Rights Path: Civil Society’s Role in Ending AIDS by 2030

World AIDS Day 2024 under the theme “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!” challenges us to consider how we are advancing health and human rights, especially in the context of the HIV epidemic. 

The global HIV response has made significant progress. The 2024 UNAIDS report, The Urgency of Now: AIDS at a Crossroads, reminds us that the tools to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 are within reach. We are at a critical point in our decades-long fight against HIV.

However, achieving this goal hinges on our collective ability to protect human rights and address the inequalities that keep individuals from accessing life-saving HIV prevention and treatment services.

We must urgently tackle gaps in the realization of human rights for everyone. Civil society and community-led organizations must stand together to advocate against punitive laws, push for inclusive policies, promote a rights-based approach in all elements of HIV programmes, and hold our leaders accountable to their commitments to health and human rights. There is a critical need for our systematic and collective action in the face of a global rise in rights-related threats to the HIV response.

Domestic Investment: A Critical Pillar

Domestic investment in health systems remains fundamental to building a robust and sustainable HIV response. The 2024 global AIDS update highlights that progress towards the 95–95–95 testing and treatment targets lags most in regions where investments in health systems are inadequate. Prevention services often reach fewer than 50 percent of populations at the greatest risk of HIV and some regions continue to report a rise in new HIV infections, particularly among adolescent girls and young women, and other vulnerable and marginalized populations. Investing in strong and inclusive health systems is thus also a matter of protecting human rights—vital to realizing the right to health for people living with, affected by or at risk of HIV.

Scaling up HIV prevention is essential. This includes scaling up pre-exposure prophylaxis (oral PrEP), rolling out new prevention options for choice, the dapivirine vaginal ring (PrEP ring), long injectable prep (cabotegravir), and lenacapavir, post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and other even driven prevention, increased access to condoms, treatment as prevention (U=U), comprehensive sex education, and harm reduction programs. These investments not only address immediate needs, but also yield long-term benefits by reducing the financial and social costs of untreated HIV.

Governments, as duty-bearers of human rights, must fulfill their commitments and sustainability to health by prioritizing domestic funding for these critical services. We must continue to advocate for more sustainable, inclusive health financing. 

Rights-Based Approaches for Better Outcomes

The UNAIDS World AIDS Day report, Take the Rights Path, underscores the clear link between human rights protections and better outcomes in HIV prevention and treatment. Human rights violations – such as punitive laws, stigma, and discrimination – perpetuate vulnerabilities to HIV and worsen inequalities in access to services. 

For example, laws that criminalize same-sex relationships, drug use, or sex work create significant barriers to accessing lifesaving HIV services. Similarly, impunity for gender-based violence and unsafe health services further block progress. Even with evidence that investing in girls’ education significantly reduces the risk of HIV infection among girls and young women, disparities in access to education persist. 

All of these are intrinsically linked. People who are being discriminated against, threatened with and facing violence, kept from education or an adequate standard of living do not have the opportunity to realize their right to health. Human rights-based approaches are not only a moral imperative but also the only solution to tackle the social and structural factors linked to HIV.

Choice and Equity in HIV Services

Empowering individuals with the ability to make informed choices about their health is also central to ending AIDS as a public health threat. In turn, choice can only exist in an environment free from fear, stigma, and discrimination. We must ensure that the full range of effective HIV prevention options are available to everyone, particularly marginalized populations disproportionately affected by HIV, in order to enable choice.

Equity must be further prioritized in the HIV response with a close consideration of the communities that are facing increased human rights threats. In 2023, 9.3 million people – nearly a quarter of those living with HIV – are not receiving antiretroviral therapy, and many communities remain underserved by prevention services. Community-led initiatives are vital to closing gaps and in particular, supporting services for key populations. By directing resources to underfunded areas, we can better ensure that no one is left behind.

A Call to Action

‘Taking the rights path’ to ending AIDS requires political courage and sustained leadership but it is also the only option for lasting change. As the UNAIDS report stresses:

Many of the disparities that undermine progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat are the direct result of violations of fundamental human rights, which generate inequalities that prevent realization for many millions of people of the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

To end this crisis, we must work together to uphold fundamental human rights. We must push for investments in inclusive health systems, champion choice, advance equity, and protect the rights of all. Civil society must be a bridge and anchor in grounding every part of the HIV response to securing human rights. We call on civil society partners, stakeholders, political leaders, advocates, development partners, and communities to commit towards a future where “My Health, My Right” is a reality for everyone.

World AIDS Day 2024 graphic from UNAIDS of people facing right with an arrow that says "Take the RIGHTS path" and text that says "to end AIDS."

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