Why bother? Global Health and AIDS: Fighting for justice and equity

Health is fundamental to development. Norad has been engaged in health from the start, and this year it is 25 years since Norway started working on HIV and AIDS.

The global AIDS response is at a turning point. Many countries and institutions are in the process of taking stock of the situation and deciding on the best way forward. In planning the seminar “Why bother? Global Health and AIDS: Fighting for Justice and Equity”, Norad wanted to provide an opportunity to do three things.

First, to open up for reflection on health and AIDS efforts over the past three decades or so.

Second, based on those experiences, to look into the future and come up with crisp, clear messages and directions for future action. To achieve this we encouraged panelists to be bold and more than 120 participants from all over the world to voice their questions, vision and experiences in the dialogue after each of our panel sessions.

And third, with Ambassador Sigrun Møgedal now retiring from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we thought this was a suitable occasion to gather colleagues from around the world and pay due tribute to her tireless efforts for global health.

We met at an auspicious time. Here in Norway, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in the process of preparing for the Parliament (Storting) a White Paper on Global Health. Also, the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health launched in September 2010 by the UN Secretary-General now needs to be implemented. We are also getting ready
for the UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in June 2011 in New York. The outcomes of this meeting can help inform all of these processes.

At the same time, we were able to share music and dance as well as experiences and thoughts, underscoring the message that partnerships are key to progress. As Sigrun says at the end of this report:

“Global health and the aids response is about justice and equity. It takes more than technology and professions, finance and systems. It depends on people, on values and norms where decisions are made, and more attention to conversation and consultation among decision-makers, providers, interest groups and communities of people – at all levels.”

I hope that this report will inspire reflection, discussion and action, to make sure we keep bothering!

Villa Kulild
Director-General
Norad