14th International AIDS Conference Barcelona, Spain — July 7-12, 2002

Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12;14:Abstract No. G12486

[ABSTRACT:] Issues: Can civil societies develop adaptive skills and strategies, upon which contemporary knowledge can be built in, to contain the pandemic? Do CSOs have the autonomy, capacity, complexity, and cohesion that, in combination, determine the relative strength of a CSO? Doesn't the perception of society as producer of the spontaneous interests, demands and institutional resources of change conflict with the view of that civil societies are weak and are in need of cultivation by states.

DESCRIPTION: The Nigerian strategic plan focuses on the mobilisation of civil society to take the vanguard role in the prevention programme. Its policy focus is the removal of systemic, information, socio-cultural barriers and catalysing community responses. Massive awareness raising, mapping communities and developing social tools for participatory action are designed to enhance the grave situation of HIV/AIDS.

Lessons learned: The principal problem in the fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic in Nigeria stem from the over dependence of civil society on external funding, the absence of effective social networks, lack of reflective capacity and the dismal state-civil society interface. The virtual absence of civic education training, as key component of HIV/AIDS programmes, underlies the main undercurrent for the weaknesses of social movements.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Civic education - learning about and appreciating one's rights, duties, obligations and responsibilities as a citizen and the immediate rules, laws and governance structures within which one exercises citizenship is a fundamental step citizenship. States must then accept, as a universal right, that the rights and obligations of citizenship are not gifts from the state, must express humility, optimism, ethics and recognition of shared responsibility, must understand that citizen's collective action is a basic right and a responsibility to participate actively on HIV/AIDS in the life of and service to the community.

Presenting author: B.T. Costantinos

1UNAIDS, PMB 2851, UN Office in Abuja, Coop Bank Bld, Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria.

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