<p>JULY 2017 Bulletin</p><p>Programmes</p><p>1. READY +</p><p>CANGO recently signed a sub-grant agreement with The International HIV/AIDS Alliance as part of a Regional SRHR-HIV/AIDS Programme implementation in the four Southern African countries (Swaziland, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe) covering the period 1st October 2016 to 30th December 2020. The project is funded by the Netherlands Government through the Maputo Embassy. </p><p>The program under this sub grant seeks to address the needs of adolescents and young people (A&YP 10-18 years & 19-24years), on HIV and SRHR services with focus on the additional needs of those living with HIV (A&YPLHIV). </p><p>The READY+ project has 4 pronged outcomes;</p><p> Resilient and empowered adolescents and young people living with HIV who are better informed and make healthier choices.  Safe and secure communities that promote the rights, health and wellbeing of adolescents and young people living with HIV and support their access to SRHR information, services and commodities.  Increased access to, and use of, high quality HIV and SRHR services and commodities by young people living with HIV that are responsive to their specific needs.  Greater accountability of decision makers and policy makers to the SRHR needs of A&YPLHIV. The READY+ programme is currently hosting the AIDS Legal Network (ALN), a consortium partner based in South Africa responsible for the community documentation component of the program. ALN is a human rights organisation committed to the promotion, protection and realisation of fundamental rights and freedoms of people living with, and affected by, HIV and AIDS founded in 1994. Under this programme, the ALN will train 19 community documenters , host Focal Group discussion for Adolescents, Caregivers and Health Care workers in Manzini and Hhhohho.</p><p>On the 20th of July 2017, READY+ hosted a successful Peer Review meeting with Implementing Partners – IPs – to collectively reflect on implementation progress of the programme, discuss challenges and determine key upcoming implementation actions of the READY + project. This meeting was also a reflection of the Annual Consortium Meeting deliberations held in Harare, Zimbabwe in July 2017. On 03 – 06 July 2017, the Harare meeting reflected on Swaziland’s milestones since the project was implemented whereby Swaziland became the first country to launch the READY+ project last year. Swaziland also held the first Implementing Partners Meeting in February 2017; in collaboration with the Ministry of Health identified and finalized the READY+ health facilities in April 2017; and hosted the READY+ Monitoring and Evaluation workshop in May 2017.</p><p>READY+ has clinics/health facilities are located in the following places: Region READY+ Clinic Responsible IP Manzini Mbikwakhe Nazarene Compassionate Bhekinkhosi Ministries (NCM) Hhohho Mkhuzweni Health Center Young Heroes Piggs Peak Government Hospital Lubombo Siteki Public Health Unit Supper Buddies. Bholi Clinic</p><p>2. Global Fund The Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) has published the Swaziland Grant Implementing Review Report, 2017. The report issued on July 18 2017 covers Implementation Bottlenecks for Swaziland on four main objectives, these being: Key Challenges; What has worked in the grant implementation architecture; Potential Risks and; Lessons Learnt, Best Practices and Recommendations.</p><p>CONSORTIA NEWS Monthly bulletin</p><p>Gender On the 3rd July 2017, the Gender consortium held a crucial Directors’ caucus in Manzini and resolved to stay the 4 clauses of Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Bill, 2015 which have hindered deliberations and subsequent enactment. These clauses elaborate on stalking, abduction, incest and flashing. However, the consortium position not to lead the clauses’ removal seeks to strengthen further the advocacy for the enactment of SODV Bill after attempts to see to it passed into law failed. The Bill has been deferred by the incumbent 10th Parliament since tabled in the House of Assembly in 2015. But civil society has set up systems including publishing numerous reports such as: SODV Bill Comparative Analysis Bill; SODV Bill 2011 and 2015 comparative analysis research – Final report July 2015; Advocy Planning Process with Facilitator Notes; Comments of the SODV Bill from CANGO; Draft Gender Consortium Advocacy strategy; GC Advocacy workshop 11 March 2015; Report of the Gender Commission Advocacy Planning Workshop May 2015 Given the upcoming elections in 2018, it could be for the second consecutive time this Bill has failed to be passed into law since the 9th Parliament of 2008 – 2013 dissolved unsuccessfully making it into law. </p><p>HIV/AIDS (SHACO) The Swaziland HIV/AIDS Consortium held quarterly regional coordinating meetings for Hhohho and Manzini regions on the 26th and 27th July 2017, respectively. Objectives of the meetings were: to strengthen Civil Society Coordination Mechanism at regional level; strengthening Civil Society Monitoring and Evaluation systems and; to provide a platform for information sharing. It also discussed issues of progress with regards to the regional quarterly report measurement which is measured through Swaziland HIV/AIDS Programme Monitoring System (SHAPMoS); review the extended National Strategic Framework (eNSF) findings; and to sensitize members on the three (3) FREES. 3 FREES is a global target aimed at fighting HIV whose programmatic language talks of START FREE – eliminating new HIV infections; STAY FREE – reducing 95% of new infections; and AIDS FREE – providing treatment for all HIV patients. The Manzini meeting was held at the Info Center, Manzini while for Hhohho it was held at Lacasserol (Mbabane). The next Hhohho meeting is scheduled for Thursday 28 September 2017, and Manzini will be held in 25th October, 2017. </p><p>Children From 6th – 7th July 2017, the Children consortium held an advocacy meeting at Happy Valley Hotel, Zulwini, where members deliberated on many issues related to children including corporal punishment which is one of the key issues of focus. The meeting’s objectives were: to conduct a capacitation and fact finding on issues around corporal punishment; birth registration; places of safety for children; children in conflict with the law & centres of care; and to develop advocacy plans for the consortium. Facilitating the sessions were relevant government ministries and the representation of the Ministry of Home Affairs; Ministry of Education and Training; Department of Social Welfare; and the Legal Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO). Consortia members then agreed to conduct community dialogues; develop IEC and conduct dialogues with chiefs, induna, lihlombe lekukhalela and health motivators to sensitize on issues of birth registration, corporal punishment, gender based violence and stigma and discrimination. In the same meeting, CANGO presented the Child Protection Policy for the consortium and further motivated members to domesticate the policy within their organisations. </p><p>NGO News</p><p>SACRO – On 20 July, The SWAZILAND ASSOCIATION FOR CRIME PREVENTION AND THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS (SACRO) launched a baseline study to track the effects of its Harm Reduction Programme in Swaziland. The survey estimates the distribution of the Injected Drug Users (IDUs) in Swaziland in terms of age, gender, residence, family background; socio-economic status; and & produce population size estimates (of the Injecting Drug Users) to improve knowledge, understanding and interventions appropriate for the affected populations. The study focused on the Manzini-Mbabane corridor, and used respondent driven sampling to gather the data. In brief, the study highlights.</p><p>On 20th July 2017, the Coalition of Informal Economy Associations of Swaziland (CIEAS) participated in the workshop to incorporate the informal sector into the reviewed 2016 SMMEs draft policy hosted by SME Unit under the Ministry of Commerce. CIEAS was able to present the advocacy component based on the findings of the informal sector study (State of the Informal Sector in Swaziland) which was launched in June 2017. Some of the major findings were that the informal sector is vulnerable and not included in the development of the economy of the country. Some of barriers for this are still lack of a comprehensive SME policy inclusive of the informal. </p><p>Society</p><p>The Royal Swaziland Police Service (RSPS) has released a list of 11 missing persons since the beginning of the year. The report comes at a time when various media organisations have reported a mysterious increasing trend of missing persons. Some media organisations have reported a series of abduction cases and murder which seem ritually-associated. Between January 2016 and June 2017, 698 people were reported missing in the country. 644 of them were found alive.</p><p>What Consortia and CSOs activities to look out for in August 2017</p><p>1st August 2017 – FLAS and SNYC, on behalf of the Gender Consortium, will present the State of the Youth Report 2015 to traditional leaders in Sinceni and Ekhupheleni. A particular focus will be paid to issues of violence faced by young people and the related need to improve the legal environment, specifically by enacting the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Bill, 2015. FLAS will then return to those communities to build grassroots-level support for the enactment of the SODV Bill. </p><p>Establishment of Swaziland Migrant Network and Migration Policy Dialogue 3-4 August 2017 –The Swaziland Migrant Mineworkers Association (SWAMMIWA), in partnership with Southern Africa Trust and COMRSA, with relevance to the migrant network establishment, will facilitate the dialogues on: human trafficking and smuggling of migrants; the role of the Ministry of Labour & Social Security with regards to returned migrants; unions roles on migrants protection and lastly; a presentation from migrants, informal crossing of students attending school in South Africa and other migrants. This network will affiliate to the newly formed SADC Migrant Network.</p><p>11 August 2017 – Human Rights Consortium meeting to be held at The George Hotel, Manzini. The agenda is: 14 – 18 August 2017 – 13th SADC Civil Society Forum (CSF): South Africa </p><p>26 August 2017 – Swaziland Breast and Cervical Cancer network (SBCCN) to host the annual breasts and cervical cancer survivors’ workshop. Venue: Mantenga Lodge.</p><p>(Requesting support for any planned CSO events? Kindly send through to [email protected]/[email protected]/[email protected]) </p>