UNMEE’S HIV/AIDS PROGRAMME - A MODEL FOR UN MISSIONS

UNAIDS Offical, Gail Lescornec (right) with DSRSG Angela Kane and HIV/AIDS policy officer, Michael Munywoki

UNMEE has been commended for setting an important precedent through its efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS in the Mission area. UNAIDS Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Sub-Saharan Africa, Ms Gail Lescornec said: "UNMEE has really set precedents in its response to HIV/AIDS at many levels, with its own peacekeepers but also in contributing to the national efforts of Eritrea and Ethiopia."

Ms. Lescornec who was in Asmara from 16 – 20 May to document the Mission’s efforts in the fight against the pandemic as a "best practice" case study, said that she and her colleagues were looking specifically at the work done in Eritrea.

"UNMEE has really taken on the fight against HIV/AIDS through its commitment, political will and the technical expertise that was there through both UNAIDS in Eritrea and UNMEE", she added.

The Humanitarian Co-ordinator had particular praise for UNMEE’s Training of Trainers Programme which she described as impressive. She said that the training which was aimed at all levels of the Mission’s troops from Commander to ordinary soldier, had been able to mobilize all the different military as well as civilian components of the Mission.

"Without question, UNMEE has been the Mission that has really been on top of these efforts out of all the Missions and that’s why we are documenting it as a best practice, so that we can share these experiences with different Missions, notably the Mission in Sierra Leone and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which have also made substantive progress in this regard", she explained.

Ms. Lescornec said that the work that UNMEE had done with regard to raising awareness about the perils of HIV/AIDS was not only important at a global level, but especially so in the context of Africa.

"HIV/AIDS is a security issue. There has been a lot of effort made in looking at the new challenges of peacekeeping and if we look at new challenges in peacekeeping in Africa, HIV/AIDS is by all means one of them. The Security Council has recognized this and it has also been reinforced by the General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS", she said.

UNMEE’s HIV/AIDS Policy Officer, Mr. Michael Munywoki completed a Training of Trainers course for the newly-deployed Kenyan Battalion in Sector East on 30 May. Prior to that, he and his assistant Chilly Aseremo conducted a similar training course for UNMEE staff in Addis Ababa and members of the Ethiopian Armed Forces from 17 February – 1 March. Graduates of the Training of Trainers course from the 3rd Irish Guard and Administrative Component based in Asmara, have been conducting HIV/AIDS lectures every Saturday since they graduated in January this year. Dr. Upasana Thakur, the medical officer with the Indian Battalion in Adigrat in Sector Centre, has also been conducting HIV/AIDS awareness classes in schools in Adigrat and surrounding areas. On May 21, she held an HIV/AIDS induction course in Adigrat, attended by Mr. Munywoki , for 71 people, 63 of whom were local civilians. After the meeting, Mr. Munywoki and Mr. Tseganeh Hailu, the HIV/AIDS Zonal Coordinator for East Tigray agreed to hold further discussions on future joint campaigns with neighbouring communities including six schools with a population of almost 18,000 students.

So far, UNMEE has conducted HIV/AIDS awareness courses for 800 civilians, 10,000 peacekeepers, 27,000 Eritrea Defence Force and 100,000 Ethiopia Armed Force personnel.