Langa Mtshali, May 2008

During the past few months, I have increasing become involved in a number of provincial and national initiatives.   The recent engagements has been the selection to participate in the Annul Training of Trainers Programme on HIV/Aids and Human Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA - Website: www.arasa.info).   This training programme is held on an annual basis for 28 participants (2 from each country) with a view to developing a pool of expertise in the SADC region on HIV and Human Rights.   There is an urgent need to raise awareness about the need for a rights-based response to the epidemic and build capacity on HIV and human rights in these countries, particularly since many of the Southern African countries are in the process of developing policies and plans that will shape the national response to HIV/AIDS in those countries. Training civil society representatives from different countries in the region as trainers in the field of HIV and Human Rights as well as in effective advocacy strategies will ensure that capacity on these issues will be built in each of the countries in the region.