Namibia
The Southern Africa region continues to be severely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Namibia is one of the most affected countries in the world, with an estimated 19.6% of the adult population, ages 15 to 49, living with HIV. Approximately 230,000 cases of HIV infection have been diagnosed and reported in Namibia. The life expectancy at birth has dropped from 60 years in 1991, to 52 years in 2006. Namibia also has one of the highest proportions of orphans in the world with an estimated 85’000 children orphaned due to AIDS.
There has, however, been strong political support from the government in planning for HIV/AIDS. The National AIDS Control Programme was launched in 1990 shortly after independence and several national strategic plans have been developed since then. The Second Medium Term Development Plan, which encompasses a multi-sectoral HIV/AIDS response strategy, is currently being implemented. The national decentralization policy calls for regionally-based HIV/AIDS activities. A number of municipal impact assessments have been carried out with support from USAID and UNDP.
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Total Population: 2,031,000 (2006)|
In November 2001, the Namibian Chapter of the Alliance was launched with support from the Association for Local Authorities in Namibia (ALAN), and a public declaration issued and endorsed by all 44 local authorities. An AMICAALL action plan was developed in 2002 and activities initiated in 2003. In 2004, AMICAALL Namibia was awarded funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to undertake the following activities: establishing Municipal HIV Teams, mainstreaming HIV and AIDS into municipal services, and providing towns with materials for awareness raising. During 2005/2006, AMICAALL Namibia expanded city-to-city cooperation with support from the Association of the Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and its international consulting arm, VNG International. Building on approaches developed by AMICAALL Namibia, VNG International is helping to mobilise human and financial resources through city-to-city cooperation in three Namibian municipalities. In 2005, a Multi-Purpose Help Centre was built in Otjiwarongo through efforts of the municipality and a coalition of local partners with support from the AMICAALL Namibia, UN APP, STOP AIDS NOW!, VNG International and the Dutch municipality of Heusden. The centre provides a range of social services including support to orphans and vulnerable youth. The AMICAALL Namibia programme has also facilitated the development of a Skills, Opportunities, Self-reliance Programme (SOS) as part of efforts to address the gap in the current response to orphans and vulnerable young people. Through this initiative orphans and vulnerable youth are able to access vocational training and other support to enable them to live better lives. AMICAALL Namibia is currently working with 20 municipalities in the country, and a growing number of partners at the local, national and international levels, to strengthen the institutional capacity of municipalities to integrate HIV into their municipal agendas and support a coordinated local government/civil society response to HIV at the local level. |
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An AMICAALL Action Plan has been developed via a consultative process that includes: national/local government authorities, UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, civil society organisations, bilateral agencies, and community leaders.
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AMICAALL Coordinator |
