Multiple Concurrent Partnerships: Campaigns and Communications

From the Executive Summary

"From 17-18 September 2008, the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa and the Soul City Institute held a meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa with HIV prevention communications practitioners from Eastern and Southern Africa to explore and share experiences to date and help shape future plans for HIV prevention communication in the region.

Against the backdrop of HIV communication initiatives increasingly focussing on addressing the impact of multiple and concurrent partnerships (MCP) on HIV incidence within broader combination prevention strategies, the meeting built on the SADC Regional Consultation: Social Change Communication for HIV Prevention that took place in Swaziland in October 2006. Participants discussed and reviewed experiences and evidence on MCP social change communications and campaigns in order to amplify efforts through greater collaboration and consistency of messaging. They also made proposals on how to promote a coordinated response in order to reduce new infections over the next two years, with a particular emphasis on the hyper-endemic countries of Southern Africa.

Meeting participants expressed the need to motivate several tiers of participation including securing opportunities for multi-disciplinary engagement that ventured beyond established communication fields to embrace professionals working in HIV prevention, AIDS strategy, social sciences, gender and broader development. They encouraged regional campaigns to support MCP work in country and offered suggestions to Soul City on how to further develop their Onelove regional campaign as a key platform for further mobilization. Moreover, UNAIDS and Soul City committed to working closely with the SADC Secretariat HIV team to ensure their full engagement as the work on MCP develops – including ensuring that SADC structures referenced the work underway in the region.

The meeting brought together representatives from the African Broadcast Media Partnership; CADRE; DFID; European Union; Irish Aid; Johns Hopkins Health and Education South Africa (Scrutinize); PSI Regional; RAANGO; RNE; SAFAIDS; SAT; SIDA; Sonke Gender Justice; Soul City; Soul City’s Regional Health Communication partners (Phela, Pakachere, Lusweti, Action, Kwatu, Femina Hip,Action, Desert Soul, Nweti); UNAIDS; Straight Talk; Uganda UN Regional Prevention Working Group (including IOM, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO); IRIN; and NERCHA. A number of other organizations were invited but were unable to attend.

The program was structured into plenary sessions, expert presentations, working groups and brainstorming. The following is an outline of the topics addressed:

• emerging evidence
• experiences and lessons learned in developing communications and campaigns for MCP
• outcomes and recommendations for the way forward
• areas for collaboration
• an outline of activities around MCP communication for the next two years

Overall recommendations were:

1. A commitment towards the further development of an active community of practice for HIV prevention communication in Southern Africa. UNAIDS emerged with a clear leadership role working in partnership with Soul City, Soul Beat, AIDSPortal and SAFAIDS to further define how a regional 'community of practice' will grow and develop.
2. Plan a follow-up meeting for March or April 2009.
3. Work on MCP must not be separated from the broader package of combination prevention efforts.
4. Messaging should be clear and bold, not seek to prescribe an 'answer' to MCP or to "try and do it all" - rather, MCP communication needs to be more developed in order to raise the issue clearly and acknowledge that the best solutions will emanate from the individual and community levels."