IRI Launches HIV/AIDS and Governance Workshops

October 31, 2002

Last week, IRI's South Africa program held the first in a series of workshops aimed to assist local governments in a democratic response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The program builds upon IRI's work with local government in the country. IRI had previously conducted trainings on financial management, transparency and strategic planning. The current program incorporates these issues into crisis management, specifically as it relates to the AIDS epidemic.

Trainings include budgetary and strategic planning based on the impact of AIDS in communities, information dissemination to raise citizens' awareness and participation, and the fostering of linkages with civil society groups.

The first two workshops were conducted in Maphumulo and Ndwendwe, both within the province of KwaZulu-Natal, the most HIV/AIDS infected province in the country.

IRI's Washington program staff also participated in an NGO conference on AIDS as a humanitarian and development crisis. The conference specifically looked at cross-sector responses to the disease's effects. IRI's innovative work in South Africa was highlighted in a presentation to other democracy and governance organizations.

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