Post-apartheid South Africa has witnessed the growth of social movements using on-the-ground and network-based modes of organisation that operate at the same time in local, national and global political environments. Networks across countries and grassroots mobilisation have allowed HIV/AIDS activists to use tactics confronting the state while supporting it to be more inclusive. Research from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa explores the organisational practices and strategies of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), a Cape Town-based social movement.
Governance and participation in health
AIDS activism – new opportunities for citizenship in South Africa?
Effectiveness of District Health Boards in interceding for the community
The overall objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of health governance structures in enhancing equity of access and community participation in the delivery of health care services in Zambia. The specific objectives were to: (i) describe the status of health governance structures in Zambia; (ii) examine the linkages between the health governance structures and community; (iii) asses how the health governance structures represent and respond to community inters and needs; (iv) determine the extent to which the community is involved in the planning of health care services and resource allocation and (v) propose option for enhancing equity of access and community participation in the delivery of health care services.
Assessing the impact of health centre committees
This study sought to analyse and better understand the relationship between health centre committees in Zimbabwe as a mechanism of participation and specific health system outcomes, including: Improved representation of community interests in health planning and management at health centre level; Improved allocation of resources to health centre level, to community health activities and to preventive health services o improved community access to and coverage by selected priority promotive and preventive health interventions; Enhanced community capabilities for health (through improved health knowledge and health seeking behaviour; Appropriate early use of services); Improved quality of health care as perceived both by providers and users of services.
ICT's and health communication
Published by the Center for Communication Programs (CCP), this report is the first in a new series entitled “Health and Communication Insights”. The author suggests that the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and e-health (electronic health) applications, such as interactive websites, can be effective in helping people manage diseases, access health services and obtain assistance with behaviour change. Acknowledging the rich-poor digital divide, he notes that access to new technologies is increasing rapidly in developing countries.
Participation of HIV positive women in policy making
This International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) vision paper argues that, when HIV positive people are involved at all levels of decision-making, an organisation is better able to respond to the concerns of people living with HIV/AIDS. HIV positive women in particular need to be taken seriously by policy makers in order to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic effectively. Involvement in national policy making and in regional and local structures is one arena of policy making highlighted. However, ICW argues that other arenas also need to be more open to the views and involvement of HIV positive women. These include faith-based institutions, the private sector, trade unions, women’s organisations, mainstream AIDS organisations, employers’ organisations, political parties, nongovernmental and international organisations and educational institutions.
Health promotion through self-care and community participation
This paper proposes a broad outline for designing health promotion programmes in developing countries, based on the Ottawa Charter for health promotion and principles of self-care and community participation. There is now a window of opportunity for promoting self-care and community participation for health promotion in developing countries. It recommends that supportive policies are framed, with self-care clearinghouses set up at provincial level to co-ordinate the programme activities in consultation with district and national teams. Self-care should be promoted in schools and workplaces. For developing individual skills, self-care information, generated through a participatory process, should be disseminated using a wide range of print and audio-visual tools and information technology based tools.
Parliamentary functions and reforms and their application in promoting health equity in southern Africa
This paper aims to provide insight into the practical challenges faced by parliaments and parliamentarians in addressing the issues of equity in health. It goes on to describe the attempts that have been made to address those challenges in southern Africa. A number of opportunities for parliaments to promote health equity are identified. Firstly, parliaments are in charge of their rules, which they can revise to become more efficient and effective when they commit themselves to reforms. Secondly, in the region there is a vibrant civil society that raises questions and compels parliaments to address issues.
Participatory approaches in the health sector
Communities are no longer seen as passive recipients of healthcare. But what does this shift in emphasis mean? What kind of relationship between communities, service providers and managers is best? A workshop held at the Institute of Development Studies in 1999 asked three questions: What does accountability mean? How can health service providers be accountable to their users? What sorts of partnership will improve accountability and effectiveness? Studies from eleven countries illustrated experiences with participatory approaches and partnerships in enhancing accountability in the health sector.
Trade policy and civil society participation
This paper examines the way that a range of development actors view and engage with the arena of trade policy, focusing in particular on the challenges encountered by civil society actors participating in that arena. The dynamics of civil society participation in the trade arena – what might be achieved, and how – are very different from those that shape civil society participation in processes labelled poverty reduction; this paper explores the differences.
Civil society contributions to pro-poor, health equity policies
CSOs at national and grassroots level, are involved in mutual support, building citizen capacities, advocating public interests and rights, meeting social needs, providing services and advocating accountability within private and public health services. What is the impact of this input on health gains and informed health action within poor communities and on equity in health? This review of the literature explores whether civil society contributes to improved provision, coverage of and access to health services in low-income communities. The paper further examines whether civil society promotes improved responsiveness of health services, or enhances advocacy for and development of policies that are pro-poor and that enhance health equity.