17 March 2004

Geneva: Committed advocate on HIV/AIDS issues and a Red Cross leader in southern Africa, Razia Essack-Kauaria, has joined the board of the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tubercolosis (TB) and malaria. She will represent non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from developing countries for one year.

Essack-Kauaria has an impressive track record in HIV-related work through her work as secretary general of the Namibia Red Cross since 1995 and as a member of the governing board of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and its special advisory body, the HIV/AIDS governance group. In these roles, she has been a prime mover in the dramatic scaling up of the Red Cross Red Crescent response to HIV/AIDS since 1999, pushing for greater access to life-saving treatments, building partnerships between the International Federation and networks of people with HIV/AIDS and in creating the Masambo Fund to pay for antiretroviral therapy (ART) for Red Cross and Red Crescent staff and volunteers.

She is also a strong advocate on the rights of women and children affected by HIV/AIDS and the need to address issues such as the impact of food insecurity on people living with the disease. These issues and others such as access to ART and treatment support are in critical need of backing, according to Essack-Kauaria.

"One of my challenges will be to truly engage those who have the funds to support the Global Fund and this doesn't necessarily just mean governments. If we are to seriously commit to fighting HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, then we have to involve all elements of society," said Essack-Kauaria.

After years of working on the HIV/AIDS frontline in her country, the Namibia Red Cross secretary general says that organizations such as hers from developing countries have valuable skills, knowledge and experience in advocating on and responding to the threat of the world's three most deadly diseases.

"This combination makes it critical for our voice to be heard and so ensure that the fight against these diseases becomes more effective," she added.

As a member of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which through its network of 181 societies and 97 million volunteers has increased its response to HIV/AIDS by tenfold in the past four years, Essack-Kauaria brings valuable experience and knowledge of civil society to the Global Fund board. The purpose of the Global Fund is to attract, manage and disburse resources through public-private partnerships to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria by supporting sound and cost-effective interventions across the world. The Global Fund's board meeting is being held in Geneva on the 18 and 19 March.

From: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement