19 March 2012:
BONELA CALLS FOR COLLABORATIVE ADVOCACY ON HIV/AIDS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
The Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) invites interested institutions in the business community; research; policy and law fraternity; unions and organizations working in thematic areas targeting people living with HIV/AIDS and most at risk populations to join its network for collaborative advocacy.
This call comes as a result of the strategic realization by the organization that over the years, because of its unique mandate, the individual constituency of the network had been strengthened at the expense of institutional composition that will ensure mainstreaming of human rights in the national response to HIV/AIDS.. Hence in 2011, a process was embarked on by the organization to systematically formalize its network. Networks member will have opportunity to effectively participate and contribute to BONELA processes at governance and operational levels.
Speaking on behalf of the organization, BONELA Director Uyapo Ndadi said that formalization of the BONELA network will facilitate interaction between experts in different areas and promote the sharing of ideas and information between organizations.
Ndadi also said; “In addition, the network members will provide access to various professional capacities of community groups as well as facilitate effective identification of issues to be addressed and support to community groups. A network forum will facilitate dialogue among respective network thematic areas on pertinent constitutional, strategic, programmatic and operational issues”.
BONELA’s Partnerships and Network Coordinator Ms. Cindy Kelemi who is tasked with leading a team to facilitate and manage the process, added that the positioning of BONELA as a network will enable the following;
- The coverage issues identified as BONELA’s strategic weaknesses will be addressed as the national network will facilitate the necessary ripple effect and effectiveness of cascaded mainstreaming
- Without a doubt a critical mass presented by the network will provide leverage for creation of impact and fundraising
- The continuous concern about benefits and privileges for members can be addressed through defining involvement or participation of members of the network.
- Defining the network will also help the network to appropriately segment the network membership and define and undertake targeted collaborations.