What we do - Strategic plan
Recognising vertical and horizontal linkages
There is a clear international recognition that it is communities - that are most affected by HIV and AIDS - who are at the forefront of fighting the pandemic. However, there is still a lack of both awareness of civil society actions and coordination to achieve the targets set in governmental and inter-governmental plans.
Within the response to HIV and AIDS, there are horizontal and vertical systems, making the process of involving civil society complex. Horizontal systems include diverse countries and cultures and the varying nature of the epidemic and cultural contexts in different countries and communities. Vertical components include the fact that organisations can work at community, country, regional and global levels.
Organisations operate predominantly at one or perhaps two levels in these systems. Their views, partners, influences and communication tend to be bound by their operating levels. If the leading role of communities and civil society is to be practised rather than merely preached, effective mechanisms have to be sought for linking horizontal and vertical system components in southern Africa.