[Singapore, 23rd August 2019] Global Fund Advocates Network Asia-Pacific (GFAN AP) congratulates Canada for the increased pledge of CAD 930.4 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) Sixth Replenishment, which represents a 15.7% increase from the pledge made in 2016 at the Fifth Replenishment hosted by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. This announcement was made by Honourable Minister Maryam Monsef, Canadian Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality on 22nd August 2019 at a global health meeting in Toronto, Canada.
Canada played a crucial role hosting the Fifth Replenishment Conference held in Montreal, Canada in 2016 and since continued to rally other donor countries, and donors from the private sector and private foundations to raise funds to fight the three diseases for the 2017 – 2019 period and in promoting gender equality. As a founding member of the Global Fund, Canada has contributed CAD 2.834 billion and USD 100,005,530 to the Global Fund which has contributed towards saving over 27 million lives.
“Canada has once again proved its promise in the fight against the three diseases and its commitment to global solidarity. The increased pledge from Canada for the Global Fund Sixth Replenishment sends a strong message to other donors to step up their fight against HIV, TB and Malaria and to get back on track for the three disease responses to achieve 2030 goals, while leaving no one behind. We also deeply appreciate H.E Donica Pottie, Ambassador of Canada to Thailand for hosting the launch of #HeroesGiveMore campaign on the 15th August 2019, a week before the Canada pledge, which reiterated the importance of the work of the Global Fund and its local heroes at the country level – communities and civil society living with, affected by, and vulnerable to the three diseases”, said Dr Khuat Thi Hai Oanh, Chair of GFAN AP Steering Committee and Executive Director of the Centre for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI) in Vietnam.
As a world leader in gender equality, this increased pledge from Canada to the Global Fund also shows the trust Canada has placed in the Global Fund to contribute towards achieving the priorities of Canada’s feminist foreign policy and theobjectives of the “Thrive Agenda” which the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has committed to support at the Women Deliver Conference in Vancouver in June 2019.
“The Global Fund not only invests in HIV, TB and malaria responses but it also promotes gender equality and addresses human rights barriers through its grants and contributes to sustaining strong community responses and strengthening community systems for resilient and sustainable systems for health. The Global Fund insists on and supports the meaningful engagement of women throughout the design and implementation of the programmes it funds. As such,Canada’s increased pledge to the Global Fund indicates its strong support to the engagement of communities and civil societies among others as key partners of the fight against the three diseases”, said Choub Sok Chamreun, Executive Director of KHANA, and the Vice-Chair of the Country Coordinating Mechanism in Cambodia.
This year, the Global Fund embarked on its Sixth Replenishment process to raise at least USD 14 billion which will contribute towards saving 16 million lives, cutting the mortality rate of HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria in half, and contribute towards stronger health systems by 2023. The unwavering support of Canada towards Global Health and the role ofcommunities and civil society in Global Fund programmes through the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment will present uswith an opportunity towards the acceleration of progress towards SDG 3 through building and strengthening resilient systems for health; reinforcing health security; spurring domestic investment of USD 46 billion; tackling inequalities in health including gender and human rights related barriers to access; and yielding a return on investment of 1:19 with every dollar invested.
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Global Fund Advocates Network Asia-Pacific
Global Fund Advocates Network Asia-Pacific (GFAN AP) is a platform of community and civil society advocates for a fully funded Global Fund. It supports community and civil society mobilisation in the areas of increased domestic financing for HIV, TB and malaria responses; increased donor contributions towards the Global Fund; and ensuring that policy frameworks on health financing take into account community, rights and gender issues. Please visit www.gfanasiapacific.org for more information or contact Rachel Ong (based in Singapore), Regional Coordinator at rachel.ong@gfanasiapacific.org, or Niluka Perera (based in Colombo, Sri Lanka), Communications and Coordination Officer at Niluka.perera@gfanasiapacific.org