This is an opportunity to show our deep thanks to GFAN Asia-Pacific and to all our friends and supporters in the region. The unprecedented impact of the Global Fund over the last two decades has been made possible by the communities and civil society resource mobilisation efforts for, and constructive engagement in Global Fund programmes.

Lady Roslyn Morauta

Vice-Chair of the Board, The Global Fund to Fight AID, Tuberculosis and Malaria

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) will hold its Seventh Replenishment in 2022 to raise funds for the period of 2023 – 2025. The Global Fund, a global health financing facility raises funds for its HIV, TB and Malaria interventions in three-year cycles. For its Sixth Replenishment which took place in 2019, the Global Fund and its partnership raised US$14 billion – the largest amount raised by the Global Fund since its establishment in 2002, and the largest amount ever raised by a global health financing facility.

On 28th July 2021, Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN AP) convened communities and civil society representatives working on HIV, TB and malaria responses in Asia-Pacific for a strategising meeting on the Global Fund Seventh Replenishment. The Meeting was attended by over 40 country partners, colleagues from Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) and GFAN Africa, and representatives from the Global Fund Secretariat.

The meeting was moderated by Rachel Ong, Regional Coordinator of GFAN AP, and aimed to:

    1. Raise awareness and share information and/or plans on the Global Fund Seventh Replenishment, Global Fund 20th Anniversary, and Post-2022 Strategy.
    2. Explore and identify high-level key messages, key timelines, and/or suitable strategies from the Asia-Pacific region for the resource mobilisation efforts for the Global Fund.

The meeting was opened and welcomed by Dr Khuat Thi Hai Oanh, Chair of GFAN AP Steering Committee and Executive Director of Center for Social Development Initiatives (SCDI), Vietnam. Oanh highlighted that the Global Fund Seventh Replenishment takes place at a critical time as the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health systems across the world, risking the gain achieved so far against the three diseases and reducing resources available to ensure that targets in the Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is achieved.

Opening remarks of the meeting were made via recording by Lady Roslyn Morauta, the Vice-Chair of the Board of the Global Fund. Lady Roslyn Morauta acknowledged and expressed deep appreciation for the unprecedented efforts of national and regional partners from the Asia-Pacific that resulted in its exceptional advocacy campaigns during the Sixth Replenishment and further added her anticipation for similar efforts for the Seventh Replenishment.

Ms Pauline Mazue, Specialist – Advocacy, Political and Civil Society Advocacy Department, External Relations and Communications Division of the Global Fund provided an update on the Global Fund Seventh Replenishment and shared overall timelines and key dates and priorities of the Global Fund including the Global Fund 20th Anniversary activities, the Investment Case, and that discussions were ongoing on the host countries of the Preparatory Meeting and Pledging Conference for the Seventh Replenishment in 2022.

Ms Katy Kydd Wright, Director of Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) provided updates on the plans of GFAN and its members in Seventh Replenishment engagements, and that the objective of GFAN was to support its members to have the evidence, analysis and tools needed to advocate for a fully funded Global Fund in their respective countries and regions.

Mr Niluka Perera, Communications and Coordination Officer of GFAN AP presented on key activities of the Sixth Replenishment – including #LoveMoreGiveMore, #HeroesGiveMore and #ThankYou, and related embassy events and press conferences held, acknowledging and thanking community and civil society partners for their support and solidarity. Furthermore key priorities and related thematic areas for the Global Fund Seventh Replenishment and 20th Anniversary were shared.

The Global Fund Replenishments are not only an opportunity for communities and civil society to contribute to the Global Fund resource mobilisation efforts, it also raises awareness about the Global Fund and its impact across a wider audience. The Seventh Replenishment of the Global Fund will require exceptional efforts given the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the three responses and the resources available. As communities and civil society we are ready to engage in an exceptional replenishment exercise with the Global Fund!
Dr Khuat Thi Hai Oanh

Chair of Steering Committee, GFAN AP

The India Working Group for Health Advocacy (IWG) was established for the Global Fund Sixth Replenishment with the support of GFAN AP, and has not only contributed to impactful engagement of India communities and civil society during the Preparatory Meeting for the Global Fund Sixth Replenishment in 2019, but also consequentially the engagements with the Government of India for increased resources for national HIV, TB and malaria responses.

Daxa Patel

President, National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI+)

Country and regional partners that took part in the Sixth Replenishment efforts also shared their experiences, successes and challenges – including Ms Daxa Patel, President of the National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI+), Dr Khuat Thi Hai Oanh, and Ms RD Marte, Executive Director of APCASO

The participants then took part in a plenary collectively through a facilitated discussion that gathered opinions, priorities, and key messages on a range of questions to formulate regional activities for campaigning towards the Global Fund Seventh Replenishment and its 20th Anniversary. Key takeaways from the discussion highlighted that human rights and communities should remain at the centre of the responses of the Global Fund, and that the campaign would need to address the deadly divide and inequalities to accelerate efforts towards ending the three diseases by 2030 amidst COVID-19. Additional key issues that were also highlighted was the need to incorporate more targeted approaches towards implementing countries to step up their commitments towards resources for the three diseases to meet national and global targets for the three diseases. There was also interest in engaging more with private sector and other stakeholders – including parliamentarians and media for the Seventh Replenishment efforts. Lastly, stressed by many participants in the meeting was given the uncertainties of COVID-19, a mix of campaign activities, including virtual and face-to-face and social media avenues will need to be better incorporated to maximise the efficacy of campaigning efforts.

GFAN AP would like to thank all participants for their active engagement and support in this meeting, and will be using the inputs from the strategising meeting to plan for the upcoming campaign activities and advocacy efforts. As a network of communities and civil society, GFAN AP will stand behind and prioritise collaborations and partnership with local, national and regional partners in delivering its campaigns and activities focused on the Seventh Replenishment for a fully resourced Global Fund. 

Watch the Recording of the Meeting Here!

Meeting Resources:

    • Meeting Concept Note and Agenda [click here]
    • Presentations: Pauline Mazue [click here], Katy Kydd Wright [click here], Niluka Perera [click here], Daxa Patel [click here], RD Marte [click here]
    • Meeting Report [click here]