#MoreNowThanEver: Towards the Global Fund Eighth Replenishment

Keynote address | Lady Roslyn Morauta

Lady Roslyn Morauta delivered the keynote address, thanking civil society and community advocates who have been instrumental in advancing the fight against HIV, TB and malaria and supporting the Global Fund partnership that has saved 65 million lives, cut the combined death rate from HIV, TB and malaria by 63%, and built stronger, more resilient health systems in over 100 countries. However, she emphasised that multiple colliding crises, including climate change, conflict, economic instability, and attacks on human rights and gender equality are deepening inequities for the most vulnerable and placing these health gains at risk. 

The Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment is a pivotal moment for global health. With an investment of at least US$18 billion, the Global Fund partnership can save 23 million more lives, prevent 400 million new infections, strengthen health systems and pandemic preparedness, and ensure critical access to life-saving interventions. The investment will deliver economic resilience, social stability, and a healthier future for all, resulting in a 1:19 return for every dollar invested, generating an estimated US$323 billion in health and economic benefits between 2027-2029.

Lady Roslyn also urged communities and civil society advocates to engage decision makers and governments to prioritise investments in health systems and mobilise domestic resources to complement donor contributions, as well as amplify evidence of the Global Fund’s impact through success stories and return on investment data. It is critical that communities are kept at the centre of decision-making and program implementation as we continue to advocate for the right to health.

Highlights of the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment launch | Françoise Vanni

Françoise Vanni presented an overview on the launch of the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment campaign and started by noting the unprecedented challenges in the current global health and development landscape. The Eighth Replenishment campaign was launched virtually from Johannesburg, South Africa to allow for high-level participation from stakeholders globally, including Ministers of Health from Malawi, Indonesia, Nigeria, and the Central African Republic; the Minister for International Development from Germany; and voices from civil society and communities, including youth, which collectively represent the unique global partnership model of the Global Fund. Françoise expressed deep gratitude and appreciation to South Africa and the UK as joint hosts of the Eighth Replenishment for their commitment and leadership throughout the campaign.

The key headline of the Eighth Replenishment Investment Case is that with at least US$18 billion in investments, the Global Fund will be able to save 23 million lives, avert 400 million new infections or cases, and importantly, deliver a return on investment of US$19 for every dollar invested in terms of health and broader economic and social outcomes. The Investment Case was well received during the launch, and there also emerged a positive sentiment of the Global Fund as a reliable partner of choice during challenging and unprecedented times. Key themes highlighted by partners include sustainability, adaptability, boosting domestic resource mobilisation for health, communities, rights & gender (CRG), and greater involvement of the private sector, which is in line with the Global Fund’s target of raising US$2 billion from private donors for this replenishment cycle.

Françoise stressed the importance of adapting the campaign to different countries, audiences and moments while amplifying the same core messages and values, and maintaining a hopeful and determined tone despite sobering circumstances. From now till the Pledging Conference, the Global Fund will be working closely alongside civil society, community partners and advocates to leverage critical regional and global moments, such as the G20 Summit hosted by South Africa, to secure support and pledges for the Eighth Replenishment.

Importance of investments in communities and civil society | Ikka Noviyanti

Ikka Noviyanti highlighted the impact of the HIV epidemic on key and vulnerable populations in Asia-Pacific and the key role that communities and civil society play in ensuring health responses are people-centred, inclusive and effective. In countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand, nearly half of new HIV infections occurred among young people in 2022. Yet, key populations including youth, people who use drugs, sex workers, and LGBTQI+ individuals face barriers in accessing prevention and treatment services due to persistent stigma, discrimination, criminalisation, and resource challenges. 

Communities and civil society play a critical role ensuring equitable access to care for all affected populations by advocating for reduced stigma, reform of punitive laws, and increased investments in HIV programmes. Through their participation in Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs), communities advocate for inclusive policies that reflect the needs of key and marginalised populations in shaping funding proposals and ensuring effective resource allocation. Community-based organisations (CBOs) and civil society groups deliver essential health services especially in hard-to-reach areas, providing peer support, treatment adherence counseling, and harm reduction services while contributing to innovative service models, such as community-led monitoring (CLM) and mobile health outreach. Through CLM, communities also play a key role in ensuring the transparency and effectiveness of Global Fund grants by identifying service gaps, reporting stockouts, and pushing for programmatic improvements and accountability.

Ikka emphasised the importance of investing in communities and civil society to ensure the continuation and sustainability of effective, people-centred health services, particularly through long-term, flexible investments that empower those closest to the ground: community-based organisations and local leadership.

Moments that define us… #MoreNowThanEver | Rachel Ong

Rachel Ong, the Regional Coordinator of GFAN AP, introduced the #MoreNowThanEver campaign and presented an overview of the campaign concept, key messages, and planned activities. Rachel also expressed deep appreciation to the many partners and stakeholders who contributed thoughts and ideas during the formulation of the campaign. 

Building on GFAN AP’s past campaigns for the Sixth Replenishment (#LoveMoreGiveMore, #HeroesGiveMore, #ThankYouCampaign) and Seventh Replenishment (In Extraordinary Times… the #PowerOfMore), the Eighth Replenishment campaign theme of #MoreNowThanEver emphasises the importance and urgency of a fully resourced Global Fund replenishment at this critical juncture in global health. 

To ensure alignment, the following messaging angles have been developed for the #MoreNowThanEver campaign:

• Appeal to responsibility (“Eradicating the three diseases is a global imperative for our common future”)
• Appeal to partnership (“We need greater collaboration and solidarity to ensure sustainability and strengthened health and community systems”)
• Appeal to impact (“Funding saves lives, strengthens communities, advances human rights and strengthens economies”)
• Appeal to urgency (“Investing now offsets greater future needs”)
• Appeal to goals (“Funding is necessary to achieve Universal Health Coverage [UHC] and the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs]”)
• Appeal to emotions (“Every number represents human lives saved”)
• Appeal to collective security (“The three diseases know no borders and pose a threat to our common humanity”)

Acknowledging the growing sense of fatigue from donors regarding the messaging of “more” funding, the #MoreNowThanEver campaign emphasises not just the financial aspect of the replenishment, but also the heightened need and increased impact of a fully resourced Global Fund at this critical time.

Rachel then presented the campaign launch video:

Upcoming campaign activities will be highly targeted and strategic engagements with traditional and non-traditional donors, including emerging private sector donors and philanthropists. Community and civil society perspectives and success stories will be amplified through social media and potentially through press media through opportunities for strategic partnerships. Campaign resources including supporting videos and a social media toolkit with guidelines, tools, visuals, and messages will be regularly updated on the #MoreNowThanEver landing page, in addition to regular webinars to facilitate communities and civil society engagement in the campaign. Community engagement activities include the writing of messages and folding of paper stars to be delivered to donor embassies, as well as the creation and signing-on of targeted letters and statements throughout the year to specific donors.

To maximise global impact and engagement, GFAN AP will be collaborating closely with partner organisations, including GFAN Africa and GFAN, as well as colleagues from other regions such as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Japanese colleagues around TICAD 9, South African colleagues around the G20 Summit, and more. The #MoreNowThanEver campaign also acknowledges cross-cutting issues such as the environment, pandemic prevention, preparedness & response (PPPR), sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), shrinking civic spaces, gender equality, global health as a public good, and domestic resource mobilisation.

Rachel concluded her presentation with an appreciation to partners and advocates for their dedication, commitment, and solidarity in these challenging times, while acknowledging the extraordinarily difficult circumstances many communities are facing due to withdrawals in international aid.

Key Takeaways from the Eighth Replenishment Launch | Rosemary Mburu

Rosemary Mburu presented her key takeaways and reflection points from the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment Launch in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Firstly, South Africa’s dual status as a Global Fund implementing country and co-host of the Eighth Replenishment presents a unique opportunity to demonstrate the role of communities and civil society in working with country leadership, to spotlight the value and impact of the Global Fund partnership model. The Eighth Replenishment campaign does not have a “Plan B”; we do not have the choice of failure. We have to rally and mobilise together in support of global solidarity.

Secondly, the Eighth Replenishment campaign will need to be quieter and more targeted than in previous years, therefore, close collaboration between partners and colleagues across regions is necessary for us to act as a coordinated global movement. It is also important to listen to ensure the right timing for targeted actions.

Thirdly, we need domestic and regional political leadership from governments in implementing countries to step up as champions for this Replenishment cycle. We want to hear political leadership speaking up publicly in support of the Global Fund in our countries, while also demonstrating leadership through increased domestic investment, something which is needed more now than ever given the current geopolitics and funding landscape.

Fourthly, we need regional and country level voices and actions to demonstrate support for the Eighth Replenishment. The Global Fund is working with a number of replenishment champion countries to amplify replenishment messaging and it is crucial community and civil society voices in those countries are also included.

GFAN Africa’s #OneWorldOneFight campaign | Ségolène Moussala

Ségolène Moussala presented GFAN Africa’s communications plan for the Eighth Replenishment, conceptualised as the #OneWorldOneFight campaign. The campaign was developed based on three pillars: one, that no country or region alone can solve the multiple challenges we are facing; two, that progress comes from collective actions in the fight against HIV, TB and malaria; and three, that there is power in partnerships.

The campaign has 4 key themes or messages, each with respective subthemes. 

The first theme, “Dare to Do More”, is a call to African leaders to act, for civil society & communities to mobilise, and to spotlight stories of African leadership, how African countries are contributing and taking ownership of their own health. 

The second theme, “Invest in Health”, is about increasing funding for the fight against the three diseases, with subthemes around domesticating regional commitments and frameworks while increasing and sustaining domestic resources for health.

The third theme, “Leave No One Behind”, speaks to health as a human right, spotlights community leadership, and pushes for investments in services for vulnerable populations.

The fourth theme, “Communities First”, is about keeping communities at the centre of everything we do. It will include sharing of impact stories of Global Fund work on the ground and the importance of investments for responsive, effective, and sustainable solutions.

Ségolène shared a calendar of key moments, highlighting three important upcoming dates: the official launch of the #OneWorldOneFight campaign on 11 March 2025; a special parliamentarian briefing on the Global Fund Investment Case on 19 March 2025; and a forum for youth engagement on 27 March 2025.

Areas for synergy and strengthened collaboration between the #MoreNowThanEver and #OneWorldOneFight campaign include joint mobilisation on common messages and shared advocacy tools, for example, using both hashtags during digital activations. GFAN Africa and GFAN AP must work hand in hand because a bold Global Fund replenishment is most likely to succeed through a strategic and united mobilisation.

Updates from GFAN on the Eighth Replenishment | Quentin Batréau

Quentin Batréau presented an overview of the context of the Eighth Replenishment, challenges and mitigation strategies, and a brief analysis of the Investment Case. Quentin started with an acknowledgement that this might be the hardest replenishment yet, given the cuts to Official Development Assistance (ODA) across key donors, political chaos in some G7 countries, and now the suspension of foreign aid funding.

In a global context with so much uncertainty and constant shifts in the landscape, it is essential for advocates in donor and implementing countries to be communicating and aligning on actions, for example by reaching out to GFAN / GFAN AP / GFAN Africa to connect with colleagues in countries to understand local contexts and coordinate to guarantee impact. 

Regarding the Investment Case for the Eighth Replenishment, GFAN welcomes a strong document with ambitious targets and useful language and data, but regrets that the Global Fund legitimises a funding gap in their model. GFAN is happy to see that there is language around fighting back against shrinking civil society spaces and strong language around climate change, but wishes there had been more efforts on quantifying its impact. GFAN strongly appreciates that the Investment Case frames sustainability not as a way to justify funding cuts but as the outcome of ending the three diseases, and also appreciates the centring of partnerships, innovation, and contribution towards UHC.

Quentin also shared links to GFAN’s Investment Case advocacy toolkit as well as a sneak peek of the #HereIAm campaign relaunch in support of the Eighth Replenishment, which will highlight the role of communities as experts, and is due to be launched in the coming weeks.