HERAF

Strengthening Health Professionals and Civil Society to Address Human Rights in HIV/AIDS and Health in Kenya

Building a Network of Kenyan Health Professionals

For 20 years, Physicians for Human Rights USA (PHR) has engaged health professional leaders on advocacy to promote, protect and defend health rights worldwide. Since 2003, PHR has been working with a Ugandan NGO, the Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA), to engage Ugandan health professional leaders in an AIDS and health rights advocacy network. In Kenya PHR partnered with Kenyan Human Rights Commission (KHRC) a leading independent human rights NGO to provide leadership to health professional-led advocacy network to promote, protect and defend the right to health in Kenya. These initiatives culminated to establishment of Health Rights Advocacy Forum (HERAF).

Project goal.

The AIDS and human rights project (AHRP) is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through PHR, USA. There of the project goal is to support a comprehensive AIDS strategy and policies consistent with the best public health and human rights principles to combat the disease in Kenya. The project is based on a firm strategy to build a constituency that uses the knowledge and authority of health professionals and a network of non-state actors working in or interested in health, especially HIV/ AIDS policies, to increase policy makers’ understanding of the need for a vigorous, well-financed and sound approach to the AIDS epidemic. The project focuses on the recognition of health as fundamental right by duty bearers, increased empowerment of the community to design and implement health policies, as well as meaningful involvement of the community in health resource management and health system governance in Kenya

Hospital staff

Project objectives

a)       Development and support of network/movement of health professionals and civil society working or interested in health and especially HIV and AIDS.

b)      Advocate for HIV and AIDS policy and programming shift based on a comprehensive HIV and AIDS strategy rooted in science and strong public health and human rights principles.

c)       Advocate for increased health sector human resources, establishment and implementation of policies promoting better working conditions for health providers cognizant of health professionals’ rights to HIV and AIDS prevention.

d)      Develop right to health frameworks by formulating information and education tools and policy briefs that can facilitate discussions from a human rights perspective as well as support other organizations doing focused work on the right to health.

Target Audience

• HERAF members including health professionals, CSOs, FBOs and PLWHAs
• Research and learning institutions especially University of Nairobi and Moi University
• National AIDS Control Council (NACC)
• Ministry of Health and Treasury officials
• The private sector
• Members of Parliament
• The media
• Development partners