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The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) is calling for the submission of relevant case studies from different countries and regions in Africa that document attempts to use the law to push states to implement policies relating to the provision of HIV/AIDS and health-related services. While HIV/AIDS is the focus of the project, case studies documenting attempts (successful or otherwise) in addressing other public health challenges are welcomed.

Selected case studies will be presented at a panel discussion that will take place as part of the 14th International Conference on AIDS and STDs in Africa (ICASA) conference to be held in Abuja, Nigeria from 4 to 9 December, 2005. OSISA will fund the registration, travel and expenses of all panellists selected to present their cases studies.

The session entitled, 'AIDS and the Law: From Rhetoric to Reality', will take place on Tuesday 6 December from 18:00 to 20:00 at the conference venue.

Expanded versions of case studies selected will be developed as chapters for inclusion in a book on AIDS advocacy and the law, to be published in late 2006.

Guidelines for submission of case studies:

All submissions must concentrate on an issue that demonstrates/highlights experiences of using legal mechanisms to lobby national, provincial or district governments to implement national policies that provide for treatment, care and support, access to medicines and/or lifesaving commodities such as condoms, and/or education and information.

Key questions

Section A

- Region
- Country
- List of authors, affiliations, project partners, and other credits
- Contact Information

Section B
Submissions should consider the following:

- What is the policy context in your country? Are there polices in place to extend access to health (including care and medicines) and/or education to the majority of the population?
- Which policy/ies in particular concern your organisation?
- What evidence exists that the government is unable to implement the policies it has passed?
- Are there particular groups that are adversely affected by the failure to implement the policy you are concerned about?
- What nonlegal advocacy efforts have been utilised by civil society organisations to push the government to implement the policies it has passed?
- Describe your legal advocacy campaign/approach
- Describe the challenges and opportunities your group faced in carrying out the campaign/initiative
- Describe the lessons learned in the process
- Describe the way forward

Layout:
Maximum of 5 pages, with 1 inch margins, font size 12, single spacing. Electronic or email submissions should be compatible with Microsoft Word.

Deadline: 15 October 2005

For further information, or to submit a case study, please contact:

Sisonke Msimang
Programme Officer, HIV/AIDS
Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa
Tel. +27 11 403 3414
Fax. +27 11 403 2708
www.osisa.org

Health Systems Trust and the Women's Health Research Unit in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine at the University of Cape Town are co-hosting a seminar on 16 September 2005 that will examine issues regarding sexuality. It is part of an initiative of the Africa Sexuality Resource Centre based in Lagos, Nigeria, to stimulate discussion around sexuality in Africa. The seminar is entitled 'Sexuality - beyond reproduction'.

There will be a number of presentations on various issues related to the theme, each followed by a presentation by a discussant and a plenary discussion. Presentations will include topics such as: the sexuality of older women; religion, sexuality in the time of AIDS; and HIV and sexuality.

The seminar will be held in Conference room 1 and 2 at Medical School, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, from 10am to 3pm on 16 September.

Service providers, health service managers, researchers and students are welcome. Should you wish to attend, please RSVP to Mercia at or on +27 21-689-3325. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

With the 14th International Conference on AIDS and STDs in Africa (ICASA) due to take place from 4 to 9 December 2005 in Abuja, Nigeria, the publication of the full print version of a report on the 13th ICASA in Nairobi, Kenya, represents a timely opportunity to look back on the issues that dominated the conference two years ago.

The Health and Development Networks (HDN) report is intended as a tangible record of the 13th ICASA - what was said, by whom and when. The report summarises the highlights, beginning with the conference's history, and moves on to themes and objectives. We are presented with the main issues emerging from the conference through the eyes of the Rapporteur teams, key correspondents and selected participants. The focus then shifts to a brief description of the on-site newspaper, Pamoja News, and the skills-building sessions and, finally, the rapporteurs' presentations. By documenting the proceedings of the 13th ICASA, HDN hopes to maintain momentum in the collective struggle against HIV/AIDS, through ongoing strategies of partnership, stakeholder collaboration, and cross- and multi-sectoral approaches.

Requests for copies of this or other HDN publications should be addressed to .
The publication is available online at www.hdnet.org