Civil Society Responses

Spontaneous community initiatives especially to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS characterized the country's initial response to the epidemic. Todate civil society organization (CSOs) including religious organizations have sustained the response especially at grassroots level.

CSO contributions have ranged from financial support largely from international CSOs to management of systematic programmes in HIV prevention; care and support for the infected and affected; and social and economic empowerment especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized populations.

Some globally acclaimed efforts in the country such as psychosocial care for the infected and affected, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), home-based care and traditional medicine have been championed by CSOs such as TASO , AIC , THETA , Kitovu Mobile Home Care among others. Uganda also embraced the Greater Involvement of People Living with AIDS ( GIPA ) movement many years ago and many PHA networks have been formed at various levels. Coordination of CSO efforts is spearheaded by the Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organizations ( UNASO ) and also through the Self Coordinating Entities (SCEs) of FBOs, NGOs and International NGOs (INGOs).

Indeed many critics of the country's response argue that most HIV/AIDS work in Uganda has been left to CSOs. This is to a great extent true but is not seen as a weakness on the side of government but rather complementary. Government policies recognize the role CSOs as partners in national development. Under the supportive policy environment, CSOs work with government to implement national priorities in various areas and sometimes receive financial and technical support from government through public and private partnerships. This is largely in recognition of their flexibility to involve communities in managing their programs which puts CSOs in strategic positions to respond easily to needs of people at the grassroots. Some leaders in the Civil Society world have also reiterated CSO role particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS

This site provides a forum for sharing CSO and FBO efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda

Download full document. (HIV Agencies Inventory)

1. The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO)

TASO was founded in November 1987, by a group of 16 volunteers who had been personally affected by HIV/AIDS in various ways. The founders were led by Mrs. Noerine Kaleeba, who is currently working with UNAIDS (Geneva). For more information visit http://www.taso.co.ug

2. AIDS Information Centre (AIC)

AIDS Information Centre (AIC) is a non Governmental organization established in 1990 to provide the public with Voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS.

The mission of AIC is to prevent the spread of HIV and mitigate its impact by being a model of excellence in the provision and expansion of Voluntary counselling and testing, information and education, and the promotion of care and support. For more information visit http://www.aicug.org

3. GIPA

The Action Research for District Response Initiative (DRI) on HIV/AIDS was
launched in August 2002. It is a Uganda AIDS Commission study on practices in the

Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organisations (UNASO)

The Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organisations (UNASO) is a nation-wide network of over 300 non-governmental, community based and faith-based organisations, groups of people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) and other local communities involved in the response t o HIV/AIDS in Uganda. For more information visit http://www.unaso.or.ug