Today, the 2024 Q3 meeting of the Gender & Human Rights Technical Committee (GHRTC) was successfully conducted at the NACA Conference Hall. The meeting was coordinated by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), which holds the mandate to oversee the HIV/AIDS response across Nigeria. The GHRTC plays a crucial role in ensuring the integration of gender equality and human rights into the national HIV/AIDS response, as outlined in the HIV/AIDS Policy, National Strategic Framework, and Plan (NSF & NSP).

The meeting commenced with the registration of participants, followed by the the National Anthem. After introductions of the participants, NACA provided the opening and welcome remarks, setting the tone for the day’s discussions. The objectives of the meeting were outlined by NACA, ensuring that all participants were aligned with the goals of the session.

Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives from MDAs, UN agencies, USG, Implementing Partners (IPs), PLHIV Networks, the KP Secretariat, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including UNAIDS, PEPFAR, and IHVN. These messages emphasized the importance of continued collaboration in advancing gender equality and human rights within the national HIV/AIDS response.

Following the goodwill messages, NACA presented the minutes of the last GHRTC meeting, providing a review of previous discussions and decisions.

The meeting continued with updates from the GHR-SRT, MDAs, and Partners, where representatives delivered 5-minute presentations on their Gender and Human Rights (GHR) activities for 2024. These presentations highlighted achievements, challenges, and proposed strategies for moving forward.

A special segment of the meeting was dedicated to NACA’s update on their ongoing Gender and Human Rights-related activities, which provided key insights into their efforts to mainstream these critical areas in the national response.

A special mention goes to NEPWHAN, who made an outstanding presentation, providing valuable insights into Gender and Human Rights cases across the 36+1 states in Nigeria, with 1304 GHR reports Resolved accordingly, translating to 80% of total report resolved from January – July 2024.

We appreciate the commitment of all participants and look forward to continued collaboration in strengthening the national response to HIV/AIDS.