What is CS monitoring?

This role is one only civil society organisations can play. Civil society organisations are outside of government. They are comprised of non-government organisations, faith groups, labour organisations and more. Together they play a crucial role politically by calling governments to task when targets aren’t being met.

Individually, these groups are in an ideal position at grassroots level to see how governments are keeping to their commitments. Jointly, the groups become a stronger voice that would be impossible not to hear. Indeed, at the 2001 UN Assembly, member states acknowledged the ‘particular role and significant contribution of people living with HIV/AIDS, young people, and civil society actors in addressing the problem of HIV/AIDS in all its aspects, and recogniz[ed] that their full involvement and participation in the design, planning, implementation and evaluation of programmes is crucial to the development of effective responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.’(1)

Undoubtedly, civil society groups have been integral in pushing forward the campaign for Universal Access by 2010. This site represents one platform where this can continue to happen.

(1) United Nations General Assembly, Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, A/RES/S-26/2, adopted at the twenty-sixth special session, 2 August 2001, Article 5.