The following links might contain useful information with regards to supporting the response to the HIV epidemic in Eastern and Southern Africa:

• AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa
  Established in 2002, the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) is a regional partnership of non-governmental organisations working together to promote a human rights approach to HIV/AIDS and TB in Southern Africa through capacity building and advocacy. It is constituted in the form of a trust and all partner organisations are members of the trust. Three steering committees, comprising trust members, act as advisory boards for the three ARASA programme areas: training and awareness raising, advocacy and lobbying and regional treatment literacy and advocacy.
  www.arasa.info
  
  
• AIDS Portal
  AIDSPortal is an internet platform which provides tools to support global collaboration and knowledge sharing among new and existing networks of people responding to the AIDS epidemic.
  www.aidsportal.org
  
  
• African Union
  The AU is Africa's premier institution and principal organization for the promotion of accelerated socio-economic integration of the continent, which will lead to greater unity and solidarity between African countries and peoples. The AU is based on the common vision of a united and strong Africa and on the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth and the private sector, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion amongst the peoples of Africa. As a continental organization it focuses on the promotion of peace, security and stability on the continent as a prerequisite for the implementation of the development and integration agenda of the Union.
  

  www.africa-union.org
  
  
• African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
  Established by the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights which came into force on 21 October 1986 after its adoption in Nairobi (Kenya) in 1981 by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU.), the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights is charged with ensuring the promotion and protection of Human and Peoples' Rights throughout the African Continent. The Commission has its headquarters in Banjul, The Gambia.
  www.achpr.org
  
  
• AVERT - Averting HIV and Aids
  AVERT is an international HIV and AIDS charity based in the UK, working to AVERT HIV and AIDS worldwide. AVERT has HIV and AIDS projects in countries where there is a particularly high rate of infection, such as South Africa, or where there is a rapidly increasing rate of infection such as in India.
  www.avert.org
  
  
• Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
  The Centre for Human Rights of the Faculty of Law of the University of Pretoria focuses primarily on human rights law in Africa. Highlights in its history since the Centre was established in 1986 include the involvement of members of the Centre in the writing of the South African Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the contribution the Centre has made to legal education in respect of human rights on the continent through its academic programmes and research outputs. Members of the Centre have served as consultants on human rights issues to a range of institutions, including the Organisation of African Unity/African Union, NEPAD, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the South African Human Rights Commission. The Centre has been awarded the 2006 UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education.
  www.chr.up.ac.za
  
  
• Centre for the Study of AIDS, University of Pretoria
  Since that time, the CSA has continued to develop and expand its innovative training, educational, counselling and research programmes, as well as providing intellectual leadership and consultancy services off campus to government and the private and non-governmental organisation (NGO) sectors. The current programme of the CSA primarily serves more than 40 000 on-campus students at the University. It includes training for staff and students, counselling and support and a range of community-based programmes. In addition, the CSA promotes the development of HIV/AIDS-related curricula and research on HIV/AIDS at a faculty level. The CSA further promotes a holistic understanding of HIV/AIDS, where it is not simply seen as a pure medical issue, but as a social, medical, developmental and legal one.
  www.csa.za.org
  
  
• Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
  The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa traces its genesis to the mid 1960s. The idea of regional economic co-operation received considerable impetus from the buoyant and optimistic mood that characterised the post-independence period in most of Africa. The mood then was one of pan-African solidarity and collective self-reliance born of a shared destiny. It was under these circumstances that, in 1965, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) convened a ministerial meeting of the then newly independent states of Eastern and Southern Africa to consider proposals for the establishment of a mechanism for the promotion of sub-regional economic integration. The meeting, which was held in Lusaka, Zambia, recommended the creation of an Economic Community of Eastern and Central African states.
  www.comesa.int
  
  
• East African Community
  The East African Community (EAC) is the regional intergovernmental organisation of the Republics of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Burundi and Republic of Rwanda with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
  www.eac.int
  
  
• HIV/AIDS Impact on Education Clearinghouse
  HIV/AIDS Impact on Education Clearinghouse is a platform for sharing knowledge and information on the impact of HIV/AIDS on education. This site is designed as a tool for you to disseminate your research and learn from the research of others. If you have experience of what works and why, the Clearinghouse is an ideal forum to share your ideas.
  http://hivaidsclearinghouse.unesco.org
  
  
• Intergovernmental Authority on Development
  The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa was created in 1996 to supersede the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) which was founded in 1986.
  www.igad.org
  

  
  
• International Labour Organisation
  The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues.
  www.ilo.org
  
  
• Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
  UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations family, bringing together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response to help the world prevent new HIV infections, care for people living with HIV, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic.
  www.unaids.org
  
  
• NEPAD
  The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is a vision and strategic framework for Africa's renewal.
  www.nepad.org
  
  
• Office of the United Nations High Commisioner for Human Rights
  The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. We have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect all human rights.
  www.ohchr.org
  
  
• Southern Africa Litigation Centre
  Launched in 2005, the Centre represents a joint initiative of the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA). It is also supported by DLA Piper, one of the three largest law firms in the world. Based in Johannesburg, the Centre promotes Human Rights and the Rule of Law and operates in the following Southern African countries: Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
  www.southernafricalawcenter.org
  
  
• Southern African Development Community
  The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been in existence since 1980, when it was formed as a loose alliance of nine majority-ruled States in Southern Africa known as the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), with the main aim of coordinating development projects in order to lessen economic dependence on the then apartheid South Africa. The Member States are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
  www.sadc.int
  
  
• United Nations
  The United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems that challenge humanity. Cooperating in this effort are more than 30 affiliated organizations, known together as the UN system. Day in and day out, the UN and its family of organizations work to promote respect for human rights, protect the environment, fight disease and reduce poverty. UN agencies define the standards for safe and efficient air travel and help improve telecommunications and enhance consumer protection. The United Nations leads the international campaigns against drug trafficking and terrorism. Throughout the world, the UN and its agencies assist refugees, set up programmes to clear landmines, help expand food production and lead the fight against AIDS.
  www.un.org
  
  
• United Nations Development Programme
  UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. World leaders have pledged to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including the overarching goal of cutting poverty in half by 2015. UNDP's network links and coordinates global and national efforts to reach these Goals. Our focus is helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of: Democratic governance, poverty reduction, crisis prevention and recovery, environment and energy, and HIV/AIDS UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women.
  www.undp.org
  
  
• World Health Organisation
  WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to essential care and collective defence against transnational threats.
  www.who.int