Objective:

To strengthen the steering capacities for the implementation of the regional strategic HIV&AIDS plan for Central America, and to support the multi-sectoral implementation of interventions that aim to improve regional knowledge management as well as initiatives in the fields of gender, stigma and discrimination.

Content:

Health Focus/COMO are responsible for the implementation of GIZ’s Regional HIV&AIDS Programme in Central America (including the countries of Central America, Dominican Republic and Mexico) and provide support in the following areas:

• Strengthening the institutional structures and environment for an effective implementation of the regional strategy (technical support to the MCR (Regional Coordinating Mechanism) in terms of organizational development and revision of the internal regulatory framework, technical assistance for the development of a monitoring system and of business plans, support for resource management at regional level);
• Development of regional knowledge management systems (review of existing studies on topics with relevance for the region and identification of knowledge gaps, information needs assessment, technical assistance for the elaboration of a regional agenda for applied research, set up of a technical platform for regional knowledge management)
• Dissemination of best practices approaches in the fight against HIV&AIDS through key stakeholders’ involvement and networking (situation analysis of regional networks and organizations active in HIV&AIDS related and MCR relevant fields of work, support to the MCR for the preparation of horizontal and/or trilateral cooperation, technical assistance to the MCR for the development of a framework for the initiation and implementation of PPP (private public partnership), set up of technical platforms for information sharing and regional workshops to strengthen regional networks, capacity development and financial subsidies to promote best practice approaches in the field of gender, masculinity, stigma and discrimination)

The MCR was established by the Central American countries and Mexico in 2004 in order to coordinate the Global Fund financed project to reduce the vulnerability of migrants in the region. In 2007, the MCR was assigned by these countries to coordinate and harmonize the regional response to HIV/AIDS. It is subordinate to the Council of Ministers of Health of Central America (Consejo de Ministros de Salud de Centroamérica, COMISCA). Its area of jurisdiction comprises the countries in Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama) as well as Mexico and the Dominican Republic. In December 2009, the MCR presented a regional HIV/AIDS strategy plan for 2010 – 2015 that was adopted by COMISCA in March 2010. It is based on the implementation of the Three Ones in the region under a multisectoral mandate.

• Selection, mobilisation and supervision of international and national long-term and short-term experts and personnel;
• Organisational development, process and technical support to the Regional Coordinating Mechanism (MCR);
• Implementation of activities in close collaboration with key stakeholders and partner institutions (e.g. conception, preparation and realisation of situation analysis, workshops and trainings);
• Operational research (e.g. network evaluation), monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to enhance evidence-based strategic and operational decision-making;
• Project administration, monitoring and supervision in line with the GIZ instruments (including local subsidy contract management);
• Establishment and maintenance of a project office;
• Coordination with GIZ;
• Technical backstopping of the project;
• Contribution to GIZ’s Knowledge management (Collating project experience and best practice examples);
• Regular reporting to the client and partners.