UN News

The Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network: Community of Practice, a joint initiative of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) and Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO) was launched on May 29 during a one-day workshop held at the conference center of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. The keynote address by the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mr Fidele Sarassoro, and an opening speech by HAPCO Director General, Dr Betru Tekle, both stressed that the initiative will enhance the AIDS response through the networking of practitioners from HAPCO, sector responses, academic institutions and other researchers, NGOs, donors, civil society, the private sector and others.

The HIV Community of Practice connects professionals through electronic and face-to-face knowledge-sharing platforms. Its objectives are to enhance collaboration and coordination; to enable individual community members to learn faster, work smarter and avoid duplication; to open up a new channel for government to gauge the value and effectiveness of its policies and programmes; and to capture, synthesize, document and disseminate national success stories and indigenous knowledge.

The network will be moderated and facilitated by full-time staff members. A resource group chaired by Federal HAPCO will provide guidance and support. Membership is open to any practitioner working on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support at any levels. More than 100 HIV practitioners from a wide variety of stakeholder groups participated in the workshop and signed the HIV community of Practice Membership agreement. During the launching, the community began a discussion on “the situation of HIV transmission and the response among young people in tertiary education institutions”. Discussion on this issue will continue in the community e-discussion platform over the next few weeks. Practitioners working on HIV and Development at all levels are invited to join the community and contribute.

Basic Facts about Ethiopian HIV Knowledge sharing Network

Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network is a joint initiative of United Nations Country Team in Ethiopia (UNCT) and the Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO). Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network is a Voluntary Knowledge Management Platform designed to enable individuals working in the area of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support to share useful knowledge, best practices and learn from each other in a spirit of collaboration.

Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network: HIV Community of Practice (CoP) connects practitioners working on HIV/AIDS at public and private sector, Academic and research institutions civil society Organizations, Donors and other Stakeholders. Its Oobjectives are:

• to enhance collaboration and coordination;
• to enable individual community members to learn faster, work smarter and avoid duplication;
• to open up a new channel for government to gauge the value and effectiveness of its policies and programmes; and
• to capture synthesize, document and  publicize indigenous knowledge and national success stories.

Linked by a common vision, field of practice, challenges and engagement in development activities, HIV CoPs members will meet physically in face-to-face meetings and virtually on the electronic knowledge sharing platform (KSP) to continuously learn from each others’ knowledge, and expertise. The initiative will provide the following services to members and beyond:-

• Post quires and get solutions as a consolidated reply from community members experience  and  knowledge for challenges that encounter in their day-to-day activities
• E-Consultation for drafters of projects, programmes, plans, policies and legislation to obtain feedback from Community members as an input into finalization.
• E-Discussion to address and gain insights on issues of wide concern to the Community and build a case for further development of policies and programmes.
• Commission Action Group to produce a quick, strategic deliverable such as a project proposal, strategic plan, pilot project or action research.

In addition the initiative will systematically capture, synthesize, document as Consolidated Reply booklets, Best Practice books, Success Story pamphlets and disseminate the knowledge products of the community to wider public use.

The network will be moderated and facilitated by full-time staff members. A resource group chaired by Federal HAPCO will provide guidance and support.

Joining Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network: HIV Community of Practice is free, voluntary and open to any practitioner working on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support related development programmes, interested in contributing advice, experience and expertise for use by others, or for adapting others’ advice, experience and expertise for their own use.

Your use of the Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network: Community of Practice websites and /or your membership to the Community governed by the Community terms and conditions specified in the community membership agreement.

For further information please contact Dr. Amha Haile, Network facilitator for the HIV/AIDS CoP at [email protected]