CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: Civil Society Representatives to the International Drug Purchase Facility (IDPF) Board

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Civil Society Representatives to the International Drug Purchase Facility (IDPF)

Board

This is to inform you that there are 2 seats available for civil society

representatives at IDPF Board: 1 seat for communities living with HIV/AIDS, TB

and malaria, and 1 seat for NGOs fighting the diseases.

We therefore are soliciting nominations for the following positions:

1 Board member and 1 Alternate from communities living with HIV/AIDS;

1 Board member and 1 Alternate from NGOs fighting the diseases;

The selection committee will ensure that the developing and developed countries

are equally represented.

Draft Terms of Reference (ToR):

A Civil Society member of the International Drug Purchase Facility (IDPF) Board

represents the viewpoint and needs of Civil Society concerning the IDPF (see

background information about IDPF).

In particular, Civil Society IDPF Board members actively promote that IDPF

decisions would:

1. respond to the needs of people living with the diseases, NGOs fighting the

diseases, and programs to provide care to people living with the diseases;

2.lead to responsible and efficient use of the resources channeled through IDPF;

3. have a positive impact on resources available to pre-existing essential

institutions fighting the three diseases, such as the Global Fund;

4.Advance the global fight against the three diseases, through facilitating the

use of compulsory licensing to ensure generic competition of medicines;

financing IDPF through wholly additional funding; and supporting evidence-based,

comprehensive HIV prevention programs for all;

5. increase the accountability of the IDPF to people living with the diseases,

to NGOs fighting the diseases, and to programs providing care to people living

with the diseases.

The role of an IDPF Board member is that of a volunteer - there is no payment

for participating. Travel and per diem costs to attend Board meetings are

expected to be covered by the IDPF. The Board shall meet on average 4 times a

year. Candidates should expect the position to demand 25% of their working time.

(A) IDPF Board Member functions:

1. Discuss, amend and approve proposed Constitution and Business Plan (mainly at

first Board meeting, September 2006);

2. Determine, modify and approve IDPF’s objectives, scope and workplan; monitor

and evaluate its progress;

3. Oversee and solicit the contributions of partners;

4. Review the annual financial statement prepared by the Secretariat and

approve the budget;

5. Appoint the Executive Secretary (and other Secretariat members where

appropriate);

6. Discuss and approve IDPF support to treatment provision programs in

developing countries; monitor reports about these programs and their use of IDPF

support;

7. Discuss and approve IDPF contracting and partnership policies, as well as any

other Board-approved policies;

( Mandate and working methods for the IDPF Board member position:

Participate fully in all meetings of the IDPF Board (study all relevant

documents in advance in order to provide relevant input in the decision-making

process);

Participate in teleconferences and other virtual means of communications among

Board members, among civil society Board members, and among constituency members

(communities living with the diseases, NGOs fighting the diseases);

Advocate for the participation of civil society representatives in the design,

implementation and evaluation of all policies and programs at all levels of the

IDPF;

Provide input into equitable and appropriate allocation of resources;

Maintain a focus on issues of importance to the community and civil society

movements;

Represent the views of various civil society constituencies;

Seek input from communities living with the diseases and/or NGOs fighting the

diseases on key issues related to IDPF Board decisions;

Consult with and report to the broader constituency of communities living with

the diseases and/or NGOs fighting the diseases, both before and after working

group meetings;

Consult with advisor-status members of the civil society delegations to the IDPF

Board.

© Qualifications and criteria for selection

Based on the IDPF Board functions, including representing the various

constituencies (communities, NGOs), the selection committee for the Board

members should look for the following qualities in candidates:

IDPF-specific requirements:

Understanding of global treatment access scale-up blockages, and of the role of

commodity prices in these blockages;

Understanding of HIV, TB and malaria commodity procurement and supply issues;

Understanding of global drug accessibility determinants, especially market-based

determinants, including the role of intellectual property rules;

In-depth knowledge of the needs of people living with the diseases, especially

from a gender and vulnerability perspective and of issues facing NGOs fighting

the diseases;

Understanding of political environment of global health initiatives including

IDPF, Global Fund and of issues related to financing for development.

Requirements common to Boards of all global fight initiative:

Has time and ability to carry out the tasks derived from his/her role as a Board

member;

Has minimum 3 years experience in front-line civil society work in 1 or more of

the 3 disease areas;

Is able to communicate and network effectively and broadly (must have

functioning communications linkages such as telephone, fax, computer and email);

Is able and willing to recognize gaps in own abilities when new work

requirements arise, and to seek out and enlist outside help in order to fill

these gaps;

Is able to act within a team setting;

Has proven record of sound advocacy and media relations;

Is gender sensitive; has good skills in gender and age analysis, as well as

understanding of the needs of vulnerable groups;

Has diplomatic and strategic thinking skills, ability to prioritize;

Fluent in written and spoken English (additional languages are

preferred)*;

Has linkage to an organization that can facilitate communication and liaison as

well as provide consultation and support;

Possess assurance from employer regarding availability of up to 25% of working

time for Board related duties, until September 2007.

IDPF Board documentation will generally be provided in English (large volume),

and group discussions will be in English.

(D) Length of term

The Board members are selected for 1 year from September 2006 to September 2007.

Alternates are selected for 2 years from September 2006 to September 2008 to

serve 1 year as an Alternate followed by 1 year as a Board member.

It means that in the future only Alternates will be selected with the

expectation that they progress to the Board member position in the 2nd year of

their 2-year Board mandate.

The length of terms and criteria of selection will be reviewed after one year.

(E) Cessation of Appointment

A civil society appointee to the IDPF Board will cease to be Board member if:

He/she resigns

He/she no longer has an employer who is supportive of the time commitment

required, or he/she no longer has links to the organizations that secured

his/her nomination and/or selection to the IDPF Board;

He/she is unable to perform the agreed upon tasks;

He/she is unable to work with the other civil society delegates to the IDPF

Board as part of a team; and,

If a conflict of interest is declared.

(F) Alternate member functions:

1. Provide support to the Board members between and during the Board meetings,

including review of IDPF documents, advising on specific issues, preparing

background information, drafting motions and position statements and support the

Board member in other functions as above;

2. Liaise with the communities living with the diseases and/or NGOs fighting the

diseases to coordinate the civil society position and seek input on important

matters that are debated and discussed at IDPF Board;

3. Assist in preparation of briefs and updates for the communities living with

the diseases and/or NGOs fighting the diseases on key issues discussed and

decided on at the IDPF Board meeting.

(G) Application Process - Read carefully

Nominated individuals to sit in the IDPF Board need to prepare and submit a 4

page application (only the first 4 pages in the application will be considered)

that covers the following:

1.Name, contact information, age, organizational affiliation, communities

served, position applied for;

2. Short Curriculum Vitae (CV) outlining experience; (maximum 2 pages);

3. Short Narrative outlining your understanding of the IDPF and of the

challenges and opportunities it represents the global fight against HIV/AIDS, TB

and malaria; your civil society and community linkages in terms of relevant

experience (particularly experience in southern and developing countries) ; and

the most significant capabilities and strengths you would bring to the civil

society delegations to the IDPF Board that address the specific criteria

mentioned in these ToR (maximum 2 pages).

Also attached to the 4-page application will be:

* 2 letters of reference from relevant organizations other than your own (1 page

per reference only);

* 1 letter of reference from your own organization, or closest affiliated

organization, agreeing to the additional travel and workload (1 page only).

The CLOSING DATE for nominations is Friday, September 15, 2006. The

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO) will serve as a

mailbox for applications. Please send applications with all required documents

to:

Natalia Ciausova

c/o ICASO Secretariat

E-mail: nataliac@...

Fax: (1-416) 921-9979; tel: (1-416) 921-0018 ext.24

(email messages preferred)

We thank all applicants for their participation but only those selected will be

contacted. The results of selection process will be announced on Friday

September 22 through the listserves:

AF-AIDS

SEA-AIDS

Gender AIDS

INTAIDS

Community Research

ProCAARE

Healthgap

PWHA-Net

Stigma AIDS

Partners GF

AIDS INDIA

AIDS ASIA

Indian Network

ITPC

_________________________

Background Information on IDPF

IDPF stands for the International Drug Purchase Facility. It is a new initiative

meant to purchase pharmaceutical and diagnostic products needed for the

treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in developing countries. IDPF

also exists under the brand name UNITAID. Both names are interchangeable and

refer to the same initiative.

In order to have added value compared to other initiatives which purchase

medicines and diagnostics against the three diseases (such as Global Fund or

PEPFAR), IDPF will focus on products which are currently inaccessible in most

developing countries due to very high prices, such as pediatric or

latest-generation HIV drugs, and artemisin-combination therapies against

malaria.

The governments which are spearheading this new international tool in the fight

against the three diseases are France, Chile, Brazil, Norway and the UK.

These 5 countries are expected to contribute to IDPF between 300 and 400 million

USD in 2007. Several other international organizations have been enlisted as

partners of the IDPF, most notably the Global Fund and the World Health

Organization. The Global Fund will help match IDPF drug and diagnostic offer

with the demand from fast-growth treatment access programs in developing

countries. The WHO will help IDPF make sure that the products whose purchase it

funds are of high quality. IDPF has also enlisted the services of the Bill

Clinton Foundation to negotiate price reductions from manufacturers especially

generic manufacturers.

The first meeting of the IDPF Board is currently planned for late September

2006, probably September 28. This first Board meeting will discuss, amend and

approve proposals for a Business Plan, as well as a Constitution, for the IDPF.

A consultation will be organized in Paris on September 8 to allow civil society

to comment and request changes to these proposals. The proposals will be

circulated to civil society by the 5 governments on September 1st.

Gala Vrabiye

Administrative Coordinator

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO)

65 Wellesley St. E., Suite 403

Toronto, ON M4Y 1G7

CANADA

Tel: + 1-416-921-0018 ext. 10

Fax: + 1-416-921-9979

E-mail: icaso@...

Web site: www.icaso.org