Selection Recruitment Of Iiwgha Leaders

International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS IIGWHA Leaders Orientation Package March 2013

Currently, the International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS comprises leaders throughout the Americas and Oceania who build a unified voice for Indigenous peoples in collective action against HIV and AIDS.

IIWGHA was formalized under its current name and form on October 23, 2009 but has been meeting informally since as early as 1989.

Overall Goal

The overall goal of IIWGHA is to strengthen the collaborations and partnerships between international Indigenous communities and stakeholders in the fight against HIV & AIDS through networking and sharing of wise practices and promoting culturally appropriate knowledge transfer.The IIWGHA Terms of Reference, International Indigenous Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS including Vision and Mission Statement and any more information about our organization can be accessed at www.iiwgha.org

Our Leaders

The Leaders comprise the governing structure of IIWGHA. The Leaders collectively ensure that IIWGHA:

  • Is strategic – by developing a regularly reviewed framework of goals and objectives for the working group that serve to achieve the mission.
  • Is effective – by overseeing that relevant leadership, systems, skills and incentives are in place that enables the working group to be well-run and focused in its delivery on its Strategic Plan.
  • Acts with integrity and to standards of good practice, wise practices – by ensuring that the working group maintains a level of professionalism.

What we expect from our Leaders

Every Leader should;

  • Share our interest in accountability as a hallmark of effective governance at a global level, and share our commitment to our guiding principles, and have equal access to opportunity and participation;
  • Contribute actively to the collective leadership and strategic guidance of IIWGHA with his/her skills, experience and network contacts to enable IIWGHA to fulfill its potential;
  • Adhere and contribute as required to the development and implementation of IIWGHA’s policies and procedures;
  • Be willing and able to represent IIWGHA, and support its strategy plan, programs and values to external audiences including donors, political decision makers and members of the community of research and practice as agreed in discussion with IIWGHA and subcommittees; and
  • Actively and in good faith pursue the interests, works and activities of IIWGHA through both collective decision-making and the completion of designated tasks.

Our process to recruit Leaders

IIWGHA researches and promotes accountability in governance. In line with findings on wise practice on recruiting Leaders we are committed to;

  • Conduct our search for new Leaders by publicly advertising the call and the search criteria, combined with other, more targeted means of identifying suitable candidates;
  • Require a formal application from all candidates, demonstrating their suitability, with letters of support from their community;
  • Shortlist and interview candidates from a common pool through the recruitment committee of IIWGHA;
  • Appoint with approval of the full leadership of IIWGHA;

IIWGHA Leadership Position Description

  1. Attend regular meetings of the IIWGHA, which are approximately two hours in duration. The IIWGHA Leaders meet at least eight (8) times per year. Be accessible my email for personal contact in between meetings.
  2. Provide consensus based and culturally informed evidence advice on the implementation of the “The International Indigenous Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS for Indigenous Peoples and Communities from 2011 to 2017”
  3. Provide leadership on Indigenous knowledge and response options to the HIV Epidemic for Indigenous peoples as it relates to HIV and AIDS;
  4. Each Leader will remain open to engaging with their Indigenous populations;
  5. It will be the responsibility of the individual members of the IIWGHA, within their respective countries, to identify the appropriate governing authorities in their territories. Further, to ensure that appropriate measures and protocols have been pursued within their countries to communicate and engage with Indigenous Peoples and their traditional governing structures.
  6. Participate in committees/working groups as and when required depending on what is needed. This could include committees such as; Public Relations, Communications, Development – Resource, Policies and procedures etc., International AIDS Conference
    Pre-conference, Programs and ad-hoc committees.
  7. Prepare in advance for decision-making and policy formation at working group meetings; take responsibility for self-education on the major issues before meetings.
  8. Responsibly review and act upon committee recommendations brought to IIWGHA for action.
  9. Utilize personal and professional skills, relationships and knowledge for the advancement of IIWGHA

 
This Leadership position description is an expression of good faith and provides a common ground from which IIWGHA Leaders can operate. Additional information on IIWGHA, vision, mission, strategic plan, terms of reference and roles and responsibility is contained in the IIWGHA orientation materials which must be read, understood and agreed to.

IIWGHA Leadership Criteria – What we are looking for

The Leader is an individual and brings their skills and experience to the circle. However, institutional support is critical to carrying out the duties, as this position does often require the resources of an organization, as well as time during the normal work day. The geographic coverage of Leadership spans numerous countries in specific regions and looks at Indigenous community issues and needs. The selection of the Leader will be based on the following criteria:

  • Being an Indigenous person;
  • Being an Indigenous person living with HIV;
  • Individuals with leadership on Indigenous knowledge and response to the HIV epidemic for Indigenous peoples;
  • Demonstrated expertise and understanding of the scope of work of IIWGHA and the opportunities it presents, particularly relating to issues of Indigenous people living with HIV.
  • Consistent internet, email and phone access;
  • Demonstrated linkages with community networks (local, national and/or regional levels);
  • Represents an Indigenous community vulnerable to the HIV epidemic or part of an organization such as, but not limited, to; MSM, IDU, sex workers, transgender, women, children, youth, and people living with HIV;
  • Working effectively and with mutual trust of governance with other IIWGHA Leaders and subcommittees;
  • Capacity to communicate and network effectively and broadly;
  • Commitment to principles of transparency and accountability;
  • Diplomatic and strategic political and negotiating skills to work with a variety of stakeholders;
  • Openness, willingness and ability to learn;
  • Commitment to engage in issues of different constituencies; and
  • A letter of institutional support from an employer or affiliated organisation.

IIWGHA Vision

The IIWGHA envisions a world where Indigenous communities are empowered to direct the course of their own HIV prevention, care, treatment and support.

IIWGHA Mission

The IIWGHA’s mission is to create an international voice and structure that links Indigenous peoples with their Indigenous leadership, varying levels of governments, AIDS service organizations, cooperatives, and others in a global collective action to lower the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS experienced by Indigenous peoples.

  • By empowering Indigenous people to reduce the spread of HIV and increase the quality of life by strengthening collaborations between international Indigenous communities, while respecting their autonomy and diversity;
  • By increasing culturally appropriate prevention, care, treatment, and support for HIV and AIDS through collective advocacy, education, and sharing of wise practices and socio-culturally relevant evidence;
  • By creating opportunities for networking, collaborative advocacy, and resource brokering amongst Indigenous communities; and,
  • By creating a global voice and hope for an ideal future for Indigenous people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.

IIWGHA Guiding Principles

The International Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS For Indigenous Peoples and Communities from 2011 to 2017 (ISPHA) supports the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV principle. This strategic plan is also founded in the key principles developed and adopted by Indigenous Peoples throughout the world in the Toronto Charter. These principles were developed to provide support in HIV and AIDS planning, servicing and programming.

  • Acknowledge that Indigenous Peoples have shared experiences relating to the AIDS epidemic and its impacts on our communities;
  • Affirm that the AIDS epidemic continues to have a devastating effect on our communities;
  • Acknowledge that Indigenous Peoples have inherent rights which guarantee them good health and well-being;
  • Acknowledge that the changing patterns of the HIV/AIDS epidemic are placing Indigenous Peoples at increased risk of HIV infection
  • Recognize that Indigenous Peoples have the right to determine their own health priorities; and,
  • Reaffirm that Indigenous Peoples have the right to control all aspects of their lives, including their health.

The International Indigenous Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS for Indigenous Peoples and Communities from 2011 to 2017

The International Indigenous Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS for Indigenous Peoples and Communities from 2011 to 2017, is meant to facilitate an international voice and structure that links Indigenous peoples with their governments, AIDS service organizations, cooperatives, and others in a global collective action to lower the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS experienced by Indigenous peoples.

There are six key objectives to the strategy, which are based on the input of the IIWGHA members during the Indigenous Satellite gatherings at the International Conference on AIDS, July 2010 in Vienna, Austria.

  1. Increase the visibility of the impact of HIV and AIDS in Indigenous communities at the international level;
  2. Improve meaningful inclusion of Indigenous Peoples, and Indigenous people living with HIV and AIDS, in research, policy and program development at the national, regional and international level;
  3. Work towards the accurate representation of Indigenous peoples in HIV and AIDS epidemiological data within their own countries or regions;
  4. Provide capacity building and development to raise HIV and AIDS and Indigenous Peoples as a health priority;
  5. Promote Indigenous specific approaches to the social determinants of health; and,
  6. Conduct sustainability planning.

This strategic plan encourages the sharing of wise practices between countries with Indigenous populations. Further, it is strongly encouraged that Indigenous people are supported, through the leveraging of international instruments on human rights and indigenous health, to be meaningfully involved in data collected and reported about them. In particular, the meaningful involvement of Indigenous peoples living with HIV and AIDS. This strategic plan will guide the work of the IIWGHA. A next step is ongoing governance and sustainability planning for the IIWGHA.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS

1. Introduction
The terms of reference have been adopted to guide the work of the IIWGHA outlining the protocol and processes to be followed as we work together to operationalize our strategic plan.

2. Vision
The IIWGHA’s envisions a world where Indigenous communities are empowered to direct the course of their own HIV prevention, care, treatment and support.

3. Mission
The IIWGHA’s mission is to create an international voice and structure that links Indigenous peoples with their Indigenous leadership, varying levels of governments, AIDS service organizations, cooperatives, and others in a global collective action to lower the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS experienced by Indigenous peoples.

  • By empowering Indigenous people to reduce the spread of HIV and increase the quality of life by strengthening collaborations between international Indigenous communities, while respecting their autonomy and diversity;
  • By increasing culturally appropriate prevention, care, treatment, and support for HIV and AIDS through collective advocacy, education, and sharing of wise practices and socio-culturally relevant evidence;
  • By creating opportunities for networking, collaborative advocacy, and resource brokering amongst Indigenous communities; and
  • By creating a global voice and hope for an ideal future for Indigenous people living with and affected by HIV & AIDS.

4. Guiding Principles
Supported by the principles outlined in the “Toronto Charter”, “Greater Involvement of People living with AIDS (GIPA)”, “UN Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”.

5. Roles and Responsibilities
The International Indigenous Working Group on HIV and AIDS provides:

  • Consensus based and culturally informed evidence advice on the implementation of the “The International Indigenous Strategic Plan on HIV & AIDS for Indigenous Peoples and Communities from 2011 to 2017”
  • Leadership on Indigenous knowledge and response options to the HIV Epidemic for Indigenous peoples as it relates to HIV & AIDS
  • Advice on the impacts and efficacy of the operational aspects of the strategic plan
  • Relevant evaluation frameworks for assessing the impact of stated objectives
  • Scientific / technical recommendations on the most appropriate course of action

6. Co-leaders
The Co-Leaders will have core roles and responsibilities that include:

  • IIWGHA Leadership will consist of two Co-leaders. The 2 positions will hold in balance
    male/female and/or transgender Co-leaders. One Co-leader position shall be held by an Indigenous person who identifies as male and one Co-leader position shall be held by an Indigenous person who identifies as female.
  • Co-leader terms will be staggered, be selected by the IIWGHA Leadership and sit for a
    term of three years.
  • Either Co-leader shall take the role of IIWGHA Spokesperson according to the consensus of Leaders.
  • Regular communication with the IIWGHA Leadership and host organization;
  • Working with the host organization to have regular IIWGHA Leadership meetings, bi-annual IIWGHA meetings at an Indigenous Satellite at the World AIDS Conference, to ensure quorum on essential decisions made by the IIWGHA Leadership and IIWGHA members at their meetings.

7. Scope
The IIWGHA will maintain autonomy within countries, to define themselves as Indigenous peoples within their own territories, and to select their country’s representatives to sit on the IIWGHA Leadership. The IIWGHA organizes itself through a country by country Leadership structure to generate a core group of active members with a high level of communication.

  • Each country of the IIWGHA will have autonomy in its methods of selection of members to sit as IIWGHA Leaders. IIWGHA will take into consideration regional balance, gender balance, people living with HIV involvement and youth participation in the selection;
  • Each country will remain open to engaging with their Indigenous populations;
  • The IIWGHA recognizes that Indigenous Peoples receive varying levels of support from their respective governments and authorities. It will be important for countries of the IIWGHA to engage their traditional, territorial Indigenous populations in order to discover how to support their participation with the IIWGHA;
  • It will be the responsibility of the individual members of the IIWGHA, within their respective countries, to identify the appropriate governing authorities in their territories. Further, to ensure that appropriate measures and protocols have been pursued within their countries to communicate and engage with Indigenous Peoples and their traditional governing structures.

8. Recruitment
Recruitment on to the working group will be defined by the Leadership Recruitment Policy.

9. Term

  1. IIWGHA Leaders will be selected by their countries for a term of three years.
  2. IIWGHA terms will be staggered for sustainability and knowledge turnover.
  3. The IIWGHA Co-leader role will be selected by the IIWGHA and sit for a term of three years. In the interim, the terms may be longer than three years.
  4. Each IIWGHA Leader will be given the option to run for back-to-back terms.
  5. IIWGHA members will benefit from an indeterminate term, for as long as they are in good standing.

10. Good Standing
IIWGHA members of the IIWGHA will be in good standing if they:

  1. Are Indigenous
  2. Abide by these Terms of Reference
  3. Have not surpassed his/her term
  4. Do not miss 3 consecutive meetings without just cause

11. Committees & Task Forces
From time to time, the IIWGHA may agree to bring together a committee or task force to work on particular issue. The committee or task force will be members of the IIWGHA and will therefore adhere to this Terms of Reference and be accountable to the IIWGHA. In certain circumstances, outside experts who are not IIWGHA Leaders may be invited to sit on committees where deemed necessary by IIWGHA.

12. Governance & Decision-making

  1. Consensus – The IIWGHA will decide by consensus about which issues will be voted on by IIWGHA. These decisions will be reflected in meeting minutes.
  2. Voting – It expected that each IIWGHA Leader consults within their constituency to inform their position to vote. IIWGHA Leaders in good standing are entitled to one vote either in person or by proxy.
  3. Quorum – Decisions made by the IIWGHA will be considered valid by obtaining a quorum of votes at a meeting. Quorum is one third of the current Leadership for decisions of the IIWGHA as a whole. Indigenous Leaders of the IIWGHA are voting members. Indigenous Leadership will be open to Indigenous organizations and individual Indigenous people. Indigenous Leaders are accountable to the Indigenous peoples within their countries.

    4. 13. Meetings
    A. Modes

    1. Depending on necessity and cost, regular IIWGHA meetings will take place either in person or through technological mechanisms such as: teleconference, videoconference, and/or Skype.

    B. Bi-Annual Meeting

    1. The IIWGHA will aim to have one general meeting once every two years open to IIWGHA Leaders to be conducted during the Indigenous Satellite at the International AIDS Conferences.
    2. The meeting will be open to all IIWGHA Leaders and invited guests.

    C. IIWGHA Meetings

    1. The IIWGHA will meet on a regular basis. The IIWGHA will have discretion as to whether the regular meetings are monthly, bi-monthly etc. according to level of work required.

    D. Notice of Meetings

    1. The IIWGHA will work with the host organization to ensure that there is notice given before a meeting. The purpose of the notice, is to ensure countries are given enough time to consult, discuss and provide opinions and suggestions on important issues that affect them, and will be able to inform their IIWGHA proxy who may be voting on their behalf.
    2. IIWGHA is given 3 weeks’ notice before a special meeting.
    3. IIWGHA Leaders are given 2 weeks’ notice before an IIWGHA meeting.

    E. Reasonable Cause

    1. If an IIWGHA Leader must miss a meeting, they are required to give the IIWGHA reasonable cause at least twenty-four hours prior to the meeting.
    2. Reasonable cause will include: illness or financial difficulty in accessing the meeting.
    3. IIWGHA Leaders that do not provide reasonable cause before missing 3 meetings will not be in good standing.

    F. Confidentiality

    1. All IIWGHA Leaders and any IIWGHA special task force members or committee members will treat information obtained within the course of the fulfillment of their duties, especially preliminary discussions and decisions of the IIWGHA, as confidential. The IIWGHA will achieve internal consensus about how and when confidential information will be available externally.

    G. Conflict of interest

    1. Leaders of the IIWGHA will ensure that, to their knowledge, there will be no conflict of interest in the fulfillment of their duties and in abiding to the Terms of Reference of the IIWGHA.
    2. A conflict of interest will include Leaders not voting on matters, such as, but not limited to, financial allocations, memberships, and actions of the IIWGHA that involve their own personal or professional interest and/or gain.
    3. A Leader who is discovered not to have declared a conflict of interest where one clearly exists will be considered not in good standing.

    14. Current Leadership
    The IIWGHA is currently made up of the following people:

    Name Organisation Area of expertise
    Ken Clement CEO, Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network Vancouver, Canada Aboriginal AIDS Network
    Denise Lambert Vice­chair, Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network Kimamow Atoskanow Foundation Edmonton, Canada
    Amaranta Gomez Regalado Juchitan, Zaragoza, Oaxaca, Mèxico
    Williams Morales Comunidad indígena williche kelwo Chiloé: Comuna de Castro, Isla de Chiloé, Región de los Lagos, Patagonia Insular, Chile
    Marama Pala INA Foundation, Executive Director South Waikato, North Island, New Zealand Peer support, advocacy, leadership, PHA development, health promotion cultural focus
    Clive Aspin Senior Indigenous Research Fellow Poche Centre for Indigenous Health University of Sydney, Australia Maori NZ IIWGHA Leader Maori and Indigenous health, International collaborative research Multimorbid chronic illness, including HIV
    Michael Costello Executive Officer Anwernekenhe National Abo riginal & Torres Strait HIV/AIDS Alliance
    , Australia    		 Health Promotion and Campaign Development/Evaluation
    Alexander White Tail Feather Board member, National Native American AIDS Prevention Centre, Denver olorado, USA
    Carlos Enrique Lix Director Región Centro Asociación de Servicios Comunitarios de Salud ASECSA Guatemala, C.A Independent Consultant in Intercultural and Public Health
    Elisa Canqui Mollo oficial de programas en LAPI/IBIS, América Latina contra la pobrezayla desigualdad (ALCPD) , Bolivia Indigenous Peoples rights and advocacy
    Paulina aguilar Bol Alianza Nacional de Mujeres Ciudad de GuatemalaIndigenas para la Salud Reproductiva, Ciudad de Guatemala Indigenous women’s reproductive, nutritional and ecological health.
    Silvio Ortiz Fundacao Nacional de Saude (FUNASA), Brazil

    On occasions the Co-Leader may invite individuals with specific knowledge to attend the IIWGHA meetings to provide additional advice as required.

    Only members of the IIWGHA may be party to the conclusions of the group. Representatives of Government departments that are not members of the IIWGHA are able to attend by invitation and may speak but will not be party to the conclusions drawn. Government departments have a separate process through policy development advisory groups to contribute their points of view.

    Disclaimer: This Terms of Reference shall be considered a living document of the IIWGHA to evolve with the IIWGHA itself and to adapt to the autonomy and diversity of Indigenous communities.