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The African Microbicides Advocacy Group, AMAG, looks forward to a society where equity and justice prevail; where the African woman is empowered to protect herself against HIV and AIDS; and where there is an Africa-driven agenda for more prevention options and access to information and products.

 

 


2010 Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy Presented to a Pioneering Community Educator Who Brings the Voices of Community Members and Participants to Research Process


Charles Shagi, the 2010 Winner of the Omololu Falobi Award, pictured here with
Katie West Slevin and Manju Chatani-Gada of the Omololu Falobi Award Committee.


PITTSBURGH, May 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A community educator who developed innovative ways to link women in Tanzanian villages with life-saving HIV prevention information and with HIV prevention research trials has received the second Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy. The award was presented during the closing ceremony of the Microbicides 2010 Conference inPittsburgh, USA.
 
Charles Shagi, a Program Officer for the African Medical and Research Foundation based in Mwanza, Tanzania, was honored for his significant contributions to developing and sustaining community engagement and education programs that empower women and their communities to advocate for themselves and to become vital partners in HIV prevention research trials.

"Bringing HIV prevention research to communities is an essential part of our work to develop new HIV prevention options for men and women," saidSharon Hillier, Microbicides 2010 Co-chair and a member of the award selection committee. "Charles embodies what this award was created to recognize: leadership, commitment and passion in community advocacy. He works tirelessly not only to help women advocate on their own behalf and to become involved in research, but also to educate and empower researchers to understand the needs of women, their families and communities."

"I am very humbled to accept this award, and for me, it really underscores the value this field put on the importance of reaching out to the women – in the villages of Tanzania and around the world – who participate in these trials," said Shagi. "This award is important because it proves that people do care about them. It is the courage of those women that is being honored today. I look forward to continuing to share the voices and experiences of vulnerable women with the research and advocacy communities."

"I urge all HIV prevention researchers to listen to the community. There is need for all of us to change attitude, but especially the researchers and our leaders since we have a long walk left. Communities should be at the center of research, not at the periphery," Shagi added.

The Omololu Falobi Award highlights the essential role of community advocacy and leadership in HIV prevention research. It celebrates the life and values of the late Omololu Falobi, a long-time HIV advocate and journalist who founded Journalists Against AIDS in Nigeria, was an instrumental pioneer member of the Nigerian Treatment Access Movement, and co-founded the New HIV Vaccine & Microbicide Advocacy Society. Omololu was killed in Lagos, Nigeria in October 2006. The award was conceived as an ongoing legacy that recognizes his commitment and lasting contributions to HIV prevention research advocacy.

"Omololu was a visionary leader and activist, who accomplished much in his too short a life.  He dedicated himself to powerful advocacy for HIV and HIV prevention research in Nigeria, Africa and worldwide," said Funmi Doherty of NHVMAS in Nigeria. "It is gratifying to see his ideals and vision live on through this award. I know he would be immensely proud of the work that Charles and the past recipients are doing to simultaneously advance human rights and HIV prevention research."

Shagi was chosen from among an impressive group of almost 20 nominees by an independent international panel of HIV prevention research advocates, policy makers, and scientists. The selection committee noted his instrumental role in pioneering new ways to bring the voices of community members and participants into the research process.  

"Charles' enthusiasm is infectious, and he has been committed to helping recruit and mentor new people to the movement to expand the range of HIV prevention options," said Lori Heise, former Executive Director of the Global Campaign for Microbicides and one of the inaugural recipients of the award and member of the 2010 selection committee. "We need more people like Charles who can ably bridge the gap between researchers and community members."

Charles and his colleagues have also documented and published peer reviewed articles about their model for community representation and participation in HIV prevention trials among women.  This research is an important guide for those working on community engagement plans for HIV prevention trials around the world.

"Charles is the epitome of science meets advocacy. In his work with community, he is able to provide important and accurate information as well as collect evidence that is directly applicable to advocacy and policy," said Salim Abdool Karim, Director of the Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) and a member of the 2008 and 2010 selection committees.

The 2010 Omololu Falobi Award Recipient was honored at the M2010 closing ceremony with a plaque and a cash prize. The M2010 Secretariat also provided a full scholarship for the Award recipient to attend the Conference in Pittsburgh.

The Omololu Falobi Award For Excellence In HIV Prevention Research was conceptualised and the process coordinated by the African Microbicides Advocacy Group (AMAG) in partnership with AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention Research, the Global Campaign for Microbicides (GCM), Journalists Against AIDS in Nigeria (JAAIDS), the New HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Advocacy Society (NHVMAS), and the Treatment Action Movement Nigeria (TAM). Financial support for the 2010 Award came from AMAG, AVAC, GCM, Family Health International and NHVMAS, Open Society Institute in South Africa and UNAIDS.

The 2010 selection committee included Alex Menezes of Brazil, Chibuke Ameachi of Nigeria, Sisonke Msimang, Shaun Mellors and Salim Abdool Karim of South Africa, Cate Hankins of Switzerland, Lori Heise, Polly Harrison and Sharon Hillier of the U.S.

The award honors Omololu Falobi, a visionary leader who continues to inspire many people and projects. He was a leading HIV/AIDS activist, an advocate for prevention research, and an exceptional journalist. Omololu made enormous impact in Nigeria and beyond – he nurtured and/or led campaigns related to prevention, treatment and research; won multiple awards nationally and internationally; and earned a tremendous reputation from all who had the privilege to work with him. He established Journalists Against AIDS in Nigeria (JAAIDS), co-created the Nigeria-AIDS eForum, co-founded the Nigerian HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Advocacy Group (NHVMAG), was an instrumental pioneer member of the Treatment Access Movement (TAM) Nigeria and a key leader of the African Civil Society Coalition on HIV and AIDS.

Financial support for the 2010 Award comes from Microbicides 2010 conference, AVAC, GCM, Family Health International, NHVMAS and The United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
 

SOURCE AVAC www.avac.org


Contacts:
Kay Marshall   +1 347 249 6375  kaymarshall@mac.com
Manju Chatani  +1 413 923 8674 manju@avac.org

 

 


THE OMOLOLU FALOBI AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN HIV PREVENTION RESEARCH
COMMUNITY ADVOCACY

“The Omololu Falobi Award for Excellence in HIV Prevention Research Community Advocacy” was established to honour the life and work of Omololu Falobi and highlight the essential role of community advocacy in HIV prevention research. This award is an important and ongoing legacy to Omololu and is recognition to his commitment and contribution to HIV prevention research advocacy.

 

Please click here for more information about the Award

 

 

 

Meet the AMAG Steering Committee for 2007

 

 

 



 

Who is AMAG?

 

The African Microbicides Advocacy Group (AMAG) is a coalition of microbicides advocates from organisations and institutions based and/ or working in various African countries. AMAG was launched at the 2004 International Microbicides Conference.

 

The AMAG network has over 400 members from 30 countries across Africa and beyond. Members are community advocates, researchers, scientists, policy makers, media and service providers - working in HIV care, treatment, advocacy, research, information-management; gender equality, sexual and reproductive health / rights; poverty and economic development, and human rights.

 

We are from diverse communities, groups and cultures within the Africa Region, but share a commitment to supporting the process of developing a microbicide that is ethically developed, effective, safe and accessible. We believe in a human rights-based approach that promotes the rights of all people to equitable access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.  

AMAG Meeting - London, Mar2004

AMAG Meeting - London March 2004

 

“With over 30 clinical trials in Africa, 100s of African researchers and advocates, and 1000s of African trial participants – it is time to amplify realities and needs on the ground.”

AMAG Aims:

-     To ensure that a coordinated African voice is engaged in setting and moving forward the microbicides advocacy agenda in Africa and internationally.

-     To support participating organizations to prepare for more effective, better coordinated Microbicide advocacy in their own contexts and between African countries. 

“How do we empower communities – future users, African researchers and NGOs, all women - to be active in this research – to own it, to critique it, to use it?”

Advocacy Objectives:

  -    African-driven agenda for microbicides R&D, advocacy and sustainable access

  -    Community partnership in the research process

  -    South-South, South-North collaboration

  -    Sharing lessons and information

  -    Capacity building for community empowerment

  -    Equitable access to future products

  -    More research to respond to needs of women with HIV

  -    Community readiness for microbicides 

AMAG Activities:

We share lessons and resources so we can learn from each other about more effective ways to advocate for ethically developed, effective and safe microbicides. We seek to do this in ways that address the special challenges and the realities in Africa and to African women, and ensure meaningful community participation and respect for human rights. We work closely with and through partner groups and link relevant groups to upcoming to projects and events. 

 “Nothing about us, without us."

 

 

We continue to…

AMAG Meeting - Bangkok July 2004

AMAG Meeting-Bangkok Jul04

    

-   Highlight the role and need for relevant African voices and leadership in setting the microbicides agenda

-   Support and conduct capacity-building opportunities

-   Map and link Africa-wide advocacy initiatives, and support budding initiatives

-   Consolidate our work and ideas - share lessons and information, facilitate dialogue

-   Facilitate and contribute to partnership-building between researcher and community  groups; 

-     Raise and place emerging issues on the microbicides advocacy agenda;

-     Build relationships with partners in the South and North

-     Work with and through partners to prepare communities for clinical trials

-     Emphasize community partnership beyond and vs. community involvement in trial recruitment and management

-     Advocate the need for more research relevant to HIV+ women

-     Promote an advocacy campaign that incorporates microbicides, vaccines and other new-prevention technologies with treatment activism.

2006 events/meetings participated/presented at include:

-    Abuja+5 Civil Society Meeting 

-    Abuja+5 Review & UNGASS Review

-    Microbicides 2006 Conference

-    XVI World AIDS Conference

AMAG eForum:

 This is a closed email discussion forum for those actively working on microbicides advocacy, research and policy in Africa. To join our growing group of over 400 people, send an introduction of yourself and all your contact details to

amag-join@dgroups.org

 

Contact us!

 

  For more information about AMAG, to find out about upcoming AMAG events, to send us reports, articles or your suggestions about this website –

write to the AMAG Steering Committee and AMAG Coordinator at:

amag_info@yahoo.com

Collective Action on Microbicides Now!!!