Civil society at the centre of HIV responses: lessons from the DFID Programme Management Office, India

Barbara James and Gordon Mortimore, January 2009

This paper explores lessons from the DFID-funded Programme Management Office (PMO) - which supported India’s National AIDS Control Programme from 2005 to 2007 - and how the overall approach, management and commissioning processes contributed to its success. The PMO was managed by HLSP.

Despite the short timeframe, the programme achieved important results, including some with potential longer term impact. Through 61 projects, delivered by 39 partners and their networks, it helped to introduce and scale up approaches to harm reduction for IDUs, and support for MSM, people living with HIV, and women.

The programme encouraged community-based innovation and emphasised fostering links between civil society and government, and building organisationally sustainable approaches. Both policy level and frontline acceptance of the harm reduction approach increased.

Lessons from the approach remain of value to national efforts to scale up and institutionalise evidence-based and inclusive approaches with civil society and populations affected by HIV. The PMO has shown that government activities can be successfully complemented by community-based programmes and services that are well designed and supported.