Australia-India Council and India Australia Council

The Australia-India Council was established by the Australian Government in 1992 to broaden and strengthen Australia-India relations through a wide range of collaborative programs in areas of mutual concern.

Recent AIC-funded projects have promoted a wider recognition in India of Australian (and vice versa) attributes and expertise, including in important fields such as public health, volunteering, education, heritage and conservation services, literature and arts management.

The India Australia Council (IAC) came together in 1995 and started formally working in 1996, which was primarily a year of exploration.

Objective of the Council is to contribute to the development of industrial, economic, scientific and technological, academic and cultural relations between India and Australia’ is important and so is people-to-people contact.

The Confederation of Indian Industry has been working with the AIC and the IAC on range of programmes including capacity building for HIV & AIDS.

Confederation of Indian Industry and
Indian Business Trust for HIV & AIDS

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) took on the mandate of catalyzing industry's involvement in India's social development agenda, in the early 1990's. CII has undertaken a mission of placing these social objectives on every boardroom agenda.

As a part of this process, CII began its HIV & AIDS prevention and care program in 1996 and workplace intervention programs were initiated by CII for its member companies shortly thereafter.

The Indian Business Trust for HIV & AIDS was established in the year 2000, to bring focus on the HIV & AIDS work, to engage the business leadership and provide a forum for convergence, for the Business' response to AIDS. The IBT is headed by Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Group and consists of CEOs of public and private sector companies.

CII and IBT's ongoing activities in the response to AIDS, are outlined below:

First, The framing of a HIV & AIDS code for industry which includes development of a workplace policy for industry and framing of workplace protocols which are standardized on ISO 9002.

Second, Implementation of 'HIV & AIDS Workplace' Intervention programme which has covered 2000 corporates; conduct of 'Train the Trainers programmes for executives and workforce in industry, to sustain the work of awareness building and advocacy with business.

Third, A programme to train doctors on treatment and care to equip them to deal with HIV positive cases and to enhance their skills with ARV treatment. 1200 doctors from 17 cities have been trained as part of this programme, since its start in 2003.

Fourth, Partnership projects with NGOs to provide employment and income generation to HIV positive persons (eg paper recycling) and donation of equipment and tools for this purpose.

Fifth, The establishment of a programme to provide funds and mentoring to assist HIV positive persons to set up micro enterprises.

Sixth, The setting up of counselling helplines out of CII offices, the first of which is operational, in Lucknow, UP.

Seventh, Advocacy against stigma & discrimination for People Living with HIV & AIDS through advocacy meets, sports activities, walks and other activities.

Eight, Partnerships at the global level with the Global Business Coalition for HIV & AIDS and with the Global Heath Initiative of the World Economic Forum for advocacy & sharing of best practices, across countries and businesses.

Ninth, Mobilizing corporate sector participation in the Government led national programme for enhancing drugs availability, diagnostics facilities, care & support facilities for AIDS patients on Antiretroviral therapy.

Tenth, Supporting NGO's to conduct programmes to sensitiise the media in high vulnerability states on appropriate reporting. The first programme, in Uttar Pradesh, to sensitise rural journalists will be started in May 2005, in 70 districts.

Eleventh, Global Fund round 4 Project "Access to Care & Treatment" CII - IBT has facilitated setting up of corporate ART Centres. The first two have been established by ACC at Wadi, District Gulbarga, Karnataka and by Ballarpur Industries at Chandrapur, Maharastra. More Corporate ART Centres are in Pipeline.

Twelfth, Setting up a permanent secretariat, comprising professionals to work in this area, both at the Centre and in the Regions.

Thirteenth, Under the same programme CII/ IBT along with the India Development Foundation (IDF) developed a "Health Smart Card". This card acts as a portable medical record, which monitors treatment to ensure patient adherence to drugs. It facilitates easy storage of data and also ensures data privacy and confidentiality.' The Health Smart Card' system can be replicated across the nation.

Fourteenth, Working with the Indian pharma industry, in particular the manufacturers of generic ARV's, to facilitate reduction in costs and enhance affordability.

Fifteenth, A corporate township programme, where an integrated and comprehensive AIDS intervention programme is conducted in corporate townships.

Sixteenth, A special "cluster approach" for working with small and medium companies. This concept builds on the natural advantage provided by industrial clusters where a number of small companies are located with similar business interests and issues.

Seventeenth, Signing up film actor Vidya Balan as brand ambassador for IBT to support the advocacy initiatives.

A public service message to create awareness on the issues relating to HIV & AIDS was aired on NDTV in October 2005.

Eighteenth, Setting up of a permanent secretariat, comprising professionals to work in this area, at the Centre, in the Regions, and with one representative office in Washington DC.

Nineteenth, A commitment to work with the Government and with NGO’s to find innovative and effective mechanisms to join hands for programmes and projects.

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