Comprehensive Goals and Objectives: The Health Policy Initiative (HPI) seeks to build an enabling environment for effective prevention, care, and treatment of HIV and AIDS in Tanzania. HPI generates momentum for change by working with parliamentarians, the media, religious leaders, civil society organizations, and people living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) to hold the Executive Branch accountable for implementing the most effective possible response to HIV and AIDS in Tanzania. In so doing, HPI builds the capacity of (1) parliamentarians to advocate on HIV and AIDS within the government and to the people; (2) the media, to report accurately on HIV and AIDS issues so that ordinary Tanzanians can expect the best possible public response to HIV and AIDS and play their part in reducing stigma and discrimination; and (3) people living with HIV to extend the authority and reach of their voice as ambassadors for change and accountability in all matters concerning HIV and AIDS.

Linkage to Partnership Framework: HPI will support the Partnership Framework (PF) by promoting public accountability, a key component of one of the six PF goals. HPI will direct the development and training of grassroots-level public expenditure tracking committees, a USG PF commitment. HPI will also support the establishment of a policy forum to address and help coordinate Global Fund, PF and domestic program implementation. Finally, HPI, which has formed a close relationship with Parliament's HIV/AIDS Committee (PAC), will play a vital role in linking the PAC to the PF implementation plan negotiation and PF implementation process which will enhance the accountability and transparency of the PF and its credibility in the eyes of key stakeholders such as PLHIV.

Geographic Coverage: HPI's programs are national in scope.

Key Contributions to Health Systems Strengthening: HPI makes a key contribution to health systems strengthening by advocating for policy change on two issues currently hindering health systems efficacy: task-shifting and the national HIV resource gap. On task shifting, HPI advocates for change with opinion leaders including MPs and the media in order to encourage the MOHSW to liberalize certain policies which currently do not allow particular cadres to provide services contributing to efficiency, e.g., nurses prescribing anti-retroviral treatment and help ameliorate the impact of the shortfall of qualified medical personnel. HPI will work with partners involved in the implementation of the Human Resources for Health Strategy, treatment partners, and the WHO to advocate for changes to the current guidelines including plans for appropriate training and supervision. On the national HIV resource gap, HPI works with MPs, the media, and PLHA groups to create greater awareness of the Tanzania's UNGASS commitments, and to encourage greater ownership of the HIV response on the part of the Government of Tanzania through the cultivation of non-traditional financing sources such as public-private partnerships and budget rationalization.

Cross-Cutting Mechanisms and Key Issues: HPI works with opinion leaders including religious groups, MPs, the media and groups of people living with HIV and AIDS to increase understanding of the relationships between gender-based violence, HIV incidence, and stigma and discrimination and encourage policy and legislative reform to address gender-based violence as a vector for HIV transmission and an aggravating factor in stigma and discrimination. HPI also works closely with legal aid groups and the Commission on Human Rights and Good Governance to collect statistics on gender-based violence and conduct training and advocacy campaigns.

Strategy for Cost Efficiency: HPI conducts organizational and management capacity building activities for key groups of people living with HIV and AIDS and legal aid societies. It is envisaged that as their capacity grows, these groups will be able to attract external funding, enabling them to support independently activities such as advocacy for legislative and policy reform. As stakeholder groups on certain policy issues solidify and become accustomed to working together, HPI will encourage financially able stakeholders, e.g., established religious groups, private sector partners, etc., to make contributions to the cost of moving the policy agenda forward, e.g., contributing to meeting costs, sponsoring meetings on a rotating basis, etc.

Monitoring and Evaluation Plans: HPI/Futures is required to submit quarterly progress reports documenting results achieved and a semi-annual report showing results against its approved monitoring and evaluatio

Advocacy for policy changes with opinion leaders including MPs, PLHA groups, religious leaders and the media; stigma and discrimination reduction. Expansion of public expenditure tracking,; support for increased linkages between Parliamentary AIDS Committee and national organs such as TACAIDS; support for building advocacy capacity among groups carrying out public expenditure tracking; policy support for task shifting;