About CiSHAN Nigeria

Civil Society on HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN) is a national coalition of over 5,000 indigenous civil society non-governmental organizations in Nigeria. CiSHAN’s membership spreads across the 774 LGAs with project coordination offices located in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. CiSHAN is a national platform for Civil Society to engage a broad range of stakeholders and government in building a strong national HIV and AIDS response in Nigeria. The main constituencies of CiSHAN are the Network of People living with HIV in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) which represents over 450 support groups, the National Youth Network on HIV and AIDS (NYNETHA) representing over 300 youth organizations, the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa Nigeria (SWAAN) representing 36 State chapters and Interfaith coalition which brings together representatives of the Christian and Muslim faith (Christian Association of Nigeria– CAN and National Supreme Council on Islamic affairs – NSCIA). Other constituencies are Media, Arts and Entertainment, Nigeria AIDS Research Network (NARN) and the Nigeria Diversity Network (NDN) that represents groups’ at most high risks of infection.

CiSHAN’s Role in the National Response (This can be placed in the About us Page)
Since 2000, CiSHAN has played very important role on the national HIV and AIDS response through the effective coordination of civil society response and implementation of specific donor supported projects on Prevention, Care and Support, OVC, Home Based Care, Community System Strengthening and Adolescent Reproductive Health with emphasis on Human Rights.
Between 2005 and 2011, CiSHAN was in two consortiums NELA Consortium on AIDS in Nigeria (NECAIN) and Nigerian Indigenous Capacity Building Consortium (NICAB) funded by PEPFAR through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on strengthening Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS Response using Community Actors and Networks. The project was funded to the tune of $5.5m. This project was implemented in Oyo, Lagos, Enugu, Anambra, Kogi, Delta, Benue, FCT and Kaduna States. Through these projects CiSHAN tested 150,000 persons and placed 15,000 PLHIV on treatment and established 75 Support Groups of PLHIV.    

Since 2005, CiSHAN has implemented various rounds of the Global Fund projects. In 2010, CiSHAN was appointed a Principal Recipient on the GF R9 Phase 1 implementation circle and with 3 years grant worth $17 million dollars. The programming areas included OVC, HBC and Prevention for youths. Under this dispensation, CiSHAN had as sub-recipient NEPWHAN, NYNETHA and AOON. CiSHAN’s responsibility in this regard include grant management, capacity building and advocacy/policy influencing. The project was implemented in 36 States + FCT where CiSHAN provided care services to 50,000 PLHIV on treatment in GF treatment facilities.
In 2013, CiSHAN was accessed and appointed as sub-recipient on the GF R9 Phase 2 implementation cycle focusing on OVC, Adherence Support and Community System Strengthening (CSS). This was a 2 and half year $10.2 million project. Through this project, CiSHAN worked with 175 Health Facilities, 318 CBOs and 98 Support Groups to provide various menus of services to PLHIV, OVC and strengthen community structures to conduct demand creation activities for existing services in GF and government PHCs across the 36 states and FCT. CiSHAN reactivated 175 primary health facilities and provided Adherence Support services to 18,000 PLHIV on treatment.
Currently, CiSHAN is championing the Domestic Resources Mobilization Campaign to End AIDS in Nigeria through high level advocacy to state governors in Nigeria. CiSHAN is also collaborating with Section 27 of South Africa to draft a bill on the AIDS Trust Fund and pass it the Nigeria Parliament. CiSHAN is at various stages in the development and negotiation for new funding mechanism.
CiSHAN has the capacity to implement donor funded project in all states of the federation and is led by a team of experienced National Office management team led by an Executive Secretary supervised by the Chairman of the Governing Council. The Governing Council is accountable to a Board of Trustees (BoT). CiSHAN has 6 Zonal and 36 States chapters including the FCT implementing various communities-based interventions on HIV and AIDS. The uniqueness of CiSHAN is that projects implemented by the organization have accountability and sustainability elements in them in addition to high quality service delivery.
CiSHAN is a board member of NACA and national advocacy and policy development committee members of NACA.