Somaliland’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has been sustained by efforts from multiple partners at national, region and community levels from the government and non-government sectors. Many organizations were set up specifically to respond to HIV/AIDS while some programs were established under ministries, government departments and non-government organizations to address prevention and/or mitigation issues.
The 2008 inventory of HIV/AIDS organization put the figure of such organizations at about 38 though many community based initiatives are not captured. Similarly many responses under organizations that were not established to address health and socio-economic issues are difficult to capture since HIV/AIDS related activities are usually integrated in other services. Consequently, the MACA policy has mobilized efforts through government ministries and departments , local and international civil society organizations , faith-based organizations, organizations of People Living with HIV/AIDS , development partners and the private sector . Regions and communities have also to initiate and support implementation of initiatives with national level stakeholders. It is however recognized that Somaliland's modest achievements in fighting the epidemic cannot be attributed to a single stakeholder or even a cluster of stakeholders but the collective efforts of all. Great emphasis is therefore put on participatory coordination spearheaded by SOLNAC to ensure a harmonized focus on common goals, reduce duplication and ensure equity in service delivery.
Somaliland's Multisectoral Approach to the Control of HIV/AIDS calls for individual and collective involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Government ministries are specifically charged with the responsibility of assessing the impact of the epidemic on realizing their mandates and taking the lead in fighting the epidemic in their sectors. The Ministry of Health was the first Ministry to systematically respond to the epidemic and has since 1995 been the backbone of the national response. The ministries of Defense, justice and Internal Affairs (with particular focus on uniformed services and Prisons) also developed programs earlier than the rest of the sectors.
With financial support from development partners and technical assistance from partners that had developed capacity to address HIV/AIDS earlier, AIDS Control Programs were established in several other Ministries in 1999. The Government Ministries Self Coordinating Entity (GMSCE) brings together HIV/AIDS focal officers in the ministries to share perspectives on the impact of epidemic on public service and harmonize government approaches.
The following provides highlights on some Ministries and other government bodies' mandates, activities, and challenges:
1. Ministry of Health and Labor
2. Ministry of Education
3. Ministry of Family Affairs and Social Development
4. Ministry of Culture and Tourism
5. Ministry of Information
6. Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs
