National Aboriginal Council on HIV/AIDS

The National Aboriginal Council on HIV/AIDS (NACHA) was formed to create a single council to advise Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada on Aboriginal HIV/AIDS issues. Since May 2001 representatives from First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Aboriginal HIV/AIDS groups have worked closely together in partnership with the Canadian Government to improve programs focus and delivery by facilitating the inclusion of Aboriginal civil society in the policy decision-making process.

NACHA's Vision

Aboriginal people (Inuit, Métis, First Nations) in Canada are strong and able to respond effectively to HIV/AIDS by meaningful collaboration, communication, and policy advice through NACHA to governments and to the broader Aboriginal population, with equitable access and adequate resources for comprehensive HIV/AIDS programs and services that reflect Aboriginal realities and respect an appropriate set of standards.

NACHA's Mandate

To act as a national advisory body providing policy advice to Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada and other relevant stakeholders about HIV/AIDS and related issues among all Aboriginal (Inuit, Métis and First Nations) Peoples in Canada.

Membership

Call for NACHA Members

The Council is an advisory and multi-disciplinary group that consists of sixteen (16) members with equal representation (four each) from First Nations, Inuit and Métis and a Community Caucus. The Community Caucus members represent Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Organizations and community-based Aboriginal organizations involved in HIV/AIDS. There are alternates for each Caucus that represent Council members from within said Caucus, when Council members are unable to participate

The National Aboriginal Council on HIV/AIDS (The Council) is a national advisory body for the development and coordination of shared actions between the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada (Federal Initiative) and Aboriginal communities working on HIV/AIDS issues. This will ensure that Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada and its representatives will have effective and efficient access to policy advice regarding Aboriginal HIV/AIDS and related issues, as they affect those in our communities.

• Membership list
• The Role of NACHA Members
  The role of NACHA Members is to provide informed policy advice to Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada based on broad consultation with the populations they represent and to recognize that, within the confines of the Council, individuals may represent a specific Caucus, but when communicating externally about Council decisions, they represent the entire Council.
• The Role of the Co-Chairs
  Each of the four groups within the Council is represented by a co-chair. The co-chairs will guide and facilitate the overall work of NACHA, be the primary signatories of NACHA correspondence and be the primary representatives of NACHA in meetings with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canda.
• Statement of Meaningful Engagement of Aboriginal People

Guiding Principles

To effectively address HIV/AIDS among Canada's Aboriginal communities, NACHA's work is based on the following guiding principles:

• focussing on people living with and/or affected by HIV/AIDS and populations at risk for HIV infection
• ensuring prevention, education and harm reduction approaches for Aboriginal peoples at risk for HIV infection
• working together
• supporting each other
• creating a safe environment for open and honest dialogue
• promoting the principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP ) with regards to information on Aboriginal peoples
• supporting a Council that encourages growth and supports regeneration, mentoring and capacity building
• including all Aboriginal peoples in Canada regardless of how residence, geography, jurisdiction and status are defined
• guaranteeing the values of equity, respect, diversity, autonomy, equality, meaningful support and balance among each population represented by NACHA
• achieving equal Aboriginal representation for all Aboriginal peoples
• recognizing and promoting holistic approaches to HIV/AIDS work in our communities based on traditional and contemporary Indigenous knowledge and world views
• recognizing the variety of approaches to HIV/AIDS work in communities and honouring and respecting the diversity of these approaches, including models of harm reduction
• being guided by our experience with HIV/AIDS and related issues; not by affiliations
• maintaining flexibility and adaptability in implementing, monitoring and evaluating NACHA's yearly work plan
• being solution and outcome focussed
• reviewing financial updates of the resources available to NACHA to ensure prudent use of public funds

NACHA's role is to:

• increase collaboration between all Aboriginal peoples and all other stakeholders in the Federal Initiative on HIV/AIDS
• increase communication on matters pertaining to HIV/AIDS with all members of all Aboriginal communities
• increase the cost-effectiveness of the Federal Initiative on HIV/AIDS resources
• increase cross-cultural awareness and support of NACHA's work by all Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples
• create one central committee to replace or absorb existing Aboriginal consultative committees under the Federal Initiative on HIV/AIDS

Contact information

For more information about NACHA and the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada, please contact:

The NACHA Secretariat
HIV/AIDS Policy, Coordination and Programs Division
Public Health Agency of Canada
Telephone: (613) 941-9140

NACHA publications