Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network is a joint initiative of United Nations Country Team in Ethiopia (UNCT) and the Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO). Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network is a Voluntary Knowledge Management Platform designed to enable individuals working in the area of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support to share useful knowledge, best practices and learn from each other in a spirit of collaboration.

Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network: HIV Community of Practice (CoP) connects practitioners working on HIV/AIDS at public and private sector, Academic and research institutions civil society Organizations, Donors and other Stakeholders. Its Oobjectives are:

• to enhance collaboration and coordination;
• to enable individual community members to learn faster, work smarter and avoid duplication;
• to open up a new channel for government to gauge the value and effectiveness of its policies and programmes; and
• to capture synthesize, document and  publicize indigenous knowledge and national success stories.  

Linked by a common vision, field of practice, challenges and engagement in development activities, HIV CoPs members will meet physically in face-to-face meetings and virtually on the electronic knowledge sharing platform (KSP) to continuously learn from each others’ knowledge, and expertise. The initiative will provide the following services to members and beyond:-

• Post quires and get solutions as a consolidated reply from community members experience  and  knowledge for challenges that encounter in their day-to-day activities
• E-Consultation for drafters of projects, programmes, plans, policies and legislation to obtain feedback from Community members as an input into finalization. 
• E-Discussion to address and gain insights on issues of wide concern to the Community and build a case for further development of policies and programmes.
• Commission Action Group to produce a quick, strategic deliverable such as a project proposal, strategic plan, pilot project or action research.

In addition the initiative will systematically capture, synthesize, document as Consolidated Reply booklets, Best Practice books, Success Story pamphlets and disseminate the knowledge products of the community to wider public use.

The network will be moderated and facilitated by full-time staff members. A resource group chaired by Federal HAPCO will provide guidance and support. 

Joining Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network: HIV Community of Practice is free, voluntary and open to any practitioner working on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support related development programmes, interested in contributing advice, experience and expertise for use by others, or for adapting others’ advice, experience and expertise for their own use.

Your use of the Ethiopian HIV Knowledge Sharing Network: Community of Practice websites and /or your membership to the Community governed by the Community terms and conditions specified in the community membership agreement.

For further information please contact Prof. Ahmed Ali, Network facilitator for the HIV/AIDS CoP at Ahmed.ali@undp.org