Assembly/AU/ 6 (X)I Page 7 III. ADVOCACY AND SENSITZATION EFFORTS OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION SINCE JANUARY 2008 As part of its implementation effort of the Assembly Decision on the MDGs 4 and 5, the AU Commission had been engaged, over the past six months, in organizing regional and international events aimed at stepping up advocacy and sensitization programmes. 1. G8 Health Experts United Nations University, Tokyo, February 14-15, 2008 The AU Commission took part in the G8 Health Experts Meeting which was held in Tokyo on 14-15 February. In Addition to the G8 Health Experts, the meeting was attended by representative from Norway and eight (8) international organizations known as "Health 8" or "H8,”. The H8 consists of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), WHO UNICEF, and World Bank. The AU Commission used to the occasion to popularize the Summit Decision on the promotion of maternal, infant and child health and development (Assembly/AU/Dec.176 (X)). This meeting was organized as a forum for the G8 members to discuss health-related topics in preparation for the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. Representatives of the AU Commission and UNICEF used the occasion to popularize the Call for Accelerated Action on the Implementation of the Plan of Action towards Africa Fit for Children (2008-2012). The AU Delegation also called upon the international partners to speed up the implementation of health-related MDGs (4, 5 and 6) through supporting the implementation of national, subregional and continental initiatives, including the Africa Health Strategy and the Maputo Plan of Action on the promotion of reproductive and maternal health. 2. Workshop on HIV/AIDS and its Impact on Ex-Child Soldiers/Captives in the Great Lakes Region, 21-22 February 2008, Kampala, Uganda The Workshop on HIV/AIDS and its impact on Ex-Child Soldiers/Captives in the Great Lakes Region was held at the Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda from 21-22 February 2008. The objective of the Workshop included sharing experiences and expertise as concerns the theme of the Workshop and make recommendations for care and support for more effective demobilization, rehabilitation and re-integration of ex-child soldiers or captives affected or infected by HIV/AIDS. The Workshop deliberated on such key issues as the Impact of Alcohol and Drugs on the Spread of HIV/AIDS and on the Child Soldiers in Particular; the challenges of access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support services for ex-child soldiers in “the Great Lakes Region”. During the Workshop, a former child captive shared his experiences which was moving and educative.