Through the UNAIDS India website, AIDS Community’s e-consultations offered a platform to examine India’s National AIDS Control Policy…

In 2005, the Government of India threw open the doors to citizens to critique India's existing National AIDS Control Policy (NACP) and offer suggestions to strengthen the third phase of the plan, NACP-III, which was slated for launch in April 2006.

This 'e-consultation' or electronic discussion forum invited civil society to register through the UNAIDS India website and send their ideas and recommendations on the plan. The e-consultation received an overwhelming response. It focused on several thematic areas, such as prevention, care and support, and community mobilization.

Issues emerging from the dialogue that not only stimulated discussions on NACP, but were also used by the NACP design team commissioned by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO). Throughout the consultation, NACO Project Director Dr. S. Y. Quraishi emphasized the inclusive nature of the project, stating that "Over 950 Indian NGOs are already working with us in this fight. We need their inputs and experience to develop a plan that takes into consideration everyone's voice and concerns."

Over the three months of the e-consultation, 800 people subscribed to the discussions, from all over India and abroad and more than 300 contributions were offered to the working groups. Comments ranged from pointing out shortcomings in NACP-II to suggestions for improving the plan. (“India Launches e-Consultation on AIDS Control Plan” article from Indo-Asian News Service on the NACP-III consultation)