that are available in the region with a view for MISA to offer a common medical aid package to all employees throughout the region, as well as member institutions if the need arose – a need that could be spurred on by the development of a region wide Wellness Policy within MISA. The MISA Botswana chapter continued to engage with the findings of the national Gender and Media Baseline Study (GMBS) to raise awareness, stimulate debate, and help develop a national movement for promoting gender equality in and through the media. The GMBS has and is still very relevant to the chapter in seminars and workshops as a reference tool for gender representation in media articles and the like. Following a successful visit to Selibe Phikwe for a gender workshop, a need for more copies of the report has been made. The chapter also took part in the Botswana launch of the HIV and AIDS and Gender Baseline & Media Action Plan on 8th March 2006 in Gaborone. MISA-Lesotho continued to partner with other civil society organizations in the areas of HIV/AIDS, anti-corruption, media development, training, gender issues, public/private partnerships, etc. These organizations include, but are not limited to: WLSA, UNDP, EISA, Lesotho IEC Media Monitoring panel for the 2007 general snap elections, Lesotho Girl Guides Association, GEMSA Lesotho, Lesotho Council of Non-Governmental Organizations, UNICEF, the National AIDS Commission, Global Fund Lesotho etc. Towards the end of 2006, MISA Lesotho partnered with the Southern African Media and Gender Institute (SAMGI), an NGO based in Cape town, South Africa. SAMGI is an NGO that promotes human rights by increasing the range of voices heard in Southern Africa through participatory education, advocacy, lobbying and media production to improve the status of women. The collaboration led to the hosting of a course that offered Community Based Organisations, NGOs and community activists the analytical and media production skills to interact with mainstream media to lobby for social transformation in Lesotho. The Lesotho Medical Association presented an award for outstanding service to local media practitioners at an event that was held at the Lesotho Sun Hotel. The award was presented to MISA Lesotho, on behalf of all media practitioners of Lesotho and was received by the Chairperson of MISA Lesotho and the National Director of MISA Lesotho. The award was in recognition of Lesotho emerging with the highest overall proportion of HIV and AIDS coverage in the region, following the administration of the HIV and AIDS and Gender Baseline Study, as per the memorandum of understanding between, among others, MISA and GEMSA. The implication of this is that the local media puts specific focus on HIV and AIDS issues, as a globally devastating pandemic, having to date, claimed more lives than all the wars of the twentieth century put together. MISA Lesotho also took part in various other events and activities. Among other things, the government of Lesotho, through the Office of the Government Secretary, Mr. Tlohang Sekhamane invited MISA-Lesotho to join a team of four that was charged with adjudication on various competitions that were held as part of the Public Service Day for 2006. The aim of the celebration was to recognize the efforts of public servants in Lesotho and the world over, and to seek a better understanding between the public that is being served, and the servants that provide the services. This year the competition among government ministries was in the areas of service delivery, combating corruption and fighting HIV and AIDS. During the sixteen days of activism, MISA Lesotho partnered with, among others, WLSA, government departments, National AIDS Commission, the media, civil society, etc. The celebrations stretched across eight districts of 36 Annual Report 2006