Worldwide there is a growing body of knowledge about successful interventions to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. Success is certainly not limited to industrialized countries. In developing countries, prevention activities aimed at changing behaviours and associated social norms can and do work, not only on a large scale but also at the national level. To demonstrate this, data and experiences from three countries—Senegal, Thailand and Uganda—with differing cultures and different levels of the epidemic, are presented in this booklet.

This case study demonstrates that the Asian Harm Reduction Network has the potential to be again a decisive catalyst for action, to provide the skills-building capacities for largescale interventions, and to assist all those in the communities to do what needs to be done. Looking back at our common history, I am convinced that the Intercountry Team together with its cosponsors and partners, and the Asian Harm Reduction Network with its many competent
members, can contribute significantly. In cooperation we can reduce the incidence of HIV infection and other drug-related harm among drug users in Asia and provide care and support to those who need it.

Global Directory of Condom Social Marketing Projects and Organisations

As the HIV/AIDS epidemic imposes an ever-larger burden on the world, second generation HIV surveillance becomes more critical in understanding the trends of the epidemic and making sound decisions on how best to respond to it. In the context of second generation HIV surveillance, these laboratory guidelines suggest methods for selecting, evaluating and implementing HIV testing technologies and strategies based on a country's laboratory infrastructure and surveillance needs. The guidelines provide recommendations for specimen selection, collection, storage, and testing, and for the selection and evaluation of appropriate HIV testing strategies and technologies to meet surveillance objectives. Because accurate results are important in biological surveillance of HIV, quality assurance measures are addressed. The guidelines also include a glossary of terms used in the document. These technical guidelines are written for HIV surveillance coordinators and other health professionals involved in HIV testing for surveillance purposes in developing countries. They are part of a series of operational guidelines for second generation HIV surveillance systems.

“Wherever it takes hold, the AIDs epidemic feeds on existing economic and social problems. Ultimately, the test of our leadership will be how decisively we address the enduring poverty, inequality and inadequate infrastructures that are the enablers of this terrible disease. It is only by doing so that we can empower individuals, communities and countries to play their full part as leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS. “

UNAIDS Case studies

This publication summarizes a three-day workshop on “Communication for Behaviour and Social Change: Programme Experiences, Examples and the Way Forward”, held in Geneva, Switzerland, 25-27 July 2000. It documents the workshop’s objectives (such as mapping out strategies for implementing communication programmes for behavioural and social changes) and its activities. The report also examines the role of communication in the implementation of the various UNAIDS priority areas, including young people’s right to know about HIV/AIDS; the UNAIDS communication framework, which calls for refocusing communication interventions on the basis of five contextual domains (government policy, socioeconomic status, culture, gender relations and spirituality); the steps towards making the communication framework operational; and workshop recommendations.

This case study examines the Global Strategy Framework--a set of guiding principles and leadership commitments that form the basis of a successful response to the epidemic. It aims to support communities and countries in reducing their risk and vulnerability to infection, save lives and alleviate human suffering, and lesson the epidemic’s impact on development. It also calls for profound changes in the conduct of community, national and international affairs. The Global Strategy Framework is not a detailed blueprint, so global, national, and community bodies will still need to formulate their own specific strategies concerning particular themes or regions. At the core of the Strategy stands the conviction that tackling the epidemic is an indisputable, global priority, and that an expanded, extraordinary response is not simply necessary, but feasible.

To support the development of a regional approach to HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, with funding from the World Bank, has coordinated an infoDev project, focused on increasing e-mail connectivity between strategic allies working in the HIV/AIDS field in South-East Asia. infoDev is a global grant programme managed by the World Bank to promote innovative projects on the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), with a special emphasis on the needs of the poor in developing countries.

This case study, based on years of experience in Zimbabwe and the United Republic of Tanzania, addresses the tough questions related to the rights and needs of children affected by HIV/AIDs, with a focus on their psychosocial needs. It highlights what can be done for the child of an infected parent before and after the parent dies, and advocates for parents living with HIV/AIDs to discuss their status and situation. This report is intended for people concerned about and working with families affected by HIV/AIDs, such as social welfare officers, health care workers and nongovernmental organiyations (NGOs). Through providing examples of successful interventions by organizations in Africa, the report shares the children's experiences to stimulate awareness, and illustrates how collaboration between organizations enables them to address issues they could not tackle alone.