UNAIDS - 22 September 2009

The report entitled HIV/AIDS, Security and Conflict: New Realities, New Responses is the result of a three year research programme lead by the ASCI. It brings together and summarizes findings from 29 studies using a variety of different qualitative and quantitative research approaches; the programme engaged research partners in 17 different countries. The studies cover four thematic areas: HIV and fragile states, uniformed services, humanitarian crisis and post-conflict transitions, and cross-cutting issues such as gender, data collection and measurement û as such the report provides key evidence for policy-making.

New approaches needed

Demonstrating the impact HIV has on security, the ASCI report outlines how security crises and security institutions can influence HIV incidence. Importantly, the study indicates that with good policy and appropriate programmes, challenges can be overcome. It recommends 10 ways in which efforts towards peacekeeping, peacebuilding and humanitarian response can integrate HIV issues. These include:

* Greater attention to the links between violence against women, forced sex, and reaching out to people who control sex workers and sex trafficking.

* Address the gap in HIV services which can appear in the time between relief and development programmes. This can be addressed if HIV prevention, care, treatment and support are integrated into disarmament and demobilization efforts.

* Create awareness on how criminalization of injecting drug use, sex work and men who have sex with men alienate populations at higher risk making them harder to reach with HIV prevention and other health services.

* Explore the possible advantages of a "Command Centered Approach" by placing responsibility for AIDS policy at the highest level of command within the military to allow for armies to achieve both the highest level of effectiveness and best practices in HIV prevention, treatment and care.

Aligning efforts to prevent HIV

Commenting on the new report, Mr Michel Sidibe, UNAIDS Executive Director, said: "these findings underscore the importance of aligning efforts to prevent sexual violence, and HIV prevention û these connections have yet to be well established within the global context of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support." The UNAIDS Outcome Framework 2009-2011 includes as two of its nine priority areas stopping violence against women and girls as well as removing punitive laws, practices, stigma and discrimination that block an effective response to AIDS.

AIDS, Security and Conflict Initiative (ASCI)

ASCI is a joint global research initiative between the Social Science Research Council (New York) and Clingendael Institute for International Relations (the Hague), with the aim of informing policy and programming through strengthening the evidence base and addressing critical gaps in knowledge on AIDS and security.

Resources:

Policy and guidance:

Technical Policies of the UNAIDS Programme - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /Techpolicies/peacekprs_technical_policies.asp

Security and humanitarian response: technical policies of the UNAIDS Programme - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /Techpolicies/security_technical_policies.asp

Press centre:

AIDS and security: New and different threats - http://data.unaids.org/pub/PressRelease/2009/20090922_pr_asci_sec urity_en.pdf

External links:

AIDS, Security & Conflict Research Hub - http://asci.researchhub.ssrc.org/

The Social Science Research Council - http://www.ssrc.org/

Clingendael Institute for International Relations - http://www.clingendael.nl/

Publications:

HIV/AIDS, Security and Conflict: New Realities, New Responses: Executive Summary - http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1494596/HIV-AIDS%2C%20Security%20and%2 0Conflict%20Executive%20Summary.pdf| Full Report - http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/1494596/HIV_AIDS%2C%20Security%20and%2 0Conflict.pdf

Guidelines for HIV/AIDS interventions in emergency settings (pdf. 3.24 Mb.) - http://data.unaids.org/Publications/External-Documents/IASC_Guide lines-Emergency-Settings_en.pdf

Trainer's Guide (1st Edition): IASC Workshop on HIV/AIDS Interventions in Emergency Settings (pdf, 821 Kb.) - http://data.unaids.org/pub/InformationNote/2003/IASC_HIVtrainersg uide_en.pdf

Report of the UNAIDS Expert Panel on HIV Testing in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (pdf. 107 Kb.) - http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2001/20011130_peacekeeping_en.p df

Joint action for results: UNAIDS outcome framework, 2009 û 2011 (pdf, 396 Kb.) - http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2009/jc1713_joint_action_en.pdf
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