HIV&AIDS has become the single most serious disease in the world and has far-reaching social and economic effects. AIDS was first diagnosed 26 years ago; today, it is the world’s leading cause of premature death among both men and women aged 15-59. The statistics are overwhelming. Over 40 million people around the world are now living with HIV; among these, more than 95 percent live in developing countries (UNAIDS Report 2006). It is most problematic in sub-Saharan Africa, fast developing in Asia and occurs in almost all countries. The global impact of AIDS has already been so devastating that the United Nations’ Human Development Report in 2005 concluded that “the HIV&AIDS pandemic has inflicted the single greatest reversal in human development.”
 |
|
HOW WE WORK
Concern recognizes that poverty is one of the main drivers of the HIV&AIDS pandemic. The poor who become infected with HIV&AIDS experience diminished opportunities and are edged closer towards destitution. Concern works with the poorest people who are infected and affected by the disease, including families who lose breadwinners, farmers whose crop yields decline, children whose nutrition worsens, individuals who spend more on health care as their health status deteriorates, family members who are left behind to bear funeral costs and the poor whose meager savings turn into debt.
In particular, Concern focuses on vulnerable children such as orphans and those who are forced to drop out of school and take on adult responsibilities because their parent(s) are ill. Concern also places an emphasis on women who are physiologically, economically, socially and culturally more vulnerable to HIV infection.
Disasters such as floods, earthquakes and droughts lead to insecure and unsafe conditions that can exacerbate the spread of HIV&AIDS. When people are temporarily displaced they may relocate to or from areas of higher HIV prevalence, and to and from areas of differing awareness about HIV.
Concern has over 20 years of HIV&AIDS programming experience, dating back to our work with Cambodian refugees in the Thai border camps to support STI/HIV/AIDS prevention. Today, Concern is implementing 24 HIV&AIDS programs in more than 13 countries.
Our programs seek to empower our target group to minimize their vulnerability to, and risk of, HIV infection and to minimize the impact of AIDS on those infected and affected by it. Concern integrates awareness of HIV&AIDS into all its programs. By mainstreaming our response, Concern ensures that it deliberately structures and carries out activities so they reduce, or at least do not increase, the impact of HIV&AIDS.
MEETING THE CHALLENGE
The pandemic is increasing the need for social programs aimed at AIDS victims and their dependents. While the scale of the problem is overwhelming, Concern is responding in the following ways:
- Encouraging governments and donors to develop national welfare programs
- Implementing programs where the national ones are ineffective or incomplete
- Promoting education and awareness to slow the spread of AIDS
- Advocating for improved treatment and rights of AIDS victims
These efforts are tailored to the needs of different countries:
- In Zambia, the epidemic is creating a growing number of households in which grandmothers are supporting orphans. In 2006, Concern worked with the government to develop successful welfare programs that are expected to result in extensive support for the hardest-hit people in 2007.
- In Kenya, Concern introduced food and nutrition support programs for the poorest, bed-ridden people living with HIV&AIDS, as well as orphans and vulnerable children. Concern also conducted community-based education that led to greater voluntary counseling and awareness of patients’ rights. Concern also helped block an intellectual property measure making it impossible for Kenya to manufacture or import generic anti-retroviral drugs.
- In Somalia, nearly 20,000 people, more than a third of them women, received information through community information sessions about HIV and risk factors. Concern also helped local organizations lobby local government and hospitals to increase their focus on AIDS.
- In Sudan, more than 18,000 people received AIDS information in community sessions, which will be assessed this year.
- In Rwanda, Concern helped NGO partners and local government develop advocacy strategies to create a more supportive environment for people affected by HIV and AIDS.
Links
Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
UN Millennium Development Goals