Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

332 Abstracts WePeG7016-WePeG7019

XIV International AIDS Conference

helped the programme to be reached the unreached areas and target. This paper
will integrate the districts practices and philosophy to support a model which can
be used for community case and support.
Lesson learned: Wholistic and integnated interventions on AIDS alone can slow
down the HIV infection.
Recommendation: The government and International agencies should adopt
such interventions in the near future. Government cum NGO co ordination should
be flexible and in a networking perspective. International efforts to be placed on
this.
Presenting author: Uma Maheswaran Ballaiah, 4/ 1 C, Indra Nagar, Virudhunagar - 626 001, Tamail Nadu, South India, India, Tel.: [phone], Fax:
+91- 4562 - 345339, E-mail: [email protected]
WePeG7016 UNAIDS theme group in Brazil: an expanded
response to HIV/Aids
R. Barber-Madden, E.R.T. Barros, N.G. da Costa. UNAIDS Theme Group in
Brazil, SCN Quadra 2 Bloco A, 6o andar 70712 -900, Brasflia - DF Brazil
Issues: This paper presents UNAIDS (Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS) Theme Group activities in Brazil and the experience of an expanded
response from the United Nations System to HIV/Aids epidemic.
Description: The UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS - UNAIDS TG was established
to support an expanded multisectoral response to the epidemic. It has become
a key mechanism for coordinated and joint UN action at the country level. The
Theme Group provides a structure enabling the various agencies to coordinate
United Nations support to the national response to HIV/AIDS. The UNAIDS TG is
comprised of the eight UNAIDS Co-sponsors (UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNDCP,
UNESCO, WHO/PAHO, World Bank and ILO), with FAO and UNIFEM, the Brazilian Government - Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and National Anti-drugs Secretariat, Bi-lateral Cooperation Agencies -
USAID/USA, DFID/UK, GTZ/Germany, the Red Cross International Committee,
the National Business Council on HIV/Aids Prevention and two Representatives
of the Civil Society
Lessons learned: Joining a multitude of actors is providing to be an excellent opportunity to share comparative advantages and to include HIV/Aids in the
agenda of public policies. Major accomplishment was the elaboration of an Integrated Plan to support the National Response on STD/HIV/AIDS, which defines
the strategies for the development of the activities and the Group priorities. Also,
the Group is working diligently in a concerted effort to jointly implement Projects
supported by UNAIDS, through the Programme Acceleration Funds.
Recommendations: To strengthen UNAIDS TG leadership in combating
HIV/Aids as recommended in the "Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS",
June 2001, integrating HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and support and
impact-mitigation priorities into the mainstream of development planning including in poverty eradication strategies, national budget allocations and sectoral development plans.
Presenting author: Rosemary Barber-Madden, SCN Quadra 2 Bloco A, 60 andar
70712 -900, Brasilia - DF, Brazil, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone],
E-mail: [email protected]
WePeG7017I The virtual team - an innovative mechanism for a
joint UN response to HIV/AIDS in India
S.M. Afsar1, P Berlin2, A.B. Chaudhuri3, S. Chowdhury4, S. Dhar5,
M.P. Gupatha6, A. Kanchan7, N.S. Kang8, R. Kohli9, V. Mendonca7,
A. Narang10, K. Pradeep2, D.C.S. Reddy", R. Sadanandan8, A. Tiwari2,
D. Miller2. 11LO, New Delhi, India; 2UNAIDS, UNAIDS, c/o UNDP, 55 Lodi Estate,
New Delhi - 110003, India; 3UNDCP, New Delhi, India; 4UNESCO, New Delhi,
India; 5UNIFEM, New Delhi, India; 6UNFPA, New Delhi, India; 7UNICEF, New
Delhi, India; 8NACO, New Delhi, India; 9UNRCO, New Delhi, India; 10UNDR
New Delhi, India; WHO, New Delhi, India
Integrated programming for effective UN responses to HIV/AIDS strengthens
multi-sectoral input and an expanded response. Challenged to define a mechanism for such close collaboration, the UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS in India
created a technical working group with a new form of composition and character
- the Virtual Team (VT). The VT consists of NACO staff, co-sponsor HIV/AIDS
focal points as well as technically skilled national professionals serving on a twoyear contract with UNAIDS. The latter are physically located in the co-sponsor
agencies to assist the respective agency in mainstreaming HIV/AIDS within its
programmes and to scale up the agency's response to HIV/AIDS in India. In addition, the VT members work to synergise UN work on HIV/AIDS by information and
knowledge exchange, joint strategic planning and action, and direct technical support to the decentralised national AIDS control structure. Free access to the UNAIDS office and its resources, regular meetings, use of an electronic workspace,
leadership and co-ordination by the UNAIDS country office are the tools that have
supported the VT's work. The VT represents a concrete example of how inte
grated UN work planning and interagency collaboration can be achieved. In developing a strategic UN work-plan on HIV/AIDS and a joint national-level project
(CHARCA), the strengths of each agency have been drawn by involving line ministries/key partners and identifying/remedying technical needs. The voice of the
respective constituencies (e.g. the women's movement and PLWHA) has gained
increased influence in the response. Structural and procedural differences between the agencies have been revealed, and have indeed caused logistical diffi
culties, but also force the UN family in India to find ways to overcome the obstacles. UN Theme Groups on HIV/AIDS are recommended to consider the mechanism of the VT - refine it and use it as appropriate to enhance the effectiveness
of the UN response to HIV/AIDS.
Presenting author: Pernilla Berlin, UNAIDS, c/o UNDP, 55 Lodi Estate, New
Delhi- 110003, India, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: berlin
@youandaids.org
WePeG7018 UN agency's role in supporting government in
responding to HIV/AIDS: a case study of UNICEF
country programme in China
R. Yip, E.J. Judd, J.L. He. UNICEF UN/CEF, No 12, Sanlitun Lu, Beijing 100600,
China
Issues: One of the most important steps for any country in responding to
HIV/AIDS is recognizing the urgency for action. China faced with a rapidly growing epidemic and compounded with intense fear and actual discrimination against
those individuals and communities affected by HIV, some of the more severally
affected areas have not been welling to confront the reality This issue of under
recognition and response to the crisis changed quickly during 2001.
Descriptions: The UN agencies played a role in supporting the government in
taking a more pro-active stand in responding to HIV, and this presentation illustrate the strategy of UNICEF in contributing to this effort. The key efforts consist
of: 1) assist local government to take up HIV as an agenda through communication to young people (uptake); 2) engaging local government in assessment of
current situation as a strategic planning exercise (analysis); 3) identify specific
issues suits local situation for response, and usually including anti-discrimination
as a key issue (planning and general action); 4) in selected more-affected areas, initiate PMCT program as an entry point to explore VCT, drug treatment and
care (specific actions); 5) Support general awareness through national and local
media.
Lesson learned: Building on existing cooperation (non-HIV) with government
provided a good starting point for advocacy The mix of projects provided an opportunity to develop a locally based strategy. UN facilitation of learning from the
experience of other more-affected countries helped to remove some of the initial
resistance. Overall, we learn that meaningful long-term engagement with localbased information is the key in shifting HIV to that from a non-problem to crisis.
Recommendation: Even within a country, there are also needs for local-specific
strategy because the nature of epidemic may vary tremendously as the case of
China. A strategy mix requires the full partnership of multiple groups and agencies.
Presenting author: Ray Yip, UNICEF, No 12, Sanlitun Lu, Beijing 100600, China,
Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
WePeG7019 UNAIDS interaction with the private, for-profit
sector: an evaluation of policies and practices
K. Buse, R. Ouseph. Yale University New Haven, United States
Issue: The last decade has witnessed significantly increased interaction between
the United Nations and the commercial sector in order to achieve improved health
outcomes. This policy shift has led to the emergence of novel outreach mechanisms to the commercial sector, as well as a profusion of public-private partnerships (PPPs). The rapid development of PPPs has provoked considerable debate,
centered around questions such as accountability and sustainability.
Description: This study informs the debate on PPPs through a discussion of the
interaction between the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
and the commercial sector. The presentation is based on a comparative analysis
of the policies, guidelines and implementation procedures of five multilateral organizations, including UNAIDS. The research, based on documentary review and
interviews with key stakeholders, found significant differences between UNAIDS
and the other organizations in relation to partnership practices. In particular, it
found that UNAIDS's interaction with the commercial sector is not governed by formal guidelines or implementation procedures. As such, UNAIDS differs markedly
from its Co-Sponsors, which have developed comprehensive policies and guidelines.
Lessons learned: It is suggested that the structure and organizational imperatives of UNAIDS yield a unique set of priorities and concerns with regard to its
commercial sector engagements. While the absence of formal procedures may
have endowed UNAIDS with great flexibility in engaging the commercial sector,
the study indicates that the UNAIDS approach presents several potential organizational risks, including inadequately managing conflicts of interest and failure to
ring fence its normative functions.
Recommendation: Given these risks, we argue that the establishment of formal
PPP guidelines and procedures may be necessary, while maintaining the organization's flexibility in working with the commercial sector.

Presenting author: Roshan Ouseph, 1145 Chapel Street #409, New Haven,
CT, 06511, United States, Tel.: +[phone], Fax: +[phone], E-mail:
roshan.ouseph @ yale.edu