HIV AND AIDS

Promote Mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS Prevention and Mitigation
 

AIDS is the leading cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa  and is thus one of the biggest challenges to achieve of poverty reduction. The epidemic has a negative impact on social and economic development with poverty being both a cause and an effect of the HIV and AIDS.
With prevalence rates between 5 and 20 per cent, Eastern and Southern Africa constitute the epicentre of the pandemic. Although the prevalence has been high in the urban areas, the situation is now reversing with rural areas getting highly impacted.
 

It is widely acknowledged that the underlying causes of vulnerability to HIV infection and impacts of AIDS are systemic and structural as well as influenced by societal values and cultural norms. To meet the challenge of the growing epidemic, responses must respond to the indirect factors that perpetuate vulnerability to HIV infection and its impact.

The main reasons for mainstreaming are:

Negative impact on development: The pandemic has caused decimation of agricultural labour causing steep reduction in production, loss of intergenerational knowledge and specialised skills and practices. The close association of HIV and AIDS and poverty results to food and livelihood insecurity. While women and girls are especially vulnerable to the HIV infection, there is also a disproportionate burden placed on them as caregivers.

Development may increase susceptibility: Although development interven