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Vulnerability - 1 (Introduction)
| Last updated: 29.06.02 |
1.1 The Alliance
The International HIV/AIDS Alliance is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) established in 1993 to support community action on AIDS in developing countries.
Mission Statement
The mission of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance is to enable communities in developing countries to play a full and effective role in the global response to AIDS. The Alliance accomplishes this by mobilising a broad range of non-governmental and community groups, increasing their access to resources at a local level, and enhancing their technical and organisational skills. The Alliance also supports groups to share lessons learned, to collaborate with others, and to have a voice in national and international policy development. In this way, the Alliance encourages creative prevention and care efforts that respond to the real needs of communities, are owned by local people and have a sustainable impact.
In many countries, the Alliance works with and through one primary partner NGO in order to facilitate a broad response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These partner groups - known as “linking organisations” - facilitate collaborative planning and priority setting within the NGO sector responding to AIDS, and help other NGOs and community groups access technical, financial and management support in order to more effectively implement prevention and care initiatives.
1.2 This report
The explosive HIV epidemics in South and South-East Asia are highlighting the limitations of the current emphasis on information, education and communication (IEC) for awareness-raising. Through its work in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Sri Lanka, the Alliance recognises that more effective HIV prevention approaches depend on developing strategies that respond to the complexity and specificity of individual and community vulnerabilities to HIV infection. Community participation in all stages of project design, implementation and evaluation is critical to the quality and sustainability of such responses.
The Alliance has focused on strengthening participatory approaches to community assessment prior to project design as a critical step in the process of developing more responsive and sustainable HIV prevention strategies. The Alliance seeks to better understand community vulnerability, and in particular issues of gender, sexuality and sexual health, and to mobilise community action on the HIV epidemic. This has led the Alliance and its partners to adapt and refine a set of assessment tools and techniques to enhance and expand the participation of communities in the analysis of problems relating to HIV prevention and the design of appropriate responses. During 1997-8, The Japanese Foundation for AIDS Prevention supported the Alliance and its partner linking organisations and NGOs in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Sri Lanka in conducting some 50 participatory community assessments with marginalised and vulnerable communities. The assessments were intended to:
This report summarises the assessment methods and their results, comparing differing techniques and processes, and exploring the links between varied processes and the research outcomes. In synthesising their findings, the report discusses the implications of participatory community assessments for more effective HIV prevention strategies and their impact on the design, implementation and evaluation/redesign of HIV prevention projects. The report draws lessons from both the processes and outcomes of the assessments and provides recommendations for improving the effectiveness of a participatory community assessment process.
As a research study, this report is designed to be of particular interest to policy-makers and donor agencies, as well as other NGOs and agencies responding to HIV/AIDS in the Asia region and internationally.
The International HIV/AIDS Alliance is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) established in 1993 to support community action on AIDS in developing countries.
Mission Statement
The mission of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance is to enable communities in developing countries to play a full and effective role in the global response to AIDS. The Alliance accomplishes this by mobilising a broad range of non-governmental and community groups, increasing their access to resources at a local level, and enhancing their technical and organisational skills. The Alliance also supports groups to share lessons learned, to collaborate with others, and to have a voice in national and international policy development. In this way, the Alliance encourages creative prevention and care efforts that respond to the real needs of communities, are owned by local people and have a sustainable impact.
In many countries, the Alliance works with and through one primary partner NGO in order to facilitate a broad response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These partner groups - known as “linking organisations” - facilitate collaborative planning and priority setting within the NGO sector responding to AIDS, and help other NGOs and community groups access technical, financial and management support in order to more effectively implement prevention and care initiatives.
1.2 This report
The explosive HIV epidemics in South and South-East Asia are highlighting the limitations of the current emphasis on information, education and communication (IEC) for awareness-raising. Through its work in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Sri Lanka, the Alliance recognises that more effective HIV prevention approaches depend on developing strategies that respond to the complexity and specificity of individual and community vulnerabilities to HIV infection. Community participation in all stages of project design, implementation and evaluation is critical to the quality and sustainability of such responses.
The Alliance has focused on strengthening participatory approaches to community assessment prior to project design as a critical step in the process of developing more responsive and sustainable HIV prevention strategies. The Alliance seeks to better understand community vulnerability, and in particular issues of gender, sexuality and sexual health, and to mobilise community action on the HIV epidemic. This has led the Alliance and its partners to adapt and refine a set of assessment tools and techniques to enhance and expand the participation of communities in the analysis of problems relating to HIV prevention and the design of appropriate responses. During 1997-8, The Japanese Foundation for AIDS Prevention supported the Alliance and its partner linking organisations and NGOs in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Sri Lanka in conducting some 50 participatory community assessments with marginalised and vulnerable communities. The assessments were intended to:
- Mobilise communities;
- Strengthen links between communities and NGOs; and
- Enable NGOs, in partnership with communities, to develop effective HIV prevention strategies linked to broader issues of gender, sexuality and sexual health.
This report summarises the assessment methods and their results, comparing differing techniques and processes, and exploring the links between varied processes and the research outcomes. In synthesising their findings, the report discusses the implications of participatory community assessments for more effective HIV prevention strategies and their impact on the design, implementation and evaluation/redesign of HIV prevention projects. The report draws lessons from both the processes and outcomes of the assessments and provides recommendations for improving the effectiveness of a participatory community assessment process.
As a research study, this report is designed to be of particular interest to policy-makers and donor agencies, as well as other NGOs and agencies responding to HIV/AIDS in the Asia region and internationally.