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Children - Exec Summary 1.1 Context
| Last updated: 03.07.04 |
Khana Appraisal of Needs and Resources for Children Affected by HIV/AIDS in Cambodia
1.1.1 Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world, trying to recover from three decades of turmoil and conflict. With over 50% of the population under the age of 18, Cambodia has a high dependency ratio. Since government spending is still focussed on the military, and the NGO sector still in its infancy, there are few resources beyond families and communities to feed, educate and care for the more than 5 million Cambodian children and young people. The situation of vulnerable children is being compounded by one of the most serious HIV epidemics in the region.
1.1.2 Results from the 1999 Surveillance Survey indicate that approximately 170,000 Cambodians are now infected with HIV, giving an adult HIV prevalence rate of around 3.5%. The majority of these people are either parents, or at an age where their economic productivity is at its highest and is being used to support other family members. Consequently with sickness and eventual death of carers and supporters, a great number of children are, and will be adversely affected by AIDS in Cambodia.
1.1.3 Cambodia along with Thailand currently has the highest proportion of AIDS orphans (one or both parents dead) in Asia. It is estimated that by 2005, approximately 3% of all children under the age of 15 in Cambodia will have been orphaned by AIDS. It is also predicted that by the end of 2000 over 5% of all HIV infections are likely to be in children under 18 years and that some 7,500 children will have died of AIDS.
1.1.4 Although concerted efforts are being made in prevention and care, most Cambodians still do not have access to HIV counselling and testing, to safe blood, or to drugs for HIV-related infections. Poor families spend over 25% of their incomes on basic health care, and the biggest cause of landlessness is the sale of land to cope with a health crisis in the family. Although Cambodia is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, laws and systems to enforce these rights and for protecting children are still being developed. Insecurity due to conflict is still an issue in some areas.
1.1.5 The Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance (Khana) is a national NGO which strengthens the capacity of the local NGO sector to respond effectively to HIV/AIDS/STDs. After four years supporting NGO work on HIV/AIDS prevention and care, project reviews revealed issues relating to children affected by AIDS. In a first step to begin to assist local NGOs to respond to the needs of children affected by AIDS, an appraisal was carried out by Khana with the support of USAID through the International HIV/AIDS Alliance.
1.1.6 The objectives of the appraisal were to determine vulnerability/resilience factors for children, explore how HIV/AIDS-related life events impact on these factors; identify the range of needs specific to children affected by AIDS; and to identify existing resources and potential strategies for meeting these needs.
A secondary aim was to build the capacity of local NGO staff in participatory appraisal facilitation.