Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
Background
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the epidemic. UNAIDS aims to lead, strengthen and support an expanded response to HIV and AIDS that includes preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support to those already living with the virus, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV and alleviating the impact of the epidemic. The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS is a partnership between United Nations agencies and civil society organizations seeking to call attention and spur action to address the increasing HIV infection rates among women and girls.Policy framework
UNAIDS policy position paper: Practical guidelines for intensifying HIV prevention (2007) draws specific attention to the fact that strategies to reduce violence against women are essential to a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy for women.Areas of Focus
UNAIDS pays particular attention to the intersections between violence against women and the threat of violence, and HIV prevention, treatment and care for women and girls. The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS strategy covers policy development, research and awareness-raising.UNAIDS co-sponsors also take a lead on violence against women, particularly WHO, UNFPA, and UNICEF. In May 2009, UNAIDS issued a policy document -- Joint Action for Results: the UNAIDS Outcome Framework 2009-2011 -- which outlines priority action areas in the AIDS response and opportunities to link the AIDS agenda to broader development goals and the MDGs.
One of the priority areas identified for concerted action by UNAIDS and cosponsors is reducing violence against women. The document commits UNAIDS to use its convening role, advocacy and programming resources to reduce sexual and intimate partner violence through appropriate entry points in the AIDS response. UNAIDS is an active partner in the inter-agency initiative UN Action against sexual violence in conflict.
Resources
Joint Action for Results: the UNAIDS Outcome Framework 2009-2011Gender Guidance for National AIDS responses
In Venezuela UNAIDS promoted clinical management of rape and together with UNFPA supported trauma sections in clinics to ensure that services are available for victims of rape.
In Jamaica UNAIDS is associated Agency of the Spotlight initiative and supports community-led organisations in the response to cases of sexual violence against most marginalised populations.
In South Sudan UNAIDS supported the Integration of GBV and HIV services in the 5 one stop GBV centers in the country. Survivors of GBV and the PLHIV benefited from HTS, ART, dignity kits, legal support and counselling services.
UNAIDS plays an important global advocacy role in supporting and addressing the linkages of gender-based violence in the context of sex work by the ongoing support and collaboration with networks of sexworkers.
In Kyrgyzstan UNAIDS provided support to the women network of people living with HIV.
In the Dominican Republic UNAIDS provided support to USAID Linkages Project through consultation meetings with organisations of sexual diversity working on gender-based violence, as well as support for the implementation of the COIN Campaign to protect children and adolescents from commercial sexual exploitation and HIV and AIDS.
In Cambodia UNAIDS and partners provided technical support and guidance to the development process of the National Actions Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women, 2019-2023; conducted a Gender Assessment; and developed PEP guidelines, including for survivors of gender-based violence.
In Kenya UNAIDS provided support to National SRHR, SGBN and TB Integration Framework, which was finalised and launched in 2019.
UNAIDS ensured continued support for implementation of the ‘integration of gender-based violence awareness, prevention and response’ in South Sudan ‘in collaboration with the GBV sub-cluster under the humanitarian response programme (a UNAIDS Secretariat initiative with UNHCR and WFP).
Participation in the Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements (MARA) on conflict related sexual violence of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict to promote appropriate timely action to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence; inform strategic advocacy; enhance prevention and programmatic responses for survivors; and contribute to the development of comprehensive strategies to combat sexual violence at country-level.
In South Sudan UNAIDS trained police officers with a particular focus on female officers on prevention of GBV and HIV.
The development and implementation of the ALIV(H)E Framework is one of the initiatives led by the UNAIDS Secretariat in collaboration with civil society organisations. The Framework provides step-by-step approaches to developing effective programmes, including monitoring and evaluation of violence against women and HIV in 2019. In Morocco UNAIDS supported the LEARN MENA project that aims to build the capacity of women living with HIV and to produce strategic information to gender-based violence and HIV programmes, including a country orientation workshop on the approach of the ALIV(H)E Framework; and conducted a Gender Assessment.
In Zimbabwe and Malawi 2019 UNAIDS has supported the launch of national situation rooms through the 2gether4SRHR programme. UNAIDS has been working closely to help select the specific indicators and connecting data in the country to their situation room. In countries with existing data collection systems, the situation rooms create mechanisms to collect data separated by age and sex and at the local level, to ensure good Internet connectivity and that have qualified local staff are best placed to establish their own situation rooms. At the Zimbabwe launch the first SGBV-related dashboard was presented and in Malawi there is an increased interest in collecting data related to SGBV-SRHR.
In Nepal UNAIDS (and partners) are providing technical support to the Right to Health Women’s Group to empower HIV affected women and girls against prejudice and discrimination (including violence) in healthcare settings.
In Viet Nam in 2016, UN Women supports Legal Aid Department of Ministry of Justice to build a legal aid system sensitive to the needs of VAW survivors. This includes 1) technical assistance to legal drafters of the amended Legal Aid Law and to develop joint UN recommendations together with UNDP, UNICEF, UNODC, UNAIDS, highlighting gaps with international normative frameworks; and 2) support to develop a guideline for legal aid providers, reflecting the legislative changes of the criminal laws in 2015 and promoting gender-sensitive and survivor-centred response based on international standards. Materials developed through the support to Judicial Academy and UNODC's handbook for legal aid providers on domestic violence cases will be utilized for this purpose.