Today, at the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, AIDS2014 UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNAIDS, Save the Children, GNP+, and WHO release
In or Out? Asia-Pacific Regional Review of the Inclusion of Young Key Populations in National AIDS Strategic Plans
National strategic plans (NSPs) determine a country’s response to HIV and AIDS, as well as guide Global Fund investments, making it critical for them to prioritize those most at risk so that resources can go where needed.
As a study released today reveals, however, when it comes to formulating their NSPs, many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are failing to factor at-risk youth into the equation.
The Asia-Pacific region has largely low-level or concentrated HIV epidemics, with the key populations at higher risk of exposure including men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers and their clients, people who inject drugs and those living with HIV. These key populations are believed to represent around 95% of new infections among young people (under age 25) and they are experiencing growing epidemics in many countries in the region.
The NSPs of several countries fail to address this increasingly stark and alarming trend, finds the new study “In or Out? Asia-Pacific Regional Review of the Inclusion of Young Key Populations in National AIDS Strategic Plans”.
Justine Sass, Chief of UNESCO Bangkok’s HIV Prevention and Health Promotion Unit, says that the report provides a necessary and timely wakeup call for Asia-Pacific policy-makers.
“Our region is home to the largest cohort of young people in the history of the world. We need to understand the HIV vulnerabilities, risks and realities of these youth, and ensure that resources are targeted towards those most affected,” she says. “If we don’t plan for it, we don’t budget for it, we are not going to change the course of this epidemic.”The study, prepared by UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNAIDS, Save the Children, GNP+, and WHO, aims to inform country-based reviews and progress reports of current NSPs, as well as the development of future plans to ensure greater attention is paid to these populations.
The review analyses 19 NSPs in the Asia-Pacific region to determine the amount of attention paid to key populations, particularly young key populations (YKP). More than 40 sub-categories were used for the analysis covering NSP development and review; content and operationalization of the plan; and by key population/young key population. The study drew on existing reviews of NSPs; guidance documents on comprehensive packages for key populations; and the UNAIDS HIV and AIDS Investment Framework.
The study found that while Asia-Pacific NSPs do focus on key populations, YKP are often invisible, whether in situation analyses, NSP development, or identified interventions.
Other key findings from the study included:
• All NSPs included key populations in their development, with people living with HIV being most common (12 out of 19 NSPs studied). Eight reported broad youth engagement at this stage, though not directly with YKP.
• Eleven NSPs include strategic information on YKP (typically children/youth living with HIV), however little attention is paid to young men who have sex with men (four NSPs), young people who inject drugs (three), and young people selling sex (one).
• Six NSPs specify future research on YKP.
• All NSPs include goals for key populations – three for young people living with HIV; nine for young people living with HIV; and one had a target for young men who have sex with men.
• Basic programmes identified largely neglected young men who have sex with men and young transgender people, despite emerging epidemics among those groups. Only three NSPs referred to programmes for young people who inject drugs, and two for young people selling sex.
• Enabling environment interventions for key populations most often referred to people living with HIV (including young people living with HIV); only three referred to other YKP.
• Social/child protection were the most commonly discussed interventions (in eight and seven of the NSPs studied, respectively) for HIV.
• No NSPs specified budgets for YKP.
Countries need to take steps to connect the policy, political and financial processes to on-the-ground realities when revising or developing new NSPs.
Aries Valeriano, youth and social organisation officer for UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia Pacific, stressed the importance of ensuring inclusivity every step of the way.
“More and more, we see leaders from YKP voicing out and asserting their rights and urging governments to address their needs through NSPs on AIDS. The time has come for the governments’ response to ensure that no one is left behind toward a hope for an end to the AIDS epidemic,” Mr Valeriano said. “NSPs should guarantee inclusivity and allow meaningful participation of YKPs in all stages, including its development and implementation. It should be a core activity in the NSPs operational plan and it should be funded”
The report concludes with several recommendations, including addressing growing epidemics among young key populations through:
• Meaningful engagement in the development, review and operationalization of NSPs;
• Strengthened strategic information to inform programming;
• Youth-friendly and accessible prevention programmes which are tailored to YKP, where possible;
• Interventions to create an enabling environment and synergistic development activities to address broader protection issues and risks;
• Targets and allocated budgets.
Scott McGill, Save the Children's Senior Advisor for HIV & AIDS (Asia Region), says that he hopes that the report will serve as a catalyst for countries to review their NSPs and take the steps necessary to ensure that these critical frameworks include those most in need.
“National Strategic Plans are the back-bone for the HIV response in a country. It is therefore critical that the needs of younger key populations are properly reflected in these critical guiding tools. Too often their inclusion is uneven or ‘falls between the cracks’ in neither being addressed as young people nor as key populations,” he says. “This review is an important step in supporting countries to comprehensively include young key populations in their national road-maps”
To access the report visit: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002285/228565E.pdf