OVC Support Toolkit  >  Introduction 

Responses

This section describes responses to HIV/AIDS and its impact on children and young people around the world, including examples of particular projects , particular countries and what might be needed to expand the current level of services . Key points about responses to HIV/AIDS and its impact on children and young people are that:

1. There are a huge number of examples of people, communities and organisations supporting children affected by HIV/AIDS. Key principles of effective responses have been identified.

2. Many of the communities and families that are seeking to support children effectively face many problems apart from HIV/AIDS. The most important of these is poverty. Others include drought and armed conflict .

3. Despite the knowledge that has been gained about what works and what does not, many activities are still being developed and supported which are inappropriate.

4. There has, until recently, been limited support and political will for initiatives focused on orphans and other vulnerable children. This has meant that financial and other resources have often been lacking.

5. Activities that have been started to date are relatively small-scale and fragmented. In order to meet the needs of the huge number of children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, the scale of activities needs to be increased massively.

The origin of responses

Communities did not start to respond to orphans and other vulnerable children only with the start of the HIV epidemic. Many societies have long and complex traditions of care and support for children who have been orphaned or are vulnerable for other reasons. In Africa, for example, these are primarily based around extended families.

Family and community responses

In many countries, HIV/AIDS has greatly increased the burden on these coping mechanisms, particularly for those who provide community-based care. In most societies this burden falls mainly on women. However, the 'front line' in the response to the effects of HIV/AIDS on children remains the family and local community. Other organisations, such as governments, the private sector, NGOs and CBOs, should focus on seeking to support family and community responses. Such approaches are better and more cost-effective than others.

Attitudes

Viewing the issue through the "lens" of human rights has changed the way activities are being carried out. For example, many more organisations now see children and young people as active and competent individuals who wish to participate in activities. Also, although the importance of meeting children's physical needs is still recognised, there is greater appreciation of the need to meet psychosocial needs as well.

Poverty

Practical experience of working with children, families and communities severely affected by HIV/AIDS has shown that many of the issues do not arise directly as a result of HIV/AIDS. Many of them are poverty-related. HIV/AIDS particularly affects poor communities and makes poverty worse. Many responses have tried a variety of ways to meet these poverty-related needs, including direct "handouts" of material goods and activities aimed at economic strengthening .

Inappropriate responses

Regrettably, there are still a large number of examples of responses which are inappropriate. Three types are highlighted here:

• Institutions have been shown to cater poorly for the psychosocial needs of vulnerable children. They are expensive to set up and run. They do not prepare children and young people well for adult life. It would be impossible to build enough institutions to cater for all orphans and other vulnerable children in the world. Despite this, they receive political and public support.
• Charity/welfare-based initiatives tend to see children and young people as passive recipients of care, be "needs-based" rather than "rights-based" and have very limited degrees of community participation.
• Initiatives which target children specifically on the basis of HIV/AIDS have been shown to be inappropriate because they are unjust, impractical and greatly increase stigma and discrimination .

Political will

Responding successfully to HIV/AIDS and its effect on children and young people requires political will. Sadly, this has often been lacking in particular countries and internationally. This has been because of an over-emphasis on prevention and an assumption that interventions focused mainly on adults also benefit children. Consequently, organisations wishing to work in this area have often lacked financial resources. Even where international donors are willing to provide funds, it is not always clear how money can be effectively channelled to community-based and grassroots organisations.

National Responses

Many countries are now trying to establish coordinated national responses to issues facing orphans and other vulnerable children. Examples of these are provided as country case studies . A number of key components to a national response have been identified. These include:

• A national situation analysis which includes an assessment of responses to date. This is a similar but more extensive process than the kind of local situation analysis which might be carried out before starting activities for orphans and other vulnerable children.
• Establishing national consultation processes and structures for coordination. This may involve establishing structures, such as committees, at national and sub-national levels, such as states, provinces, districts and counties.
• Developing a national strategy and plan of action for orphans and other vulnerable children. The plan of action should include a budget.
• Introducing a policy and regulatory framework. This will include having laws and other policies which control those who carry out activities with orphans and other vulnerable children.
• Introducing a monitoring and reporting system based on a national monitoring and evaluation plan.

Increasing Scale

Finally, many good examples of effective work are too small and fragmented to meet the needs of orphans and other vulnerable children. There is a need to greatly enlarge and increase these efforts.

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