In the first of a series of in-depth articles, The Loop examines the implications of recent research that finds that male circumcision significantly reduces a man's risk of acquiring HIV. This article looks at what the research might mean for HIV prevention messages, what its impact on communities might be, and the role NGOs and CBOs need to take.

Over the months ahead, the Alliance will be working to understand all the issues that male circumcision raises for communities in high-prevalence countries, to make sure the issues are discussed at community level, and to ensure full community participation. Developments will be included in future issues of The Loop.

The Alliance has supported the establishment of a network of people living with HIV in South Sudan by bringing isolated groups together.

Key stakeholders in HIV prevention work in Nigeria have been reviewing and consolidating their activities to reinforce a sustainable, community-led response to the epidemic in Nigeria at a forum organised by NELA, the Alliance’s linking organisation in Nigeria.

As a new Alliance linking organisation, Alliance Nationale contre le SIDA en Côte d’Ivoire has awarded financial support to 41 organisations at a recent ceremony. The office has also been involved in efforts to mark World AIDS Day, which reached around 20,000 people.

The Alliance is on its way to establishing a programme in South Sudan that will focus on HIV prevention alongside care and support and impact mitigation.

Alliance linking organisation Kimirina is spearheading the implementation of the Code of good practice for NGOs responding to HIV/AIDS in Ecuador and, so far, 25 organisations working on HIV in Ecuador have signed up.

The Alliance is a member of a partnership of organisations aiming to increase the level of funding for the integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights within the HIV and malaria components of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s round 7 proposals.