Nurse taking blood from adolescent girl at youth friendly service

UNAIDS itself provides catalytic funding that are complementary to funds from other partners. These funds are implemented through the UN Country Team on HIV/AIDS to support national activities that serve to expand the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In order to make optimal use of limited resources, UNAIDS supports a strategic approach to implementing HIV/AIDS related projects and policies. This makes strategic planning a key element in UNAIDS funded projects

Each UN Theme Group project has a UNAIDS cosponsor as executing agency and is linked to or build upon already existing programme support from one of the UNAIDS co-sponsors. Currently, two UNAIDS funded projects are being implemented through the UN Country Team on HIV/AIDS:

• Strengthening the National HIV/AIDS Coordinating Structure and National Leadership - Executing agency: UNDP
• Capacity Building and Mobilization for Combating Stigma - Executing agency: WHO

In addition to these two projects, the UN Country Team on HIV/AIDS is overseeing the following two projects:

• the Urban Youth Project, an initiative of the Government of Botswana, The UN Foundation (UNF) and UNAIDS. This HIV/AIDS prevention project is focusing at Urban Youth most at risk.
• Increasing Access to Reproductive Health services by Youth. This project aims to contribute to improved sexual and reproductive health of youth in the Chobe Sub-District.

Strengthening the National HIV/AIDS Coordinating Structure and National Leadership

UNDP, in collaboration with the National AIDS Coordinating Agency and the AIDS/STD Unit, is executing a project entitled 'Strengthening the National HIV/AIDS Coordinating Structure and National Leadership'. The project's main objective is to facilitating the strengthening of the national capacity to manage and coordinate the national response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The activities of the project are strongly linked to the national strategic planning process leading up to the new National Strategic HIV/AIDS plan, and are build upon programme support already provided by the UN organizations.

Capacity Building and Mobilization for Combating Stigma

WHO, with CDC/BOTUSA as a joint partner and co-funder, will be executing a project aimed at combating stigma. Implementing partners are, among others, BONEPWA, COCEPWA and the AIDS/STD Unit. The project is in its preparation phase and is planned the start in the first half of 2002. The project's main objective is to facilitate combating stigma around HIV/AIDS by establishing 'PLWA friendly hospitals and clinics' and strengthening and empowering the HIV+ individuals and their immediate family circles to cope with HIV/AIDS. The project is linked to the National Strategic Plan and the UN System's Integrated Workplan.

The Urban Youth Project

The Urban Youth Project is an initiative of the Government of Botswana, The UN Foundation (UNF) and UNAIDS. It aims at improving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) for youth in urban areas. The project is targeting urban youth most at risk, including street children, orphans, young commercial sex workers and unemployed youth. Project activities are clustered around five broad strategies: 1) education, communication and skills building, 2) youth friendly health services, 3) advocacy, 4) addressing gender inequality, 5) income generation. As a part of the start up phase, a Situation and Response Analysis (summary available) was carried in the first half of 2001. The project has started in Gaborone and will later on be extended to other urban areas in Botswana.

Increasing Access to Reproductive Health services by Youth

UNFPA - in collaboration with the Botswana National Youth Council, the District Youth Council, and community based organisations - is executing this project. The project is being funded by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security and plans to start it's implementation phase in the second quarter of 2002. The long term objective of this project is to improve Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) among youth in the Chobe Sub-District. The project targets youth aged 10 - 29, with an emphasis on those aged 13 to 19. Project activities are, among others: the provision of a multi purpose center for youth (where youth can have access to RSH information and education), Training of Trainer Courses for peer educators, outreach activities to provide counseling services, and Advocacy/Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities.

Each UNAIDS Cosponsor, in keeping with its mandate, is providing HIV/AIDS related support for the national programme against HIV/AIDS, covering many different sectors. This support is shaped by national needs and priorities and is in keep with the comparative advantages of the UN System Organisation.

The UN 2000-2001 HIV/AIDS workplan, prepared under the auspices of the UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, outlines the integrated support of the UN System Organizations for the country's programme against HIV/AIDS in 2000-2001. The next UN HIV/AIDS work plan will be closely linked to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).

Have a look at the other relevant web pages of the UN website for more details on the UN System Organisations' assistance to the Country's programme against HIV/AIDS:

• UNDP - UNDP Global website
• UNICEF - UNICEF Global website
• UNFPA - UNFPA Global website
• WHO - WHO Global website
• UNHCR - UNHCR Global website
• UNV - UNV Global website
• ILO - ILO global website

Stigma and discrimination is the theme of the two-year World AIDS Compaign 2002-2003.

Stigma and discrimination are the major obstacles to effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Fear of discrimination may prevent people from seeking treatment for AIDS or from acknowledgment their HIV status publicly. People with, or suspected of having, HIV may be turned away from health care services, denied housing and employment, shunned by their friends and colleagues, turned down for insurance coverage or refused entry into foreign countries. In some cases, they may be evicted from home by their families, divorced by their spouses, and suffer physical violence or even murder. The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS may extent into the next generation, placing an emotional burden on children who may also be trying to cope with the death of their parents from AIDS.

With its focus on stigma and discrimination, the Campaign will encourage people to break the silence and the barriers to effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Only by confronting stigma and discrimination will the fight against HIV/AIDS be won.

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