Publications

The first HIV case in Vanuatu was found in 2002. To date, the cumulative number of HIV cases is 9, with four of these detected in 2012 alone. Six people are still alive today, while three have died. However, the number of officially reported HIV cases is based on passive testing through VCT centres, and actual HIV numbers are expected to be much higher. HIV testing is still very limited, with only 2,068 HIV tests in 2014 (1350 male; 718 female), a mere 0.18% of the total population. In 2013, only 27% (367/1344) of all pregnant women were tested for HIV.

Condoms have been proven to provide protection against sexually transmitted infections. Correct and consistent condom use is one of the most effective means of preventing transmission of HIV. Not only that, it acts as a main family planning method that prevents unintended pregnancies. Condoms are widely available in the country, and are distributed through retail outlets, STD clinics and through Public Health Midwives. The first ever situation assessment of condom programming in Sri Lanka, which was conducted recently, has clearly shown the current condom programming status in the country, and recommended to develop a “National Condom Strategy” for Sri Lanka. This will provide a comprehensive plan in line with the expectations of the other stakeholders, to achieve better health status for the Sri Lankan population, by reducing transmission of STIs including HIV infection and as a family planning method.

Bangladesh remains a low HIV prevalence country with less than 0.1% overall prevalence in general population over the years1. The HIV prevalence remains less than 1% both among key and bridge populations. Till date, the country has registered a total of 3674 cases of HIV infection. However, the estimated number of people living with HIV is around 9500. Although the prevalence remains low, Bangladesh is one of the only four countries in Asia and the Pacific where prevalence has increased more than 25% over a decade till 2012.

In this research, the Coordination of Action Research on AIDS and Mobility in Asia (CARAM Asia) has focused on a group of migrant workers who are especially vulnerable to HIV: males who have sex with males, otherwise known as “MSM.” MSM migrant workers suffer multiple layers of stigma and discrimination, which, in combination with the risky sexual behaviors they engage in heightens their risk of HIV infection.

The global AIDS response has made significant progress in halting and reversing the epidemic. The number of new HIV infections among women and girls has stabilized and the number of AIDS-related deaths has fallen significantly worldwide. Access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy has expanded considerably, in particular among pregnant women, and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission has resulted in fewer new HIV infections in newborns. However, the progress for women and girls is not equal across all regions. Much more needs to be done to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment, to scale up prevention and treatment efforts for women and girls and to address the legal, economic and social factors that continue to put them at greater risk of HIV infection.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) occurs in the family, the community, society and across borders. It takes many forms, from domestic violence, trafficking and rape – in urban and rural areas, in refugee camps and as a tactic of war – to harmful practices such as child and forced marriage, "honour" killings, dowryrelated violence and prenatal sex selection. In addition to the severe and multiple physical, sexual and psychological impacts on women and girls themselves, VAWG also harms families and communities across generations and carries significant economic costs. Violence can also limit women's ability to protect themselves from HIV, while women living with HIV/AIDS are often the target of abuse, stigma and discrimination. An expression of unequal gender power relations and men’s domination and control over women, VAWG is both a manifestation of gender discrimination and inequality and a tool with which such discrimination is perpetuated. The UNiTE campaign calls on all governments, civil society, women's organizations, men and boys, young people, the private sector, the media, and the whole UN System to come together in addressing the endemic violence committed against women and girls around the world.

The 2015 Out of Step report presents the results of a survey of 24 countries conducted by Stop TB Partnership and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Building on the previous Out of Step report, this year's survey tracked adoption of the latest TB policies, guidelines and tools across five areas: diagnosis and drug resistance testing; drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB) treatment regimens; MDR-TB treatment regimens; models of care; and regulatory frameworks. The results of this survey provide a snapshot of the world’s readiness to defeat the TB epidemic. Although effectively implemented policies and guidelines alone will not be sufficient, they form the foundation for a strong and comprehensive TB response that leaves no one with TB behind. While this report is not a comprehensive or authoritative assessment of countries' national TB policies, it provides an indication of the level of preparedness to implement and scale up action. The results of the survey show that many countries need to take bold steps to bring their policies up to date with the latest international standards. There is a greater need to use rapid molecular tests for diagnosis of TB and drug resistance and to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for people with TB. This, coupled with innovative approaches to active case finding, will help reach the nearly 4 million with TB missed by health systems each year.

The Global Fund's New Funding Model contains a country dialogue process which is a significant opportunity for key affected population including MSM and transgender organizations to meaningfully involve in all the stages, and engage with several Global Fund personalities. However, the complexity of the model poses a challenge to the communities and civil society organizations to know when and how they can best participate. This limited substantial knowledge on the process may create gaps in their engagement. The engagement of key affected population which includes MSM and Transgender was defined by a meaningful participation in an ongoing and consultative process of the country dialogue.

This document is the sixth strategic plan for the Cambodian HIV/AIDS Education and Care (CHEC), representing its sixth cycle of positive intervention in the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS and their families. The CHEC programme currently consists of four projects: the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Project, Out of School Youth Project, Home-Based Care Project and Nutrition project. Due to the recent shift of funding support from donor countries, and due to the fact that the HIV/AIDS infection prevalence rate in Cambodia has been significantly reduced to 0.6% in 2015, this strategic plan reflects the shift to focus on ongoing life-time support for people living with HIV/AIDS. For CHEC, the period 2016 to 2019 is an exciting time of growth, learning, embracing new challenges, and continuing to positively impact the lives of PLHIV. CHEC can indeed be an 

This is the first progress report of Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development (Pacific Women), which provides a snapshot of the program’s achievements and challenges in its first three years of operation. All 14 Pacific Islands Forum countries have received some form of support through Pacific Women. While the Pacific region is vast and culturally diverse, Pacific Island countries share common challenges related to gender inequality: violence against women is widespread; women’s participation in political leadership is among the lowest in the world; and there are multiple barriers to economic participation and empowerment of women. Indeed, gender inequality poses a significant development challenge for Pacific Island countries. In response to this challenge, the Australian Government established Pacific Women, a 10 year $320 million initiative that aims to support women – regardless of their income, location, disability, age or ethnic group – in 14 Pacific countries to participate fully, freely and safely in political, economic and social life. Pacific Women supports countries to meet the commitments made in the 2012 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration (refer Annex A). Pacific Women is managed by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) in Canberra and Offices in the Pacific.