Preventing HIV/AIDS

Ethiopia has a population of over 77 million (in 2005) and 1.5 million are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS. The overall HIV prevalence among adults is 4.4%; while among women and men it is 5% and 3.8%, respectively. Some 90,000 adults and 25,000 children had died of AIDS in 2003 alone and an estimated 539,000 AIDS orphans were known to have existed in same year. The majority of infections are through heterosexual transmission followed by mother-to-child transmission.

UNFPA is supporting the Government of Ethiopia and civil societies in the prevention of the spread of HIV and mitigating its impact. Among the key areas UNFPA is playing an active role and contribution are the following:

Supporting ten local NGOs working on HIV/AIDS

A three-year project (2002-2005) entitled “Strengthening AIDS Prevention and Control Activities of NGOs (SAPCAN)” was initiated and implemented through funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development and Co-operation (NORAD). In the SAPCAN project, ten local NGOs working on RH and HIV/AIDS were funded USD 1.8 million. The NGOs implemented various activities such as establishing and/or running VCT centers, condom promotion and distribution, providing HIV/AIDS and RH information, supporting income-generating activities and orphan care.

Joint Programme with UNICEF

UNFPA and UNICEF have submitted to the Norwegian Embassy in Ethiopia a joint programme on adolescent and youth development. The total programme cost is estimated USD 16.3 million for five years (2007-2011). The programme is appraised by the Embassy in December 2006 and the outcomes are very promising, i.e. the Embassy will support/cover at least half of the programme cost (about USD 8 million). The joint programme will address HIV prevention, SRH and Rights and Gender.

Supporting HIV/AIDS and RH intervention in a higher institution

Students in higher institutions are considered as fully aware of HIV/AIDS risks/preventive mechanisms and reproductive health issues. As a result, they are neglected of HIV/AIDS and RH interventions. On the contrary however, on arrival at the University, many students encounter new independence and freedom and are highly exposed to HIV infection. Realizing this, UNFPA is supporting a project entitled “HIV/AIDS prevention and RH information and Services for Academic Excellence”, and it is being implemented in the Science Faculty of Addis Ababa University, one of the largest higher education institutions in Ethiopia . This project provides VCT services to the students and staff (the service integrated into the already existing clinic) and has installed an information center and established full-time Internet connection from where students, especially girls, can access information. The project also supports and works closely with university students anti-AIDS clubs.

A similar support is initiated for the Bahir Dar University students in the Amhara Region. As the University is located in Bahir Dar town, where the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is the highest (14%) in the country, students are at high risk to infection.

UNFPA has signed a project (December 2006), amounting to USD 130,000, with the Regional HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office; Regional Health Bureau, Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia, and Bahir Dar University to provide support for HIV

prevention and SRH services for the University students. The key strategies of this initiative are to integrate and strengthen VCT with the existing clinics (main campus and engineering faculty); strengthening the clinic to provide SRH services, particularly FP and STI management; strengthen recreational services: in and out door games; strengthen the resource centre, which is being constructed; strengthen networking and partnership with stakeholders (AACs, Female Students Education Centre, University, HAPCO, Bureau of Health, and FGAE); organize regular review meetings.

Leading the Prevention component of the UN Joint HIV/AIDS Programme

The HIV/AIDS UNDAF has identified four outcomes around i) Mainstreaming; ii) Vulnerability reduction; iii) HIV Prevention and iv)treatment, care and support. UNFPA is identified by the UNCT as a convener for HIV prevention, i.e., all UN supports and technical assistance related to prevention has to go through UNFPA. On the other hand, HIV prevalence is 3.5% in Ethiopia

means over 96% of the population is HIV free and this demands lots of work in the area of prevention. HIV prevention among PLWHA is important to control the vertical transmission of the virus. The responsibilities of UNFPA as convener for HIV prevention imply more capacity building at the Country Office level.

Advocacy

UNFPA has also good experience in leading the advocacy component of UN Joint initiative on HIV/AIDS. In order to organize and coordinate the UN efforts in support of government and its partners in the response to HIV/AIDS, the head of agencies in the UN initiated the Implementation Support Plan (2004-2005). Through the ISP, three priority areas were identified: (i) National level advocacy, (ii) District level capacity building and (iii) UN learning strategy. UNFPA is leading the advocacy thematic area.

Initiating the female condom programming

Ethiopia is one of the 22 Countries identified globally by UNFPA in 2004 for the intensification and scale-up of female condom

initiatives. As a result, UNFPA has undertaken a nationwide female condom situational analysis with the participation of different partners including the Ministry of Health, NGOs and other UN Agencies. Through our HQ, the Female Condom Initiative (FCI) in Ethiopia 2007 has received funding from Austrian Government. The total amount is about USD 200,000.

HIV/AIDS at the Workplace Initiative

UN has a clear policy how the UN staff and families should be provided with sufficient, updated information to enable them to protect themselves from HIV infection and to cope with the presence of AIDS. All UN staff members and their faimiles should have access to condoms, disposable syringes and needles as well as be aware where safe blood may be obtained. See more on

the UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy