UNESCO: More than Education! The Role of SHS, Culture and CI in UNESCO’s Response to HIV/AIDS

UNESCO responding to HIV/AIDS UNESCO has been among the laggards in the UN response to HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS is not a medical problem – its prevention deals with human behavior and human psychology and culture (including sexual and gender values, norms, attitudes and resulting behaviors) Therefore, HIV/AIDS is all about EDUCATION, CULTURE and SOCIAL SCIENCE… One reason is that still the idea that AIDS is a medical problem (for WHO to solve) prevails among many people

UNESCO’s response so far… A lot of work started with Culture – ‘Cultural Approach’ (1998) And then… EDUCATION took over….

In the Asia-Pacific Strategy… Education, Culture and SHS get equal footing, at least conceptually Communication and Information, as well as Science, remain absent

The relationship between social science, culture, and prevention interventions

Culture: Purpose in responding to HIV/AIDS The purpose of promoting culturally appropriate responses to HIV/AIDS is to improve the effectiveness and results of HIV prevention and impact alleviation interventions by integrating cultural and societal factors of the target audience into these interventions In Bangkok, the CLT unit has programs for ethnic minority populations, also dealing with trafficking and drug abuse Rationale: Interventions aimed at behavioral change need to take the target audience’s culture and society into account

Key Strategies for the Culture Sector Provide advocacy at all levels (especially on behalf of ethnic, linguistic and sexual minorities and special vulnerable groups) Strengthen ‘culturally appropriate responses’ in HIV/AIDS prevention and care – including in the work of ED sector colleagues Alleviate the impact of HIV/AIDS by strengthening ‘cultural safety nets’ Focus ‘prevention education’ on minorities

SHS: Purpose in responding to HIV/AIDS The purpose of work in the field of social and human sciences is to help make HIV/AIDS prevention and care interventions more effective and to improve monitoring and evaluation mechanisms by basing interventions on solid qualitative research “Decreasing the gap between Social Research and Practical Intervention”? Rationale: Only when there is a cycle of data collection, analysis, and input of lessons learned into HIV/AIDS interventions, ensuring that the people designing and implementing interventions listen to their target audience, will we be able to catch up with the changing face of the epidemic, and the changing needs of the populations it affects

Key Strategies for the SHS Sector Provide advocacy at all levels for a bigger role for research as a foundation for project design and for monitoring and evaluation Strengthen the use of scientific data in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS related interventions Improve the capacity of institutions of higher education on M&E and research related to HIV/AIDS

Science sector… The Science sector (UNESCO Jakarta Office) is not included in the regional strategy JKT office has a role to play in medical science (surveillance, testing and vaccination research, treatment research, capacity building of science institutions, et cetera) Science sector must be integrated in the current strategy in due course (JKT office to do this?)

Communication and Information Work has been conducted training journalists (HQ and Delhi office) Guidelines for language use for journalists? ????

Education alone is not enough Successful education approaches (EDUCATION sector) are possible only when the tools and approaches they use are culturally sensitive and acceptable (CULTURE) Therefore there is a need to obtain solid data (SOCIAL SCIENCE) before and during such interventions

UNESCO Asia-Pacific Strategic Framework: 3 mutually reinforcing goals

Cross-cutting themes For all sectors

Capacity building Capacity building in education, in strengthening culturally appropriate responses and in scientific methods and procedures permeate all UNESCO activities in HIV/AIDS Beneficiaries of these activities include National AIDS Programs, Ministries of Education, Ministries of Social Affairs, other Ministries, NGOs, community groups and Universities / research institutions

Advocacy Advocacy for HIV/AIDS preventive education and school health Advocacy for culturally appropriate responses to HIV/AIDS Advocacy for responsible, appropriate and effective research Advocacy for the HIV prevention and care needs of minorities (ethnic minorities and men who have sex with men)

Information UNESCO plays a role to collect, classify, repackage and disseminate relevant information to facilitate a better informed, better coordinated response to HIV/AIDS among its and its partners’ offices The UNESCO Clearing House is an integral part of UNESCO’s work in reproductive / sexual health and HIV/AIDS prevention

To Discuss… What has been the role of CI, CLT and SHS colleagues in your respective offices? Are they interested to be more involved? How can this be achieved? New programs? Integration into existing programs? Training? Who can assist in achieving this?

For your kind attention! Thank You For your kind attention!