Community Based Care for children affected by HIV and AIDS 9 th ICAAP – Bali August 2009 Carol KIDU DBE MP Minister For Community Development Papua New Guinea

Children & AIDS in Papua New Guinea In 2007, it was estimated that 1,727 children were living with HIV and that about 3,730 children were orphaned from AIDS- related causes Due to a range of factors, including poverty, about 30% of children are considered to be at risk of HIV infection Limited co-ordinated data available on the protection, care and support services currently reaching children PNG has a 1.61% HIV generalized prevalence (2007 estimate) PNG is facing a critical child protection situation – estimated about 75% of children & women experience violence in their home

National response to children affected by AIDS Government policy is to mainstream HIV into a systems approach to child protection through the National Strategy for the Protection, Care and Support of Children Vulnerable to Violence, Abuse, Exploitation and Neglect in the Context of the HIV Epidemic in Papua New Guinea (MVC Strategic Plan) The goal is to improve the wellbeing of children vulnerable to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect by increasing their access to essential services in the areas of protection, education and health and by strengthening family, community, civil society and Government child protection systems It has been a long process of general legislative and structural reform of child protection mechanisms and difficult implementation challenges

National response to children affected by AIDS OBJECTIVES 1Strengthen household and community social protection systems 2Create an enabling legislative and policy environment for legal protection and justice for MVC 3Promote extended community care in the community 4Improve inter-agency Human Services co-ordination and collaboration STRATEGIES 1Strengthen capacity of families 2Mobilise and support community-based responses 3Ensure access to essential services 4Increase government leadership for protection 5Raise awareness to create supportive environments

One model for care and support The Catholic Diocese of Kundiawa in Simbu Province identifies children affected by HIV and AIDS and other vulnerable children and provides community-based outreach, monitoring and additional care and support where needed through trained child protection volunteers Care centre concept provides additional resources for communities and service access point for vulnerable children – not an orphanage Programme delivers integrated protection, care and support through an adaptable, community-based approach with strong participatory focus

Data collection is a strong element of the programme – maintains comprehensive case data on each childs situation, needs & progress Vulnerable children are being supported through volunteers very cost-effectively – estimated cost is US$7,000 per annum for 50 children The care centres are built by the community using bush materials – the only programme cost is for maintenance support, costing US$500 per annum per centre The key to success has been the sense of ownership by the community and the cultural attitude that children belong to the extended family and the clan – not to individual parents

Gembogl Resource Centre Community built care and resource centre located in the community FAITH gardens (Food Always In The Home)

Impact of intervention on children Through Gembogl Resource Centre, which is the most established community programme, approximately 50 children are currently receiving quarterly monitoring visits by child protection volunteers over the past 12 months Of children supported through the Gembogl Resource Centre, 88% of school-age children are in school – school fee assistance provided through the church to about 50% of children; 60% report good or very good treatment by guardians

Programme Strengths The programme is one of a package of services offered by the Catholic Diocese, including health, HIV and education – integrating programme into an established FBO structure facilitates coordination and harmonisation The programme is sustainable as it leaves children where they are, only provides the support they need The programme is sustainable as it leaves children where they are, only provides the support they need, and engages and builds the capacity of the community to address issues that arise

URBAN RESPONSES to MVC Government policy promotes strengthening the capacity of the extended family or immediate carers within the community and discourages institutional type care NGO responses vary – responses based on community strengthening comply with government policy (eg WeCare and Friends Foundation have developed appropriate models but have to rely on charity donations for sustainability because they work in urban poverty areas)

The Way Forward The Gembogl programme will be developed this year into a Centre of Excellence to promote replication of this approach. Planning is underway in the Catholic diocese for scaling up of the programme in 2010 Government will continue to monitor progress and assist to disseminate good practice to other service providers. Government is in process of establishing a Child Fund Ltd under the Lukautim Pikinini Act to help provide financial support to approved community-based church & NGO models Government has established an Inter-Agency Taskforce to develop a Social Protection policy framework for PNG to possibly include cash transfer concept for MVC Strategic Plan A LOT OF WORK STILL TO BE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY RESPONSE TO MVC

Papua New Guinea looks forward to working with you..... Empowering People – Strengthening Networks for Children

TERIMA KASIH Thank You