1. ARE WE MITIGATING HIV/AIDS TRANSMISSION IN TRANSPORT PROJECTS?
Gisela Geisler
Principal Gender Specialist
AfDB

2. Content of Presentation
HIV/AIDS in Africa
AfDBs approach to HIV/AIDS
Joint Initiative by Development Agencies to Mitigate the Spread of HIV/AIDS in the Infrastructure Sectors
HIV/AIDS mitigation in AfDB transport sectors
Challenges
Questions?

3. HIV/AIDS in Africa
An estimated 22.5 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa;
Almost 90% of the 16.6 million children orphaned by AIDS live in sub-Saharan Africa;
Infection rates vary between 24.8% (Botswana) and 0.7% (Mauretania);
In SSA around 59% of those living with HIV are female.

4. AfDB approach to HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS Strategy Paper (2001)
Assist RMCs to develop and implement multi- sector HIV/AIDS control activities;
Support UN specialized agencies;
Promote political commitment and synergy;
Support sector responses which promote decentralization, community participation and ownership.

5. AfDB approach to HIV/AIDS (cont.)
Institutional capacity building;
Technical assistance
Support to multi-sector responses;
Advocacy, partnership and alliances
Operations applied:
stand-alone projects in health sector, both at country and multinational levels
Mainstreaming mainly in social, agriculture and transport sectors

6. AfDB approach to HIV/AIDS (cont.)
In 2008 (MTS) strategic shift of AfDB to infrastructure, governance, private and higher education sectors;
Concurrent shift to greater attention to mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in these priority sectors;
In 2010 Guidelines for Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS were developed:
The approach includes both external (projects) and internal (workplace) mainstreaming both in AfDB and in institutions in RMCs;
As the epidemic evolves the responses must remain relevant and effective.
Proposed activities must be time-bound and measurable.

7. AfDB approach to HIV/AIDS (cont.)
Operations must consider:
How the epidemic can affect the success of a project/program;
How the project/program can contribute to the fight against the epidemic;
Principles include:
Use of existing frameworks and institutions;
Continuous training/advocacy at all levels in the AfDB and in RMC;
Ownership.

8. Joint Initiative to mitigate HIV/AIDS in the Infrastructure Sectors
Signed in 2006 by WB, ADB, Afdb, DFID,JBIC, and KfW.
Seeks to strengthen inter-agency cooperation in combating HIV/AIDS in Infrastructure Sector;
Advocates mainstreaming approach;
Considers prevention and treatment;

9. Joint Initiative to mitigate HIV/AIDS in the Infrastructure Sectors (cont.)
Focuses on
large-scale construction projects which mobilize many workers, service providers and communities;
increased transport activity which might facilitate the spread of HIV infections.
Calls on use of HIV/AIDS mitigation clauses in bidding documents used for large-scale civil works requiring contractors to take appropriate measures;
Proposes
sharing of good practice;
up-scaling of initiative to include projects funded by partner governments and other development partners;
Joint assessments.

10. HIV/AIDS Mitigation in AfDB Transport Sectors
Why focus on Transport sector?
Often imports large male foreign workforce;
Workers have salaries to spend and are away from home;
Local population is poorer and young women are vulnerable to promises of money and unable to negotiate safe sex;
Long-distance truck drivers have higher HIV/AIDS prevalence rates
Opens previously isolated communities

11. HIV/AIDS Mitigation in AfDB Transport Sectors
AfDB construction projects increasingly use HIV/AIDS intervention clauses in standard tender documents for civil works include for example provisions for:
sub-contracting HIV/AIDS activities to service providers approved by Road Authorities;
oversight and responsibility for implementation of HIV/AIDS activities with the Road Authority;
HIV/AIDS and STI awareness, prevention activities for workforce, their families and communities in the project area

12. HIV/AIDS Mitigation in AfDB Transport Sectors
Budget for HIV/AIDS activities;
A HIV/AIDS liaison committee including representatives of district government sector ministries, national AIDS committee, local leaders, women’s and youth leaders, local NGOs and CBOs and FBOs;
Participatory monitoring of project impact;
Action and monitoring plans;
Link into ongoing activities;
Training of peer educators and contractor staff;
Provision of care and financial assistance to AIDS affected staff

13. HIV/AIDS Mitigation in AfDB Transport Sectors
A number of AfDB road construction projects made provision for the preferential use of local work force and women to reduce risk of foreign workers;
The Arusha-Namanga Road Project in Tanzania carries HIV/AIDS information into the classrooms of nearby schools;
The Nacala Road Corridor Project in Zambia seeks to increase the impact of HIV/AIDS mitigation with gender sensitization and capacity building of community organizations.
The Wacha-Maji Road Projects In Ethiopia calls for a social sector specialist in the contractor management team to dialogue with communities, also regarding HIV/AIDS prevention;
One-stop border posts reduce border-crossing time.

14. Challenges
Transport sector is not enough – branch out to other infrastructure projects;
HIV/AIDS activities start too late and end too early;
Contractors lack sufficient social/health expertise;
HIV/AIDS activities are not sufficiently monitored by supervision consultant;
Projects do not address the economic vulnerability of many women.

15. Questions? Questions?
Can activities start before the workforce arrives?
How can HIV/AIDS activities be sustained beyond construction phase?
How can HIV/AIDS be mainstreamed in other sectors?
Can transport sector projects address women’s economic empowerment to reduce their vulnerability to transmission?