>>>> Major National HIV/AIDS Programmes - The YEAH Campaign

Coordination of HIV/AIDS BCC efforts for young people

Background note

Background

•  A number of partners have been engaged in or are developing youth campaign programmes on HIV/AIDS. Most of these are media-based. Recently UAC has been involved in the initiation of two of these in its capacity as the national HIV/AIDS coordinating agency. These include the National Multi-media Campaign to be initially funded by USAID and the BBC media campaign proposal that has been presented to several donors for support.

•  Previous reviews including the NSF mid-term review revealed that a lot is being done but in a disconnected manner. Due to this fragmentation, it is difficult to establish:

•  how the various BCC interventions targeting young people contribute to the national fight against HIV/AIDS

•  gaps and challenges in delivering universal BCC services

•  how to structure BCC interventions to ensure maximum benefit from the high costs

•  A strong central coordination component for BCC for young people is therefore crucial. Previously, BCC was perceived entirely as an implementation issue that should be spearheaded by the Ministry of Health. However as more and more partners joined the fight against HIV/AIDS under the multi-sectoral approach, the need for central and neutral coordination has been expressed. The recently revised NSF charges UAC with the responsibility of coordinating the development of a National BCC strategy. A recommendation from the MTR exercise also highlighted the need to establish a National BCC Task Force to provide guidance to stakeholders in BCC. It is however noted that these proposals focus on BCC for HIV prevention and care generally. The need to focus on coordination of BCC for young people is arising out of the need to provide quick guidance to partners who have already or are planning to initiate action.

The issues

There is therefore need to bring together actors in this area to:

•  discuss and agree on an analysis of what is going on in the area of BCC for young people and how it can be improved

•  review what fuels young people vulnerability so as to address realities

•  identify and discuss what works for young people. The role of boys and men in vulnerability should be further analyzed to identify issues, partners and gaps

•  pool energies together to address all basic issues and develop a conceptual framework

•  map out where and how different partners fit in the framework depending on their mandates and capacities. Discuss partner roles and leadership in BCC policy, coordination and implementation

•  develop the country's framework for HIV prevention among young people to avoid competition and scramble for resources

•  Discuss strengthening of linkages between BCC efforts and other HIV/AIDS services

•  The need for a strong media-based strategy is recognized but there is need to understand what drives the epidemic among young people so as to understand what other key channels can be used around the media.

Proposals for the way forward

•  UAC to organize a meeting of minds to brainstorm on BCC coordination efforts. Members will conceptualise on BCC analysis and development of the conceptual framework to guide BCC efforts for young people. The initial meeting to mainly involve key stakeholders who support and/or implement large scale BCC efforts for young people.

•  This initiative to refocus BCC for young people should involve both policy and technical levels and young people to ensure high level advocacy while ensuring focus on real issues

•  Develop strategies for facilitating this participatory process

•  UAC to utilize this opportunity to initiate action on coordination processes for BCC for prevention and care generally

Compiled from various dialogue sessions by Rosemary Kindyomunda, Uganda AIDS Commission, April 2004

You can also click on the links below to read the full reports and the Yeah strategy

Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy Design Workshop

Phase I Campaign Strategy

YEAH Strategy 2

Something for Something - a campaign against AIDs for young people