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Report of the Consultation Meeting on HIV/AIDS and the Southern Africa Humanitarian Crisis
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6. Annex 1: Consensus Statement from the Regional Consultation on HIV/AIDS and the Southern African Humanitarian Crisis
Consultation organised by UNAIDS and the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Support Office (RIACSO) - 6-7 November 2002, Johannesburg
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The present humanitarian crisis in southern Africa differs from past crises because of HIV/AIDS - individual and socio-economic vulnerability is already high and will continue to worsen. Although all famines have long-term roots in uneven development, the fundamental difference is the influence of HIV/AIDS-related morbidity and mortality. This both worsens and is exacerbated by the food crisis, creating a dual tragedy. The required responses are therefore significantly more complex and urgent than ever before, with a long-term community capacity development perspective even more crucial than in past food crises. The common belief that societies can cope, and will recover, is being challenged.
AIDS increases dependency ratios and weakens economic and food security. This occurs at all levels from the individual and households through to national and regional economies. Food production from subsistence to small-scale and large-scale agriculture is jeopardised by the loss of labour, leading to lower outputs, a narrower range of cropping and poorer livestock management. Thus AIDS increases the vulnerability of populations to famine when other factors such as drought, policy issues and other concerns arise.
In this context rural development, poverty, food security and agricultural policy cannot be handled independently of the epidemic. The provision of food is vital - even more so than in the past because of the extra nutritional requirements of the 20-35% of the adult population who are HIV positive. But adequate food provision, while essential, is an insufficient response to the current humanitarian crisis. The recovery capacity of the population is seriously eroded by the AIDS epidemic, breakdown of social services, ill-health and death of capable adults.
The humanitarian crisis is an opportunity to force HIV/AIDS to the forefront of the assistance agenda in the region, sharpening awareness of the fundamental impacts of AIDS. Failure to act effectively together on HIV/AIDS and on the food crisis will place millions of lives at risk.
The international partners must pool expertise and financial resources, and develop joint country responses with harmonised implementation arrangements with other strategic partners. The monitoring should foster a growing sense of public responsibility and accountability.
- HIV/AIDS must be integral to all responses to the humanitarian crisis.
- The international community should strongly promote fully integrated responses to the AIDS crisis in the key political fora of governments at national and regional levels.
- Effective coordination of the response is crucial, with government ownership wherever possible and strong, sustained public-private partnerships.
- Further resources must be leveraged through all existing instruments such as the Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, World Bank Multi-country AIDS Programme (MAP), Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), and at national levels through medium-term expenditure frameworks, Poverty Reduction Strategic Paper (PRSP) and other mechanisms.
- The mid-term review of the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) in January 2003 should ensure that HIV/AIDS is fully integrated in all humanitarian operations.
RIACSO and UNAIDS Inter-country Team for Eastern and Southern Africa should ensure follow-up of the UN Envoys Special Mission and of this meeting.
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