HIV/AIDS
Prevention of HIV/AIDS among young women and men and access to care and support remain at the centre of SDC’s HIV/AIDS interventions to contribute to the overall goal of reducing HIV/AIDS incidence and vulnerabilities in particular among children and youth. This requires support at institutional and policy level as well as at the level of the target population. SDC supported interventions in this domain are closely linked to poverty reduction, with poverty being a major cause as well as a consequence of HIV/AIDS.
- Prevention: interventions supported by RPSA 2013-2016 in this area shall result in increased knowledge and competencies of adolescents and children on HIV/AIDS prevention, enhanced awareness on sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as better access to services through youth and gender sensitive information and rights-based approaches. At policy level the SDC will support SADC regional and national policies/legislation to address youth-friendly prevention needs and services based on the SADC HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework 2010-2015: “All member states have in place effective evidence based and coordinated responses to HIV prevention needs of youth, men, women, infants and other populations at particular risks in 2015.”
- Care and support: by 2016 vulnerable children and youth have increased access to care and support through the adoption of relevant policies in targeted SADC countries. Improved awareness for the specific needs and challenges of HIV/AIDS affected children and adequate policy frameworks in relevant ministries to target these needs with appropriate tools will help children, their caregivers and communities to cope with the challenges they are facing. Swiss support in this respect is aligned to the SADC HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework 2010-2015 which states that “A coordinated, sustainable multi-sector response to strengthen community coping and social protection in order to address the needs of children, OVCY and caregivers in place by 2015”.
Engagement in Zimbabwe
In accordance with the humanitarian mandate (protection, IDPs, cholera) and development objectives (health system, state building, etc.) and depending on the political context evolution Zimbabwe’s transition process will further be supported and increased. Development cooperation will be reinforced with a medium perspective, whereas Humanitarian Aid will gradually be reduced to the extent possible. SDC will continue its engagement in agriculture/food security and HIV/AIDS.