Integration of HIV/AIDS activities with food and nutrition support in ...

CHAPTER 3:
Incorporating HIV/AIDS-related activities into food
and nutrition programmes in refugee settings
3.1 Introduction
This chapter presents twelve integrated programme strategies. Each strategy is essentially a
food and nutrition programme, modified to contribute to HIV/AIDS prevention efforts
(section 3.2) or to meet the needs of the HIV/AIDS-affected (section 3.3).
3.2 Integrated programme strategies that incorporate HIV/AIDS
prevention activities into food and nutrition programmes
(Strategies 1-4)
Each of the four principal food-support programmes commonly implemented in refugee populations
– general food distribution, supplementary feeding, therapeutic feeding and school feeding
– provides unique opportunities to conduct HIV/AIDS prevention activities among those
participating in the programme.
Strategy 1 Incorporation into a general food distribution programme of activities designed to promote
community engagement and action around HIV/AIDS prevention
Strategy 2 Incorporation of HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention activities into a supplementary feeding
programme
Strategy 3 Incorporation of HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention activities into a therapeutic feeding
programme
Strategy 4 Incorporation into a school feeding programme of activities designed to promote knowledge and
engagement around HIV/AIDS among young people
Integrated programme strategies 1-4 should only be considered under the following conditions:
1. The feeding programme itself is justified. The decision to implement an emergency
nutrition programme is normally made on the basis of nutritional status, not HIV
prevalence. Measurable objectives and exit strategies should be put in place.
2. Local research has been used for programme design. Appropriate quantitative and
qualitative research has been conducted to tailor the activity to the local situation. There
should be evidence that lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS is a significant determinant
of HIV risk in the programme target group. Alternatively, high conflict-related risk
of infection (i.e., systematic rape) or close interaction with high-prevalence groups (e.g.,
with military forces or a high-prevalence host population) can also justify prevention
programming. Qualitative formative research should be used to target the programme
to specific target groups and behaviours. It should also place HIV/AIDS-related health
messages in the context of broader health risks. These four strategies may be more appropriate
if the epidemic is generalized, because a significant percentage of programme
participants would then be expected to be HIV-positive. This is especially true of GFD
and school feeding programmes.
35