Objectives: The Regional Programme on HIV/AIDS at the Bratislava Regional Centre was launched in 2004 with the main objective of providing quality services to Country offices in the region and supporting the development of effective national responses to HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and CIS region. The objectives of the programme reflect the UNAIDS co-sponsor division of labor and Global Task Team recommendations in which UNDP is recognized as the leading agency or key supporting agency. UNDP is recognized as leading agency in the following areas: HIV/AIDS and Human Development, HIV/AIDS and governance and HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS, human rights and gender. In addition, UNDP is playing a critical role in helping "make the money work" in our region by supporting capacity development and implementation for rapidly scaled up responses funded through major multi-lateral investments. This includes support to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria programmes (GFATM) and, in Central Asia, the flagship World Bank funded regional AIDS project. Situation Analysis: HIV/AIDS is a growing challenge for the entire continent of Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Over the past few years western CIS countries and the Baltic States have recorded some of the fastest growing rates of HIV infection in the world. The epidemic has reached critical levels in the Russia Federation, Ukraine and Estonia, where infection rates have topped 1 percent of the adult population. According to the latest estimates, as many as 2 million people are living with HIV and AIDS in Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS. This represents an almost 50-fold increase in infections over the past 10 years. AIDS claimed the lives of an estimated 53,000 adults and children in Eastern Europe and Central Asia in 2005 – almost twice as many as in 2003. Strategy: The Regional Programme cooperates with other UN agencies working in the field of HIV and AIDS. This includes: UNAIDS, WHO, WB and UNODC (especially the HIV/AIDS unit in Vienna). Partnerships are also forged with emerging donors such as the Czech Trust Fund and TIKA (The Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency). The partnership will include cooperation on substantive matters and where possible resource mobilization. Cooperation with other Regional Centres (especially the Regional Centre in Bangkok) will be further strengthened. The following project activity areas fall under the umbrella of the Regional HIV/AIDS Programme (see details of each of them below):
1. Regional Vulnerability Research and Advocacy Initiative
2. Regional HIV/AIDS Capacity assessment – analyzing the governance aspects of the national responses to HIV/AIDS
3. Long term Joint Capacity building for AIDS in Central Asia |
