Publications

India has the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the world. Current HIV/AIDS prevention strategies are based on regular and appropriate condom use. However, most commercial sex workers (CSWs), who form the core/high risk groups towards whom the prevention strategy is directed, are disempowered, and are economically marginalized which does not allow them to insist on 100% condom use by the client, especially in absence of governmental structural support. It is necessary to improve the basic living conditions of CSWs to provide the foundation for using condoms regularly, consistently and appropriately in every encounter and refuse a client who refuses to comply. This policy paper argues that CSWs can be empowered and emancipated and suggests that HIV/AIDS control and prevention efforts in India must recognize that ad-hoc promotion of condom use or similar such programs will not be enough, and that more extensive developmental work aimed at betterment of basic living conditions of CSWs is required to fulfill HIV/AIDS prevention goals.

The Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR) of Mahidol University was selected by the National Committee for the Advancement of AIDS Prevention and the National AIDS Management Center (NAMc) to implement the Evaluation of the National HIV Prevention Program among Key Affected Populations and Prisoners in Thailand during 2010-2013. The second phase of the evaluation spanned the period from October 2011-December 2012 and consisted of an in-depth study of program inputs, processes, and expected outcomes of the program. Among others, the key research questions for the evaluation include: whether interventions are being implemented as planned as an integrated, defined package of HIV prevention services and defined standards of quality; the extent of coverage of the delivery of the HIV prevention package to the target populations; and the results of the delivery of the package of prevention services in terms of the increase in the proportion of the population who know their own sero-status, the reduction of HIV risk behavior, the reduction of STIs, an increased access to ART and opportunistic infection treatment.

Drug abuse is a worldwide problem that affects millions of people, and Nepal is no exception. Over the last years, growing drug use has been of increasing concern to the society in Nepal. It is mainly the young boys and girls who are engaging in drug use for a variety of reasons and many young Nepalese have already died from drug use. Drug use poses serious challenges as it affects foremost the health and life of the drug user, the social well-being of the family and community. The primary objective of the survey was to estimate the total number of hard drug users in Nepal and hence to identify pattern and extent of drug use across the country, such as: age, sex, education, age at first drug intake, frequency/duration of drug use, mode of drug use, expenses made on drug and the perception of drug users towards the Government etc.

As this latest Global report makes clear, today we have the tools we need to lay the groundwork to end the AIDS epidemic. This report highlights continued progress towards the global vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. The annual number of new HIV infections continues to decline, with especially sharp reductions in the number of children newly infected with HIV. More people than ever are now receiving life-saving antiretroviral therapy, contributing to steady declines in the number of AIDS-related deaths and further buttressing efforts to prevent new infections. These achievements reflect the synergistic efforts of diverse stakeholders – the leadership and commitment of national governments, the solidarity of the international community, innovation by programme implementers, the historic advances achieved by the scientific research community and the passionate engagement of civil society, most notably people living with HIV themselves.

The time for a unified answer to the challenges of today and tomorrow is now: new Global Development Goals will be decided on by next year; the concept of universal health coverage is gaining global traction; and research-based innovations continue to offer major advances in therapy. To bring all stakeholders together to translate medical innovations into global health frameworks on an affordable basis, new platforms for meetings and dialog are needed. The World Health Summit provides such a platform for delegates from different pillars of society to help shape tomorrow’s health care agenda. In its fifth year, the World Health Summit continues to connect present and future leaders of global health, active in academia, politics, the private sector, and civil society. It is this spirit that permeates the WHS Yearbook by providing direction for future advances to improve health worldwide, and by offering information on the issues and initiatives raised at the World Health Summit 2013.

This book explores new concepts and identifies critical themes in migration studies in ASEAN, with a focus on selected emerging trends, namely: various forms and degrees of environmental change and how these changes transform migration; labour, human trafficking and migration; migrant children; and gender. It presents selected papers from two conferences at Chulalongkorn University hosted by the Asian Research Center for Migration (ARCM) and its partners, held to mark International Migrants Day on 18 December in 2011 and 2012. The conferences emphasized the ongoing importance of recognizing and meeting the challenges of migration in both its long-standing and new forms, and facilitated discussion among policymakers, planners and representatives from national ministries of the Royal Thai Government and across ASEAN, international and national organizations, and nongovernmental organization (NGOs) to explore the range of issues associated with migration conceptually and from experiences on the ground.

Bangladesh continues to have a low but concentrated AIDS epidemic with national HIV prevalence less than 0.1%. While the level of HIV infection remains generally low in the country, there are considerable vulnerabilities and risk that put children and adolescent at risk of infection. This has become important as the country has a large cohort of children and adolescent population under 18 years of age estimated at 45% of the total population. The National HIV Risk Reduction Strategy for Most At Risk & Especially Vulnerable Adolescents to HIV & AIDS in Bangladesh (2013 – 2015) was informed by the result of the Mapping and Size Estimation of Most At Risk Adolescents in Bangladesh conducted in 2011 with support from UNICEF. This strategy emphasizes key actions to improve legislation, policy and programmes to reduce risk and protect MARA/EVA in Bangladesh from HIV and AIDS.

HIV and AIDS are among health issues prioritized in the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and require considerable attention from various stakeholders. The Government of Indonesia, along with international partners has been working hard in suppressing the spread of AIDS in the country through various programs. However, more challenges remain, and despite considerable amount of money spent in resources to combat HIV and AIDS in Indonesia, the rate of new cases of HIV continue to persist. To analyze spending for HIV and AIDS in Indonesia, data was collected from various sources: public, international partners, private.

For Thailand 2012 MICS, the National Statistical Office's aims were to obtain updated information on the situation of children and women, including various key indicators that allow countries to monitor progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), A World Fit for Children (WFFC) and other internationally agreed upon commitments. The data/information obtained from Thailand 2012 MICS can be used by government organizations in their evidence-based plans and policies regarding children and women.

The report examines the multiple and varied contexts within which drug use (including use of alcohol and non-psychoactive substances, including some hormones and image- and performance-enhancing drugs) and sex work overlap. It provides a snapshot of available evidence on the factors that contribute to vulnerability among people who sell sex and use drugs. Drawing on experience from the harm reduction and sex work communities, the report explores implications for practice, highlighting existing programmes that reach people who sell sex and use drugs around the world, and offering practical suggestions on how programmes can better serve this overlapping population. While this broad and complex area cannot be explored in depth within a document of this length, the report aims to draw attention to this often neglected area, and inform policy and programmatic discussions.