What's New

Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), in partnership with the National Centre Against Violence (NCAV) based in Mongolia, organised a consultation on 11-12 September, 2006 on 'Culture and Violence Against Women in Asia Pacific' with the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women. The Consultation aimed to understand and articulate how, despite the fluidity and contestability of cultural norms, oppressive elements of culture, which invariably reflect and reinforce patriarchal power relations, gain dominant representation. The Consultation sought to strategise how a women's human rights agenda can be advanced in this context, providing effective strategies for both the women’s movement in Asia Pacific and for the UNSRVAW for inclusion in her recommendations to States and other actors.

Bangladesh has an internationally recognized and well-established 2nd generation HIV/AIDS surveillance system in place, which helps to closely monitor the HIV situation and to understand the levels of risk behavior associated with HIV infection within population groups surveyed. Groups so far included in the surveillance system have been male, female and transgender sex workers, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users and representatives of 'clients of sex workers groups' such as rickshaw pullers, truckers, STD patients, dock workers, launch workers, 'babus' and students. This study was designed to obtain a better understanding about the sexual networks of men in Bangladesh with a range of different partners. Additionally, in an effort to correct for 'social desirability bias' in this type of study, extensive efforts were made to carry out a parallel data collection exercise using the 'ballot box' method. This method is a first for sexual behavior research in Bangladesh, and just one of the important contributions made by this study.

The Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) programme that has been launched by Government of India (GoI) in 1996-97 is expected to provide quality services and achieve multiple objectives. It ushered a positive paradigm shift from method-oriented, target-based activity to providing client-centred, demand-driven quality services. Also, efforts are being made to reorient provider's attitude at grassroots level and to strengthen the services at outreach levels.

Around the world, research and experience have shown that migration and mobility increases vulnerability to engaging in HIV-risk behaviour. In the case of Timor-Leste, mobility is particularly relevant due to massive population movements in recent years associated with the post-referendum conflict. During the violence of 1999, it is estimated that approximately 250,000 people, or one quarter of the population, fled to neighbouring West Timor. Since the cessation of violence, nearly 200,000 Timorese have returned to their villages and communities. However, endemic poverty and lack of opportunities in rural areas continue to contribute to rural-urban migration movement and mobility.   The overall aim of this study was to provide baseline data on mobility patterns, HIV/AIDS awareness and vulnerability in Timor-Leste and comprised of two parts - the Migration Patterns Survey and Vulnerability Assessment Mapping.

The Papua New Guinea (PNG) national response to HIV and AIDS has expanded significantly with a strong focus on provincial level activities including the establishment of Provincial AIDS Committees (PACs), increased grant funding for community level activities, increased involvement of government and non-government partners and greater engagement with Provincial and District level governments.

This study is the second round of the integrated bio-behavioral survey (IBBS) conducted among 200 female sex workers (FSWs), both street and establishment based, in Pokhara. The IBBS was carried out during the months of January and February 2006. The survey measured HIV and syphilis prevalence among FSWs and variables which are associated with risk of HIV infection, such as condom use, sexual behaviors, knowledge of HIV/AIDS, reported cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI), STI treatment behaviors, exposure to HIV/AIDS messages and drug habits. This survey was also undertaken to compare the findings for condom use and sexual behavior of FSWs in Pokhara from this study with findings from the 2004 study.

This study is the third round of the integrated bio-behavioral survey (IBBS) conducted among truckers in Pathlaiya, Bara district. The IBBS was carried out during the months of January and March 2006. The survey measured HIV and syphilis prevalence among truckers and variables which are associated with risk of HIV infection, such as condom use, sexual behaviors, knowledge of HIV/AIDS, reported cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI), STI treatment behaviors, exposure to HIV/AIDS messages and drug habits.

Second Generation Surveillance (SGS) aims to develop and enhance existing surveillance system for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS and behavioral surveillance systems. The outcome should be high-quality epidemiological data to support the design and evaluation of interventions. The implementation of specific HIV programs such as the Second Generation Surveillance survey of risk behaviors, targeting all unmarried youths on each atoll is an initiative that can contribute to address issues related to sexual health for the young people of the Marshall Islands.

The Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS adopted by the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS in June 2001 commits member states and the global community to taking strong and immediate action to address the HIV/AIDS crisis. It calls for achieving a number of specific goals, including reducing HIV prevalence among young men and women, expanding care and support, and protecting human rights. The Millennium Development Goals adopted at the Millennium Summit in September 2000 call for expanded efforts to halt and reverse the spread of HIV by 2015.  Progress toward achieving these goals requires significantly expanding HIV/AIDS programs to foster a supportive environment, to prevent new infections, to care for those already infected, and to mitigate the social and economic consequences of the epidemic. One measure of progress is the percentage of people living in low- and middle-income countries who have access to key prevention, treatment, care, and support services. This report presents the results of an assessment of the coverage of several key services for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in 2005.

This study is the third round of the Integrated Bio-Behavioral Survey (IBBS) conducted among 600 female sex workers (FSWs), from 22 districts of Terai Highway. Among them, 400 respondents were recruited from four study sites representing 16 districts between Jhapa in the east and Rupandehi in the west along the highway in the Terai, and 200 were recruited from three sites representing six districts between Kapilvastu in the west to Kanchanpur in the far western region. The IBBS was carried out during the months of March- June 2006. The survey measured HIV and STIs prevalence among FSWs and variables which are associated with a risk of HIV infection, such as condom use, sexual behaviors, knowledge of HIV/AIDS, reported cases of sexually transmitted infections (STI), STI treatment behaviors, exposure to HIV/AIDS messages and drug habits.