December 1, 2008 –  In the last 12 months since World AIDS Day 2007, the transport unit of the East Asia and Pacific region has made significant strides towards mainstreaming the provision of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns as part of transport development and rehabilitation programs in the region.

In working to address the increased movement of HIV/AIDS associated with transportation projects, an education campaign was developed to spread awareness among vulnerable populations, namely the construction workers, project managers and supervisors, local residents, and sex workers in a project area. This campaign will share information about the risks, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS as well as information on access to condoms and voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services.  The ultimate goal of these activities are to: increase awareness about HIV/AIDS and its prevention, ensure vulnerable groups have the knowledge of and access to condoms and VCT services, secure the sustained implementation of beneficial activities under the intervention, and that the World Bank task teams will have a standard approach to assist them in addressing HIV/AIDS on their projects in the future.

Since 2007, the following steps towards achieving these goals have been undertaken.

Development of the Road to Good Health Toolkit
In the spring of 2007, the first draft of the Road to Good Health Toolkit was developed.  Since that time, the Toolkit has been reviewed by managers, supervisors and specialists at the World Bank, partner agencies, NGOs, and government counterparts in the field. Based on feedback received, the Toolkit is currently undergoing a revision gearing it towards actionable implementation and measureable results.

Planned Pilot Testing of the Toolkit
In order to gauge adaptability and usability of the Toolkit, it shall be pilot-tested as part of HIV intervention programs associated with six World Bank-funded transportation projects in China, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Papua New Guinea; this shall include three projects in China, and one project in each of the remaining countries. HIV/AIDS interventions shall be comprised of awareness campaigns that target populations made vulnerable by infrastructure improvement activities – the construction staff and workers in the program and residents located nearby. Outcomes of these interventions shall inform the country-specific adaption and general modification of the Toolkit for successful implementation across the region.  Further, it shall identify the basic minimum components that are required in any successful HIV/AIDS awareness campaign.

Training and Dialogue over Global Distance Learning Network (GDLN) Sessions
Three videoconferences completed this fall made up the GDLN learning series on Combating HIV in Transport. These presentations were delivered by experts in the field of HIV/AIDS communications, and by in-country leaders involved in directing similar intervention programs. The GDLN series included participation from project countries for the HIV/AIDS intervention program and complemented the HIV/AIDS implementation program already underway. Specifically, training participants included World Bank task groups, implementation teams, and Client counterparts under each World Bank-funded project activity, as well as representatives from the relevant government offices. The GDLN sessions created an opportunity for participants in the HIV/AIDS intervention program to interact, discuss, ask questions, and plan for their own implementation programs.

Collaboration with Partners

Participation in GMS Conferences

The Asian Development Bank has coordinated two meetings of development partners involved in infrastructure improvement projects in the East Asia region.  The objective of these meetings is development of practice guidelines for harmonizing HIV prevention initiatives in the infrastructure sector. These guidelines, to include a basic minimum approach to addressing HIV/AIDS in the sector and a core monitoring and evaluation framework, shall reduce duplicity among agencies, streamline efforts, and maximize benefits to project countries. Following completion of this resource, it is expected that all members of the Joint Initiative will sign off on this kit for use throughout the region.

Continued Coordination under the Joint Initiative
The Joint Initiative of 2006 was a signed agreement among development agencies to coordinate efforts combating HIV/AIDS in infrastructure projects in East Asia.  Since 2006, the World Bank has helped to coordinate regular meetings among partner agencies to discuss activities under this agreement. Recently, the World Bank has been involved in discussions with the Asia Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency to identify and advance best practice methods, and to collaborate in the advancement of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns associated with infrastructure development in the region.

For further information, contact the Easte Asia and Pacific Transport Team at EAPTransport@worldbank.org