Social welfare programs have been a lifeline for people living with HIV, David Chipanta, Senior Advisor Social Protection, UNAIDS, shared during a World Social Work Day webinar hosted by the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance in 2015. He gave examples from around the world: cash transfer programs are contributing to keeping more girls in school in Malawi and South Africa, civil society organizations like the Association de Lutte Contre le Sida in Morocco are working with social workers to ensure that transportation and housing needs are met for people accessing HIV treatment, and social workers in Belarus and Ukraine are linking people who inject drugs to clean needles and syringes and other essential social services. He issued a call for social service workers to join social policy and protection efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by focusing on social justice and the populations left behind, improving the quantity and quality of social service workers and deploying them to the areas of greatest need. He stressed the role of the social service workforce in reaching the “three zeroes:” zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths, and zero discrimination.
Celebrated annually on December 1, World AIDS Day highlights the great progress made in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and also calls for continued action to redouble efforts toward elimination.
Over the past years, the Alliance has shared many blogs, resources and additional materials to champion the important role of the social service workforce in the provision of services for those affected by HIV and also preventive measures. Take a look at some of the existing resources and share with us new resources from your organization so that they can be widely available through this network.
Webinar
World Social Work Day - Celebrating Success in Social Service Workforce Strengthening
Significant reductions in new HIV infections, AIDS-related deaths and AIDS-related discrimination are possible through a well-planned commitment to prevent and mitigate the social, economic, and mental health impacts of HIV. This is made possible through a social service workforce engaged alongside others to increase access to HIV services, nutritional, legal and economic support to foster the physical, social, and cognitive well-being of people living with and most affected by HIV. In celebration of World Social Work Day in March 2015, the Alliance hosted a webinar with PEPFAR and UNAIDS to share achievements of PEPFAR/USAID in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Presenters, including Chipanta shared the role of social service workers in supporting HIV-affected children and families and contributing to clinical outcomes toward the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic.
Blogs
- World AIDS Day 2015 - On the fast-track to end AIDS
To realize the future of an AIDS-free Generation, it is imperative to put in place the protection, care and support services that are so critical to ensuring the healthy development and well-being of all children. Globally, social service workers are at the forefront of providing critical support and services to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS. - Para Social Workers in Tanzania: Helping People Living with HIV/AIDS Access Treatment and Navigate Social Barriers to Care
The American International Health Alliance’s Para Social Work program provides skills-based training in social work case management and child development to caregivers, empowering countries to strengthen human resource capacity to more effectively address the immediate needs of vulnerable children and families through the development of a previously underutilized segment of the workforce. PSWs are addressing individual needs of vulnerable children, people living with HIV, and their households. - Training and Motivating Volunteer Caregivers Enables HIV/AIDS Affected Children in Zambia to Access High Quality Care and Support
Through a network of over 52,000 volunteer home visitors (called “caregivers”), the STEPS OVC program has strengthened communities in rural Zambia to mitigate the impact of HIV on households living with HIV-positive individuals and orphans.
Resources
- Focus on Location and Population - World Aids Day Report
The 2015 World AIDS Day report, Focus on location and population, includes 50+ examples of how countries are getting on the Fast-Track. It shows how governments are working with community groups and international partners to scale up health and social services to reach more people. - Communities Deliver: The critical role of communities in reaching global targets to end the AIDS epidemic
The report includes community-based service delivery for orphans and other children made vulnerable due to AIDS and health service provision. Ending the epidemic requires services that reach all vulnerable populations and a strong health workforce. - Summary of Key Findings from the 4Children Case Management Case Studies
This series of case studies from 4Children documents core components of the case management process within orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) programming and national child protection systems. These case studies aim to provide examples of how case management can be used to support work with vulnerable children and families affected by or living with HIV and how they can be integrated into existing systems and structures. - Summary of Key Approaches on Improving HIV Testing and Services for Children Orphaned or Made Vulnerable by HIV
Programs for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), through their community presence and unique relationships with caregivers and children, are especially well placed to promote and facilitate the entire HIV care and treatment cascade over time with age-appropriate information and approaches. - Caring for Carers - Managing stress in those who care for people with HIV and AIDS
This case study draws lessons from the field in how to manage stress and minimize burnout in these settings; and recommend strategies to safeguard the health of carers at family and community levels. - Social Work Practice: Engaging Individuals, Communities and Systems in Support of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy
This resource from the National Association of Social Workers outlines the many ways in which social workers provide a range of services to persons and communities affected by HIV. - Building Protection and Resilience: Synergies for child protection systems and children affected by HIV and AIDS
The study identifies practical ways in which child protection and HIV sectors can combine their comparative expertise, to strengthen child protection systems that meet the needs of all children at risk of abuse, violence, exploitation and neglect, whilst also meeting the unique needs of HIV-affected and infected children, and those at increased risk of HIV infection and protection abuses. - Prevent and Protect: Linking the HIV and Child Protection Response to Keep Children Safe, Healthy & Resilient
This report documents models, case studies and lessons learned to highlight practical ways in which child protection systems and services link to HIV services in order to benefit HIV and child protection outcomes for children. - Building Whole Child Resilience: Working together to enable children affected by HIV and AIDS to survive and thrive
There is a wealth of evidence to show that children affected by HIV and AIDS need integrated, holistic support, which combines biomedical, economic and social interventions. Recommendations are provided for multisectoral collaboration for the best outcomes for children.
Get Involved
- Learn the facts
- Participate in the UNAIDS World AIDS Day Campaign Know Your Status
- Download World AIDS Day campaign materials
- Put your knowledge into action and plan an event
- Let us know how you’ll be celebrating on our Facebook page
- Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #worldaidsday
- Share resources on the topic with the Alliance
