Workshop organized by UNDP-SEAHIV, UNESCAP and UNAIDS

A joint publication of UNDP/UNOPS, UNAIDS, and UNESCAP

Foreword

The UNDP/UNAIDS/UNESCAP Workshop on Reduction of HIV vulnerability within the land transport sector: towards a public policy framework for addressing HIV/AIDS in the transport sector was a collaborative effort among the three United Nations agencies to explore the linkages between HIV/AIDS and the transport sector. Its purpose was to advocate to the Committee on Transport, Communications, Tourism and Infrastructure Development of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (CTCTID/ UNESCAP) on HIV prevention policy and strategies for the land transport sector.
The workshop benefited from the experience and networks of UNESCAP Transport, Communications, Tourism and Infrastructure Development Division (TCTID) with the Ministries of Transport of member countries; the expertise in policy advocacy for population mobility and HIV vulnerability reduction of the UNDP South-East Asia HIV and Development Project (UNDP-SEAHIV); and technical input from UNAIDS Asia-Pacific Intercountry Team (APICT). These inputs assisted participants from 14 countries to deliberate on crucial topics such as the association between the land transport sector's priorities and the potential impact of HIV on the sector; how the transport sector might benefit from responding to the challenges of HIV; and what the sector can do to respond to those challenges. The deliberations included an example of an existing HIV mitigation policy framework from South Africa and descriptions of interventions to reduce HIV vulnerability in the land transport sectors in China, India, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. The presentations provided a rich basis of lessons learned for discussion.
The workshop identified three key entry points through which pragmatic, readily acceptable and implementable policy and strategic planning on interventions to reduce HIV vulnerability in the transport sector could best be made. These were the need for profit, infrastructure development, and business partnership. These points, together with the workshop's recommendations on land transport HIV mitigation policy and strategic plans, were communicated to the Second Session of the Committee on Transport, Communications, Tourism and Infrastructure Development meeting, 24-26 November 1999. The Committee accepted them in full.
The challenge remains for each member country to implement the recommendations. To facilitate this process, UNDP-SEAHIV, UNAIDS-APICT and UNESCAP are preparing a Primer on transport sector HIV policy formulation and strategic planning.
The workshop proceedings were developed with support from UNDP-SEAHIV and UNAIDS-APICT. Particular appreciations are due to Mr. Tony Lisle, Mobility advisor of UNAIDS-APICT and Mr. Bruce Parnell, UNDP-SEAHIV consultant, for their facilitation of the workshop. In addition, we wish to thank our editor Mr. Timothy Sharp for his valuable assistance in synthesizing the complex material and finalizing the workshop proceedings.

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May 2000