HIV/AIDS

This page draws together key sources which inform the debate over the impact of HIV/AIDS on aspects of the Governance agenda, especially public administration and public expenditure management.

Page contents:

Definition of topic and content

Where is a good place to start?

HIV/AIDS and public services

Definition of topic and content

HIV/AIDS - infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus, leading to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is a serious threat to sustainable development. It is increasingly being seen as more than simply a medical problem, and development agencies are becoming increasingly concerned with the impact of HIV/AIDS on different aspects of development.

Where is a good place to start?

Underlying all the concerns about HIV/AIDS and development is awareness of the changes in demographic structures and dependency ratios caused by HIV/AIDS.

United Nations Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 1998, The Demographic Impact of HIV/AIDS, UN Population Division
As part of its research work programme, the United Nations Population Division studies the demographic impact of AIDS in the world. In its ‘1998 Revision’ of world population estimates and projections, special attention was given to those developing countries which are hardest-hit (population of one million or more and an adult HIV prevalence of two per cent or more) or exhibit a large share of the developing world's HIV infections because of their large population size.
Full document available online

UN Population Impact and Policies 2001
Full resource available online

HIV/AIDS and public services

The impact of HIV/AIDS on the public services is only beginning to be understood. The direct cost of absence through sickness, caring for sick relatives, and absence to attend funerals, as well as the long-term cost of AIDS attrition in terms of loss of organisational memory and so on, are increasingly impacting upon ability to deliver services. The impact on the health and education sectors is particularly acute.

Cohen, D. 2002, 'Working Paper 2: Human capital and the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa'
In the face of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, will the public service sector remain a viable entity with its extensive labour force attrition? Is it possible for the social and economic structure of society to hold together?
Full document available online

HIV/AIDS and public expenditure management

The cost of HIV/AIDS is extremely difficult to assess, and the example below is one attempt to do this in a country context, looking at the impact of HIV/AIDS on revenue and expenditure of Botswana. An example here is a paper looking at the macroeconomic impact of HIV/Aids in Botswana:

MacFarlan, M. and Sgherri, S. 2001, 'The Macroeconomic Impact of HIV/AIDS in Botswana', IMF Working Paper 01/80, International Monetary Fund, Washington D.C.
Botswana has the highest prevalence of HIV in the world. How has it affected the population and the development of the economy? This paper by two employees of the International Monetary Fund provides an overview of the potential macroeconomic effects of HIV/AIDS, focusing on the channels through which the pandemic is likely to affect the economy and on the uncertainties involved.
Full document available online

HIV/AIDS and the 'brain drain'

There is very little information available on the scale of the 'brain drain' due to HIV/AIDS, but this paper covers some of the issues:

Lauring, H., 2002, 'Action Needed on Brain Drain', in Globaleyes: Online Magazine on Globalization
What is the extent of the flight of professionals from Southern Africa? What is the effect of their departure on the countries they leave behind? This article, by Global Eyes Online Magazine on Globalisation, offers some statistics on the Southern African brain drain and its effect on local economies.
Full document available online

HIV/AIDS and safety, security and access to justice

HIV/AIDS creates widows and orphans, who often struggle to inherit the possessions of their relatives, and access to justice can be critical.

Sleap, B. 2001, 'Widows and Aids: Redefinitions and Challenges' paper presented at Widows Without Rights, London.
What is the impact of HIV/AIDS on women in developing countries and particularly on widows? Statistical material connected with how women are affected by this disease is almost non-existent. Using local case studies in Africa, the Panos AIDS Programme assesses the epidemiology of AIDS in women and widows and asks questions about its psychological and socio-economic effects.
Full document available online

Ayieko, M.A., 1998, 'From single parents to child-headed households: the case of children orphaned by AIDS in Kisumu and Siaya districts in Kenya'.
The HIV/AIDs epidemic in Kenya is creating a generation of aids orphans. How can the cycle of deprivation, economic hardship and infection be broken?This report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) describes the socio-economic difficulties experienced by aids orphans and suggests community based intervention to help children affected by HIV/AIDS.
Full document available online

Political commitment to tackling HIV/AIDS

Political commitment to tackling HIV/AIDS is widely seen as critical to policies' success. However, identifying the reasons why political commitment occurs in some contexts and at some times, but not in others, is a problem identified by DFID.

Patterson, D. 2001, 'Political commitment, governance and HIV/AIDS', Canadian HIV/AIDS Policy and Law Review, vol.6, no1/2.
This brief paper by David Patterson outlines the problems of finding the 'trigger' for political commitment and reasons why is exists in some contexts but not in others.
Full document available online

There are toolkits available which seek to address this issue:

What other resources are available on the GRC Exchange?

Key texts
The GRC Exchange is currently developing its holdings on HIV/AIDS and Governance. For a thorough search of the whole GRC Exchange site please refer to the Information Database.

Training and events
A searchable database of courses and conferences in each of the governance theme areas is available on the GRC Exchange site.

Use the site search at the top of this page, or within the left navigation if you wish to look for wider resources on HIV/AIDS.

Additional information resources

Relevant resources on HIV/AIDS include:

International Institute for Educational Planning/UNESCO HIV/AIDS Impact on Education Clearinghouse
The Clearinghouse is an online resource centre which collects and disseminates information related to HIV/AIDS and education.

John Snow International
Experts on sexual health in developing countries.

UNAIDS
The global mission of UNAIDS as the main advocate for worldwide action against HIV/AIDS is to lead, strengthen and support an expanded response to the epidemic.

World Health Organisation
Includes a webpage on HIV/AIDS.

Futures Group Europe
Experts in modelling future dimensions of HIV/AIDS.

International Labour Organisation
A website covering the social and economic impacts of HIV/AIDS, with information and links to aid understanding of the social and economic impacts of HIV/AIDS, including advice on policy for governments, employers and workers; programme guidelines on prevention, care and measures to combat discrimination, and a Code of Practice that provides a framework for action in the workplace and a training manual to aid implementation.

International Harm Reduction Development
HIV/AIDS in Russia and Eastern Europe.

PANOS
International non-profit institute.

World Bank MAP (Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Programme)

Eldis HIV/AIDS Resource Guide

Kaiser Network HIV/AIDS service

And other useful toolkits include:

UNDP 'Strengthening Community-Based Responses to HIV-AIDS'

HIV/AIDS NGO/CBO Support Toolkit

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