African Conference on Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research
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Second Announcement
see also: http://www.blair.co.zw/sahara
1st - 4th September 2002
Johannesburg, South Africa
A Unique Opportunity for African Stakeholders to Discuss Emergent So-
cial Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research at a Meeting Preceding the World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)
Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (Sahara)
The Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa, is establishing
an alliance of partners to conduct, support and use social sciences
research to prevent further spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of
its devastation on South Africa, SADC and other regions of Africa.
This Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA) is a vehi-
cle for facilitating the sharing of research expertise, sharing
knowledge, conducting multi-site and multi-country research projects
that are exploratory, cross-sectional, comparative or intervention-
based with the explicit aim of generating new social science evidence
for prevention, care and impact mitigation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
on individuals, families and communities. This is to be done within
the social development framework that takes into account the cultural
environment within which human and social behaviour, and relevant
programmes occur. We are beginning to bring key partners in the re-
gion, including policy makers, programme planners, researchers in
universities and fellow research institutions, non-governmental or-
ganizations (NGOs), community groups, donors and multilateral agen-
cies to participate in a flexible alliance for social aspects of
HIV/AIDS research, each contributing on the basis of its comparative
advantage. We are building on existing initiatives and starting ne-
wones where necessary. We have already secured funding to undertake
some of the activities. We now need to extend this further into South
Africa, the SADC and other regions of Africa in line with the impera-
tives and challenges presented by the African Union (AU)'s New Part-
nership for African Development (NEPAD).
AFRICAN CONFERENCE
The African Conference will be a vehicle to improve the effectiveness
of the SAHARA and to integrate its activities more closely with those
of other organizations and individuals active in HIV and AIDS control
within SADC and the African continent, through sharing information on
progress and experience on social aspects of HIV/AIDS research. This
is particularly so in view of the increase in overall activity an-
ticipated following the recent establishment of the Global Fund
against Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria and other international ini-
tiatives to mitigate the problem of HIV/AIDS particularly in Sub Sa-
haran Africa. It will identify the barriers to interaction between
researchers and decision makers in government ministries so as to en-
hance the impact of research to support programmes aimed at reducing
the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. The conference will be a unique op-
portunity for African researchers to make inputs to a continent wide
research alliance on social aspects of HIV/AIDS.
Indeed, the preliminary results that are available from different re-
search sites in Africa may be especially valuable to inform the de-
velopment of appropriate and comprehensive locally initiated HIV and
AIDS control strategies. It is therefore proposed that a three-day
conference on social aspects of HIV/AIDS research together with the
SAHARA Reference Group be held back to back with the World Summit on
Sustainable Development in Johannesburg from 4-9 September 2002.
Leading researchers and policy makers coming to Johannesburg to at-
tend the WSSD will be invited to participate in the Conference. Rep-
resentatives of UN agencies, non-governmental health and development
organizations will be invited to offer their perspectives, and gov-
ernment officials to provide insights into the decision-making proc-
esses.
Thematic keynote presentations will be from outstanding researchers
from the Africa region. They will be challenged to link research to a
practical action agenda for HIV/AIDS prevention strategies that in-
volve local communities and people living with AIDS or are affected
by it. Key sub-themes include migration patterns and HIV/AIDS, impact
of HIV/AIDS on the family, health system, education and economy as
well as issues of equity and role of traditional healers and cultural
leaders in mitigating the spread of HIV in African populations.
Participants will be challenged to examine specific operational re-
search questions such as whether urban-based or rural-based pro-
grammes are more effective in reducing HIV infection in rural areas
and what are the information gaps. Can bar-based and workplace peer
education and condom distribution activities reduce the high HIV in-
fection rates seen in young women? What are the implications of con-
doms for family planning in the era of HIV/AIDS? Do school education
or membership of community groups help young women to avoid HIV? Do
paternal and maternal orphan hood harm the educational opportunities
of boys and girls? How effective are HIV intervention programmes in
reaching marginalized groups such as disabled persons and street
kids?
A post conference document, encompassing proceedings of the confer-
ence will be produced and should serve as a catalyst for broader dis-
cussion of an action agenda by SAHARA for promoting HIV/AIDS research
issues that concern the African continent. Presenters will be encour-
aged to submit their scientific articles in the new "Journal of So-
cial Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research" that is being published by SAMJ
with support of SAHARA. Specific follow-up implementation activities
for turning words into action will be proposed that will bring to-
gether African researchers, policymakers and programme planners to
forge continent wide-alliances and with donors and collaborating
partners in the north to facilitate HIV/AIDS social research that is
effective and can lead to measurable interventions.
About 150 participants are expected to attend the Conference, from
research institutions, national and international organizations,
NGOs, and donor agencies. Participation is open to all. English is
the official language of the Conference.
ABSTRACTS, PAPERS AND POSTERS
The theme of the Conference is "Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research:
Promoting an African Alliance to Mitigate the Effects of HIV/AIDS on
a Sustainable Basis". Authors are invited to present abstracts of pa-
pers/posters that address the theme of the Conference to link behav-
ioural and social aspects of HIV/AIDS research and interventions in
African populations.
CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES
1. To brief researchers, policy and decision makers, donors and other
interested stakeholders about the work of the Social Aspects of
HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA) advised by a reference group of
key stakeholders from relevant sectors.
2. To share emerging results from research sites in Africa on the so-
cial aspects of HIV/AIDS research including scientific evaluation of
HIV/STD prevention activities and lessons learnt in the course of im-
plementing programme activities.
3. To strengthen linkages, collaboration, and coordination of SAHARA,
in order to make it an effective broad-based research network, and a
flexible alliance of research partners committed to conducting or
supporting quality research necessary for urgent policy planning and
implementation.