Respond to and recover from HIV
Strengthen the coordination, technical and operational capacity of national/regional and global level actors to integrate HIV into the preparation, response and recovery phases of emergencies.
A few words about the IATT
UNHCR and WFP are Cosponsors of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and under the Division of Labour convene work on HIV services in humanitarian emergencies. UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO are among the agency partners.
UNAIDS Secretariat plays an important role in security and humanitarian settings, with humanitarian emergencies mentioned in the 2016 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS and UNAIDS Strategy 2016-2021. As shown in the UNAIDS Strategy 2016-2021, the Secretariat recognizes the pivotal role played by civil society and promotes the principle of the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA) at all stages of an emergency and as a means to ensure that no one is left behind. At the country level, UNAIDS works with Focal Points from the Joint Team on HIV/AIDS so that HIV is integrated within the cluster system and that the collaborative response is evidence-based.
See other links to HIV and Humanitarian Situations
Humanitarian Emergencies, Armed Conflict and HIV
The core functions of the IATT
The core functions of this platform are, in the area of HIV in humanitarian emergencies, to provide thought leadership and technical guidance, to advocate for funding and policy outcomes, to act as an entry point for technical support and to contribute to strengthening country-level partnerships. The IATT-E operates principally at the global level, with the aim of supporting country-level activities that are - as far as possible - nationally owned.
Why respond to HIV in Humanitarian Emergencies?
Emergency-affected populations include those affected by conflict or natural disasters, both displaced (refugees and internally displaced persons) and non-displaced persons, as well as host populations, returnees and those in transition to recovery. Humanitarian workers, armed groups and uniformed services personnel also need to be considered in responses. During emergencies, vulnerability to HIV infection may be increased due to the loss of livelihoods and the disruption of family and social networks and institutions, with the result that women, girls, men, boys and transgender may engage in selling sex for money, food or services. Conflict also tends to increase gender-based violence against women and girls; substance use patterns may also change and health care services may be disrupted, preventing PLHIV from accessing essential prevention, treatment and care services.
In some prolonged conflicts in Africa, HIV prevalence has nevertheless remained relatively low, for instance among refugees in a number of countries, indicating a complex relationship between risks and vulnerabilities, potentially protective factors and HIV transmission. However, unless adequate measures are taken, HIV transmission may well increase during post-emergency, recovery and reconstruction periods, associated with increased mobility and population interaction, including between rural and urban areas.
What we do
The core function of the IATT for HIV-E is to provide thought leadership and technical guidance, to advocate for funding, policy as well as programme outcomes, to act as an entry point for technical support and to contribute to strengthening country-level partnerships.
The IATT has four strategic priorities
Strengthen inter-cluster and multi-sector collaboration
Strengthen inter-cluster and multi-sector collaboration to ensure HIV-E is addressed as a cross-cutting theme.
Contributing to information management
Contribute to strengthening resource mobilisation, advocacy, information management and research.
Proposing solutions
Proposing solutions to address strategic and technical gaps.
Workplan and reporting
Do you have questions?
The Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) on HIV in Emergencies (HIV-E) is a group of agencies working at global, regional and country level that seek to accelerate the global response to address HIV in the context of humanitarian emergencies. This interagency body is comprised of representatives of UN agencies, donors and non-governmental organizations.