SUMMARY OF UNHCR'S STRATEGIC PLAN 2002-2004:

This summary states UNHCR's objectives and key strategies to combat HIV/AIDS among refugees; these include the continuation and reinforcement of HIV/AIDS programmes in refugee situations and the introduction of comprehensive pilot programmes in selected sites.

Prevention and mitigation of HIV/AIDS must be seen as an essential component of the overall protection of refugees. It is important to combat the stereotypical perception that "refugees bring AIDS with them to local communities." It is this perception that often leads to discriminatory practices by host populations. While data on HIV prevalence in refugee situations is scarce, it is believed that refugees and other displaced populations are at increased risk of contracting the virus during and after displacement due to poverty, disruption of family/social structures and health services, increase sexual violence, and increase in socio-economic vulnerability, particularly of women and youth.

UNHCR's objectives for the pilot project are: First, to ensure that refugees and asylum- seekers live in dignity, free from discrimination, and their human rights are respected; Second, to reduce HIV transmission and improve HIV/AIDS treatment and care by improving planning and implementation of HIV/AIDS programmes and by reinforcing

surveillance, monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS programmes.

UNHCR's main strategies are: First, to ensure the effective implementation of UNHCR's protection policy and standards at the field level; Second, to further consolidate UNHCR's commitment to combat HIV/AIDS in refugee situations at all levels of the organization; Third, to reinforce access to qualified technical resources and strengthen institutional capacity building through partnerships; Fourth, to continue to support current HIV/AIDS programmes; Fifth, to develop comprehensive HIV/AIDS pilot projects in refugee situations through a phased approach targeting specific sites; Sixth, to maintain a limited scope of activities in returnee situations as this group is primarily the responsibility of the Government of the country of origin; and lastly, to access and identify additional financial resources to expand the project.

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