AFRICAN CONFERENCE ON SOCIAL ASPECTS OF HIV/AIDS RESEARCH A Unique Opportunity For African Stakeholders To Discuss Emergent Social Aspects Of HIV/AIDS Research at a Meeting Preceding The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) 1st ?4th SEPTEMBER 2002 JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA 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 vehicle 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 region, including policy makers, programme planners, researchers in universities and fellow research institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community groups, donors and multilateral agencies 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 new ones 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 imperatives and challenges presented by the African Union (AU)?s New Partnership 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 anticipated following the recent establishment of the Global Fund against Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria and other international initiatives to mitigate the problem of HIV/AIDS particularly in Sub Saharan Africa. It will identify the barriers to interaction between researchers and decision makers in government ministries so as to enhance the impact of research to support programmes aimed at reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. The conference will be a unique opportunity 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 research sites in Africa may be especially valuable to inform the development 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 attend the WSSD will be invited to participate in the Conference. Representatives of UN agencies, non-governmental health and development organizations will be invited to offer their perspectives, and government officials to provide insights into the decision-making processes. 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 involve 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 research questions such as whether urban-based or rural-based programmes 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 infection rates seen in young women? What are the implications of condoms 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 conference will be produced and should serve as a catalyst for broader discussion of an action agenda by SAHARA for promoting HIV/AIDS research issues that concern the African continent. Presenters will be encouraged to submit their scientific articles in the new Journal of Social 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 together 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 papers/posters that address the theme of the Conference to link behavioural 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 social aspects of HIV/AIDS research including scientific evaluation of HIV/STD prevention activities and lessons learnt in the course of implementing 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.