HHD Joins The University of the West Indies to Strengthen Education Sector Capacity in Combating HIV and AIDS

As one vehicle to combat the HIV and AIDS epidemic, CARICOM has recently awarded a contract to EDC’s Health and Human Development Programs, working with the University of the West Indies (UWI), to carry out The Caribbean Education Sector HIV and AIDS Capacity Building Programme. This programme is funded by Inter-American Development Bank, acting in its capacity as administrator of Japan Special Funds and UNESCO funds, executed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat.

Over the next 18 months, HHD and UWI will aim to strengthen the capacity of the education sector to implement a comprehensive approach to HIV and AIDS, initially in CARICOM countries, and eventually all countries throughout the region. Specific capacities include advocacy and leadership development and workplace and overall education policy development to address prevention, through voluntary counseling and testing to care and bereavement. Capacity will also be developed in the areas of quality control and coordination of the services that many non-governmental organizations are providing. Initially, four CARICOM countries will pilot tools and strategies for capacity building in these areas, as well as for such interventions as peer-to-peer education and youth drop-in centres. All efforts will draw on most recent findings of international research, as well as best practices in the Caribbean region.

Kicking off the Programme in Georgetown, Guyana on February 2-3, 2006, CARICOM hosted the first meeting of the Program Steering Committee, representing the funders, United Nations and other agencies in the Caribbean. Meeting participants appear in the photograph below and are listed by name and agency in the sidebar. The meeting served to clarify activities that HHD and UWI will carry out and to select the four initial countries for piloting the interventions: Belize, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Existing and new mechanism will be used for widespread dissemination of the materials and tools, and for professional development, technical assistance, and facilitated networking for countries to share experiences with each other.

Carl Browne, Project Manager of this initiative for CARICOM in Guyana, said: “The lessons learned from this unique partnership and project capacity building program may inform HIV and AIDS prevention work around the world. It is expected that this initiative will contribute towards the development of education sector policies on HIV and AIDS prevention and mitigation, honing intervention models for HIV prevention and care among youth.”

HHD and UWI have joined as a team to serve and facilitate learning across the region. Drawing on two decades of HIV and AIDS prevention work, HHD contributes its technical expertise, drawn from HIV and AIDS projects we conduct around the globe. Working alongside education sector staff in each country, HHD provides overall management, selection of country partners and consultants, design of interventions, and conduct monitoring and evaluation. The role of UWI is to draw upon UWI faculty across campuses and to use UWI’s vehicles for dissemination and capacity building, such as distance education, an electronic journal, and new courses in health promotion. These activities are in development under the leadership of Professor David Plummer, the first ever UNESCO/Commonwealth Chair in Education, HIV and AIDS.

Cheryl Vince Whitman, Senior Vice President of EDC and Director of HHD, stresses the promise of this approach to HIV and AIDS prevention work. “The education sector offers real hope for combating HIV and AIDS. It leads the way with education as the best preventive vaccine and creating environments where issues can be discussed. Senior education leaders, speaking from the podium, and teachers in classrooms and hallways can change societal norms. By their actions and words, they combat stigma and discrimination, respect gender differences and stop homophobia. Teachers can both role model and teach preventive behaviors. Important contributions to prevent HIV and AIDS are quality education itself, high rates of school completion, and preparing young people for employment.”

This programme is about safeguarding the promise and potential of the Caribbean’s next generation. Connie Constantine, Programme Director in HHD, and Pauline Russell-Browne, on behalf of UWI, comment , “The vision of this work is that young people and education sector staff will adopt the values of the ideal Caribbean person, remaining free of HIV infection, completing their education and contributing to family, community and economic life of the region.”