Taking Evidence to Impact lays out the rationale for investing in social protection, care, and support for children affected by HIV and AIDS. It demonstrates how investing in these initiatives not only improves the resilience of HIV affected households but can also enhance HIV prevention and treatment outcomes. HIV-affected children are benefitting from expanding treatment coverage however, as ever-greater amounts of HIV resources go into health systems and health responses, complementary investments are needed to maximize the impact of health expenditure. It is essential to recognize the key development synergies between social welfare, protection, health, education, and community system strengthening in order to ensure equitable access to quality prevention, treatment, care, and support for HIV-affected children and their families.
The brief draws key messages from UNICEF’s Taking Evidence to Impact: Making a Difference for Vulnerable Children Living in a World with HIV and AIDS (which brings together evidence from research and experience and proposes programmatic responses for children affected by HIV and AIDS). This brief is useful for policymakers and programmers engaged in children and HIV and AIDS work.