UNESCO's HIV & AIDS Strategy

UNESCO’s strategy is to place special emphasis on prevention with and for education. By HIV & AIDS prevention education, UNESCO means offering learning opportunities for all to develop the knowledge, skills, competencies, values and attitudes that will limit the transmission and impact of the pandemic, including through access to care and counselling and education for treatment. UNESCO also means, through improved prevention and planning, to limit the impact of HIV & AIDS on the education sector, thereby preserving the core functions of the education systems.

Fighting HIV & AIDS through preventive education is no uni-dimensional approach programme. It is directed towards five core tasks:

- Advocacy at all levels

- Customizing the message

- Changing risk behaviour

- Caring for the infected and affected

- Coping with the institutional impact of HIV & AIDS

Prevention is not only the most economical response - it is the most potent, i.e. changing behaviour by providing knowledge, fostering healthy attitudes and building skills through culturally sensitive and effective communication. An approach based on human rights is fundamental both for providing preventive education and treatment as well as in combating stigma and improving living conditions of infected and affected people.

UNESCO's strategy for HIV & AIDS prevention education

Website / PDF Document (2007, 1.51 MB)

UNESCO's response to HIV & AIDS

Website / PDF Document (2005, 928 KB)

EDUCAIDS: The Global Initiative on Education and HIV & AIDS

Website / PDF Document (2006, 3.51 MB)

IATT: UNAIDS Inter-agency Task Team on Education

Website / PDF Document (2006, 4.54 MB)

UNESCO's action against HIV & AIDS

The International bureau of education is an interactive resource working in the area of curriculum development for HIV & AIDS education, at national, regional and international levels.

The International Institute for Educational Planning is an interactive portal providing access to information and resouces on the impact of HIV & AIDS on education and responses to mitigate the impact.

The UNESCO Bangkok Clearinghouse on HIV & AIDS prevention processes and shares innovative strategies, best practices and lessons learned towards improved policy formulation and programme management and implementation.

The UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar (BREDA) promote and support efforts and initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa to combat HIV & AIDS through formal and non-formal education.

UNESCO Harare Office of Southern region of Africa is an ongoing site sharing information and the latest documents on HIV & AIDS and education in the region.