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Summary: This paper examines the ways in which HIV/AIDS funding is disbursed and the reasons why only a small amount is spent on addressing the needs of young children. It identifies strategies for advocating for a greater priority to be given to young children in HIV/AIDS funding decisions.
This paper is the fourth of a dedicated “Early Childhood and HIV/AIDS” sub- This paper surveys the routes by which HIV/AIDS care funding for young children is disbursed. It notes that capturing accurate data on actual spending patterns of large donors can be difficult, as there is no uniform tracking or reporting system and much HIV/AIDS money is spent under the broader category of sexual and reproductive health. The report assesses the general manner in which HIV/AIDS money as a whole is being distributed. Moving on from who is providing funds for HIV/AIDS initiatives at the global level, it tracks sources and flows from governments, through bilateral and multilateral channels. It then goes on to describe the focus of programme funding, providing an examination of ways in which more money can be directed to support children with HIV/AIDS. The paper additionally highlights the critical importance of sharing knowledge through networks that communicate and disseminate evidence- based research findings and project evaluations. Some important conclusions include: * only a small and insignificant amount of funding for HIV/ AIDS interventions reaches those working to support very young children * decisions on the distribution of funds are frequently based on political factors rather than on sound evidence from front-line responses in the field which have been informed by those people most directly affected by HIV and AIDS * a deeper exploration and challenging of current ways of spending HIV/AIDS funds is urgently required * influencing strategic and policy-level decisions is vital to ensure that funding is directed in an influential manner and communicating research and learning to decision makers and donors is of great value * donors and decision makers must be encouraged to take a long-term view which is based on the realities of members of communities radically affected by HIV/AIDS and not constrained by rigid bureaucratic structures * communities need to own the strategies they use in their response to HIV/AIDS if young children are to be better supported. [adapted from author]
series in the long-standing Working Papers in ECD series, the first three
being Working Papers 33-35.