Food Security in Disaster Risk Reduction Newsletter - Vol. 1 Issue 5, March 2011

Mainstreaming HIV and Gender in ECHO DRR Food Security Projects

Southern Africa remains at the epicentre of the global HIV epidemic. UNAIDS estimates that 35% of all HIV infected people live in this region and the majority are women. Although there is evidence of the epidemic stabilizing in some countries, HIV remains a challenge to livelihoods and development. As part of the ECHO FS DRR project, FAO REOSA has engaged a Regional HIV and Gender Officer, Gertrude Kara, to support FAO country project coordinators and implementing partners in the three project countries to effectively apply a gender sensitive HIV lens to DRR food security programming. This includes mainstreaming actions to address the needs of vulnerable groups in project design and implementation without stigmatising them. Her tasks include:

• Identifying and training on technical support needs
• Documentation of lessons learned on gender and HIV in DRR food security
• Dissemination and fundraising for new models

Gertrude is visiting Malawi (20 to 25 March) and Mozambique (11 to 15 April) and later Madagascar to understand ECHO Food Security Project operations at field level, consult with FAO and partners, identify support needs and explore partnerships. Results of her mission will contribute to development of a plan of action for mainstreaming HIV, gender and nutrition in this and other REOSA projects.