CIDA action plan for HIV/AIDS
From SEA.unu.edu/wiki
Background and objectives
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) prepared an Action Plan on HIV/AIDS as part of its social development priorities (2000-05). The plan follows a decision made under the authority of the Minister for International Co-operation and focuses Canadian resources on accelerating progress towards two internationally agreed goals:
• By 2005, at least 90%, and by2010, at least 95%, of young men and women aged 15 to 24 would have access to the information, education, and services necessary to develop the life skills they need to reduce their vulnerability to HIV infection.
• By 2005, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the 15 to 24 age group would be reduced by 25% in the most affected countries, and that by 2010 prevalence in this age group is reduced globally by 25%.
Specifically, CIDA’s objectives are as follows:
1. To work with partners in at least one African country to significantly reduce the number of new HIV cases.
2. To increase collaboration between CIDA branches and between sectors, sharing lessons and disseminating them more widely.
3. To increase outreach of CIDA programming to Canadian non-government organisations, academic institutions, and the private sector in order to increase their involvement in international HIV/AIDS work.
4. To encourage the development of approaches for rapid dissemination in the field.
5. To increase the quantity and cost-effectiveness of HIV/AIDS interventions funded by CIDA.
Approach
Preliminary issue scan: The SEA was undertaken in line with CIDA’s SEA Handbook. It was first determined that an SEA was required. A statement of the proposal’s goals and objectives was produced and a description of the design options prepared. For the purpose of this SEA, the objectives (see above) were taken as the design options and, following a preliminary issue scan, it was decided that only objectives 1 and 5 were likely to have any direct or indirect environmental issues. The rationale for reaching this decision was explicitly described.
Analysis of environmental effects: The next step was an analysis of the potential environmental issues of objectives 1 and 5. As the original over-arching HIV/AIDS programme did not yet contain specifics about discrete interventions, it was decided that assessments would be conducted when more specific programmes are defined.
Stakeholder and public concerns: CIDA’s Handbook recommends that public concerns (both in Canada and the recipient country) should be considered as part of determining the significance of the proposal’s environmental issues. Public concerns about HIV/AIDS are already well documented, as are how HIV/AIDS has a detrimental effect on the environment.
Outcomes
• Documentation, approval and communications: The SEA was documented using CIDA’s SEA template.
• Follow-up and monitoring are part of CIDA’s SEA process. Particular environment–HIV/AIDS linkages will be addressed when sub-projects are identified.
• An overarching SEA for a large programme that currently lacks particular sub-programme activities is beneficial since the SEA identifies programme-environment linkages that must be addressed at the later sub-project level.
Source: CIDA.
(Reproduced with permission of OECD.)
