These are just a few questions that you may ask

These are just a few questions that you may ask
yourself. You will probably think of many others. The
key issue is to realise that the planning cycle offers
many opportunities to begin to address HIV and AIDS
mainstreaming. There is no single activity that will
achieve this goal. Rather it is the integration of HIV
and AIDS into a combination of planning, budgeting,
implementing and monitoring activities that will ensure
that the education sector responds to HIV and AIDS
based on its comparative advantage.
Finally, it is also important to realise that there may
be spontaneous and unplanned opportunities
outside the planning cycle – part of the more ‘chaotic
world’ – which provide opportunities for focusing on
HIV & AIDS and SRHR. Examples include international
events (e.g. a conference on HIV and AIDS, or gender,
or child abuse), media reports, the appointment of
new cabinet ministers, discussion of new legislation in
parliament (for example, on discrimination, abortion,
or sexual violence). It is critical to keep an eye open
for such opportunities and to think creatively about
how these can be used to further the agenda.
S u g g e s t i o n s
o f g e n e r a l
e n t r y p o i n t s
Your answers to the above exercise will be specifi c to
the situation and the country where you are working.
Here we provide some generic suggestions based on
fi ve types of entry points:
1) existing processes
2) existing partnerships
3) thematic issues
4) specifi c vulnerable populations
5) development platforms and policy
directives.
Within each category you will fi nd suggestions of
activities to mainstream HIV and AIDS.
Existing processes
The regular planning processes of agencies and
government organizations (such as the Ministry of
Education) can be used as a starting point. Examples
of possible entry points include:
Annual review of the education plan or of major
initiatives e.g. in Zambia the annual review of the
Education Sector Plan in 2007 included specifi c
terms of reference for assessing progress on HIV
and AIDS and a specifi c person was added to the
review team to carry out this assessment (UNAIDS
IATT on Education, 2007d).
Other sectoral planning processes, such as midterm
reviews in which specifi c questions on HIV
and AIDS can be included.
Media events, for example, for the launching of
new initiatives. In the Caribbean region there have
been successful examples of generating commitment
to HIV and AIDS by organising high-profi le
leadership and advocacy campaigns in which
stakeholders and leaders from other sectors play
a role in pressing for greater commitment by the
education sector.22
Discussion of major reforms in education (curriculum
reforms, civil service reform, legislation etc.).
For example, in Mozambique the revised curriculum
includes a specifi c amount of time for a ‘local
curriculum’, which has been used in some cases
to include locally specifi c content on HIV prevention
and HIV & AIDS impact mitigation.
Major international initiatives such as the in-country
endorsement process for FTI and the review of
progress towards the MDGs.
Studies and other research projects, for example,
by conducting a comprehensive review of the impact
of sexuality education in schools on attitudes
and behaviour of young people as is currently being
planned in Thailand.
Training events, for example, by including HIV and
AIDS forecasting in training on education planning
and management such as has been done in South
Africa.
Specifi c initiatives e.g. the establishment of an HIV
and AIDS unit in the Ministry of Education, or the
review of legislation regarding school inspection.