The urgency in responding to a fuelling epidemic led to the formation of the HIV and AIDS thematic in 2005 within ActionAid International India. The HIV and AIDS strategy of AAI India is underpinned by the organisation's broad values of mutual respect, equity and justice, solidarity with poor and marginalized people and courage of conviction and humility. It is estimated that 5.1million people are living with HIV and AIDS in India . What was predominantly an urban phenomenon amongst people with high-risk behaviour has now spread to the general population, particularly women in monogamous relationships. It is now also a rural problem and has spread into the bastion of Indian society- the family home. Several factors are fuelling the epidemic, including denial, poverty, gender inequalities and violence against women. Interventions are hindered by a high degree of stigma and discrimination and an entrenched unwillingness to discuss issues of sex and sexuality. At a macro level, legally the odds are stacked against people living with HIV and AIDS, with numerous human rights violations and an unfortunate lack of governance on health and education issues. The Government responses are focussed on Prevention among high risk groups and in the six high prevalence states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra , Karnataka, Manipur and Nagaland only.

The RIGHTS approach to HIV and AIDS: ActionAid India looks at HIV and AIDS as a Rights Issue closely linked with Poverty and Gender inequities. Gender inequality has turned a devastating disease into an economic and social crisis. Poverty linked migration and trafficking has aggravated vulnerabilities leading to HIV. Lack of favourable policies and legal protection to PLWHAs pushes them further into the corner of exclusion.

Our approach hence is to uphold three interlinking rights such as The Right to Dignity, the Right to Self Determination and The Right to Comprehensive Care with a special focus on Women and Children.

The Right to Dignity: We partner with excluded and discriminated groups of people like Eunuchs, MSMs, Commercial sex workers and PLWHAs and mobilise them to address stigma and discrimination and exclusion forced upon them by the state and civil society. We further facilitate linkages with Social Justice Movements to strengthen their fight.

The Right to Self Determination: We harness our resources to build the capacities of excluded groups to facilitate greater involvement and meaningful participation of Positive people in HIV and AIDS programmes and to facilitate access to rights and resources. We support leadership development among PLWHAs for information, communication and Advocacy.

The Right to Comprehensive Care: We believe that Care is the Crux. We believe in a holistic approach where prevention and care goes hand in hand. Care includes dealing with issues of fear, stigma and discrimination, nutrition, employment, education, shelter and violence etc. We believe that care must be accessible, affordable, confidential, non-discriminatory and of minimum acceptable standards.

OUR WORK WITH COMMUNITIES:
Though in its nascent stage the HIV and AIDS thematic has deepened its work to 10 states in India , which has initiated programmes with People Living with HIV and AIDS.

• Guwahati: The first region to initiate HIV and AIDS work in India . Supports the Manipur Network of Positive People (MNP+) working towards positive living with its branches in all the nine districts of Manipur. 'Nothing about us...without us' is their slogan. The focus is on home-based care, counseling for positive living, formation of mutual support groups, with thrust on medical needs as well as social issues such as life skill development. Injecting Drug Use is the major cause of HIV in this area where there is a large number of AIDS widows and HIV orphans. Foster Care of orphans within the communities is promoted where 100 positive children are supported through an ActionAid programme here.

• Andhra Pradesh: ActionAid supports WINS, a local organisation to form collectives of sex workers and positive people. It has led to the formation of Chittoor Network of Positive people to provide support in times of distress to the families of PLWHAs. Alternate livelihood options and legal aid is provided to fight stigma and discrimination faced by women. Support has been mobilised from government hospitals for medical assistance. Positive children and children vulnerable to HIV are a special focus of the programme. WINS provides support to 100 positive children supported by ActionAid Italy .

• Tamil Nadu: ActionAid has started working with a positive network (SIPN) with about 1700 positive people from the Hijra community in Tamil Nadu. The focus is on understanding their needs, advocating for free ARVs, treatment and care for PLWHAs. They also work with an initiative for 1600 sex workers and their children in 3 districts where the focus is on advocating for safe sex and creating awareness on the high risk behaviour aspect.

• Karnataka: AAI supports MILANA a Family support Network of PLWHAs which works with about 250 +ve women, 100 positive children and their families. ActionAid has also initiated Abhaya- a health initiative of ActionAid Karnataka Projects, a five year focused HIV prevention project with more than 2000 women in Sex work and MSMs in Davangere and Shimoga districts. P LWHA Networks are also being formed both in Davangere and Shimoga districts. The regional office produced the Indian Adapted version of Stepping Stones which was released in December 2004. Stepping Stones is being implemented with PLHAS and Sex workers. The region has put in efforts of integrating HIV and AIDS work within their programmes working on issues of Violence Against Women and in other larger development initiatives.

• Maharashtra : SAMVAAD is a resource centre initiated at ActionAid in Mumbai. The centre trains community leaders and CBO functionaries on the Stepping Stones module. The region partners with CYDA, an NGO which has taken SS to 14 districts of Maharashtra which uses it as a powerful behavioural change tool among youths. Maharashtra Association of SS Trainers (MAAST) was established and the Marathi Manual was produced.

• Uttar Pradesh: In Lucknow ActionAid is part of the HIV&AIDS Citizen's Forum (formed with joint efforts of few individuals in Lucknow  in solidarity with +ve people). ActionAid is also collaborating with the upcoming UP network of positive people whom we are supporting for community mobilisation. They have been successful in removing discriminatory hoardings put up by the state AIDS Prevention Society and UNICEF. Efforts are also onto set up the Allahabad Positive Peoples Network, to do a study on the prevalence of HIV in UP and also to review the IEC materials available and being used in UP to address HIV and AIDS related issues.

• West Bengal : The Kolkotta regional office supports the Bhorukha Charitable Trust. The partner organisation, Bhalobasa works on three levels: The first level is with the individual, Bhalobasa (a care centre) provides institutional care and support. Second, they work with the family, sensitizing them on how they can support their family member. Thirdly, they work with the community, aiming to create an enabling and caring environment for positive people so that they can remain in their communities and continue to be as productive as possible.

• Delhi : In Delhi ActionAid India provides Fellowship to two people from the Delhi Network of Positive People to develop their capacities and form a Network of Positive people.

• Gujarat : In Gujarat ActionAid has initiated its work on care by identifying positive people from the Kutch Network of Positive People and Lakshya - a CBO working with MSMs in Baroda for fellowships. They collaborate very closely with the Gujarat SAPS, GNP + and SAHAS- a care and support NGO.

• Bhubaneswar : The Bhubaneswar regional office too has identified positive people for fellowships to initiate their work on HIV and AIDS.

NATIONAL LEVEL THEMATIC WORK:

Campaign:

• ActionAid India is an active member of the AA International HIV and AIDS campaign. ActionAid International campaign is on "Unblocking resources" for Care and support for the poorest positive person in a community. As part of this we have initiated work on Budget Tracking and Analysis within the country focussing on the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
• The Asia Pacific Alliance to Combat HIV & AIDS was formed in Bangkok in July 2004 with the Peoples Health Movement and t he People's Charter on HIV & AIDS was unveiled.  Maharashtra , Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad regions have organised state level meetings. A positive woman from Karnataka , India has been nominated as the India representative to APPACHA. Efforts are on to strengthen APPACHA at various states and at the India level.
• As part of our campaign on making the Voices of PLWHAs heard, ActionAid India co-sponsored the AIDS India conference 2005 held in Chennai in October, 2005 and organised a Special Workshop on Women, Girls and HIV and AIDS where positive women from MILANA and Chittoor Network addressed the participants. We facilitated the participation of about 100 PLWHAs in this medical conference and ensured their voices are heard creating the linkages between medical and social issues.
• The regions have identified 20 positive people, mostly women from across the country for leadership Development for Advocacy. This group will form the core campaign group for ActionAid India in future.
• PLWHA groups across the country along with NGOs and Movements are now being encouraged and provided space to discuss issues of patents and drugs and its impact on PLWHAs. HIV and AIDS has become an integral part of the Peoples Caravan for Justice, Dignity and sovereignty.
  

Programme:

• The thematic Unit is now in the process of developing a Peer Education Module for PLWHAs and Sex workers.
• STEPPING STONES is being promoted as a participatory module for behavioural change in communities. Lucknow , Kolkotta and Chennai regions will be implementing SS besides Karnataka and Maharashtra .
• As part of research and Documentation produced five articles.

1. Drug Patents and its impact on PLWHAs in India
2. MDG 6 an Ambitious goal for Asian countries.
3. Access to Medicine for PLWHAs in India.
4. Shattered Dreams- A situational Needs Assessment of Positive Children in Bangalore , Karnataka.
5. Guidelines on Integrating HIV and AIDS into Development Projects.