HIV/AIDS affects people in their most productive years. From being a nascent health issue two decades ago, HIV/AIDS has emerged as the most formidable development challenge facing the world today. The Asia Pacific region now has one of the fastest infection rates in the world and the second largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS. The challenge for the region is to mobilise multi-sectoral responses that address the short term emergency of the epidemic and its long-term human development impact.

The UNDP Regional HIV and Development Programme for Asia seeks to address the development and trans-border challenges of HIV/AIDS in Asia Pacific region and supports integrated, rights-based, multi-sectoral responses that promote gender equality, sustainable livelihood and community participation. Our focus areas of work include: policy advocacy and outreach, mobility and HIV/AIDS, including trafficking of people, capacity development, and empowerment of people living with HIV/AIDS.

The HIV Practice Team also provides technical and substantive support to key partners including UNDP country offices in the Asia-Pacific region. These include programme formulation, monitoring and evaluation, strategic planning and HIV mainstreaming, socioeconomic impact studies, leadership for results, people living with HIV/AIDS and access to treatment issues, GFATM processes, and ICT and web-based tools for enhanced outreach of information and services. In addition to the internal resources, the Programme draws on a pool of high quality experts.