Mainstreaming

Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS is the process of integrating the approach to HIV/AIDS as a transversal topic in organisations and programmes and tackling it on as many levels as possible. Mainstreaming complements specific HIV/AIDS interventions such as large-scale information campaigns, the establishment of testing facilities or services relating to the treatment of infected individuals.

Mainstreaming activities help to link specific HIV/AIDS interventions of this kind and tend to act on two levels: firstly by approaching the question of HIV/AIDS in the workplace (education of employees, provision of preventive materials such as condoms, considering the problem of AIDS in employment contracts, payment of medical costs and provision of social benefits by the employer, etc.); secondly, by making HIV/AIDS part of the project management cycle - from the initial analysis of needs through implementation to evaluation.

Each sector and each project considers the impact of the epidemic on its work and target groups and the impact of programmes and their potential for influencing the HIV/AIDS situation.