In Southern Africa especially, most of the generalist counterparts visited were challenged by their constituencies to integrate HIV/AIDS activities into their programme. It had become impossible to continue business as usual.
Counterparts also had to include HIV/AIDS services or modify their programme to increase the effectiveness of their core business (fighting sexual violence, training health care workers, conflict resolution, micro credits, promoting safer sex, livelihood, etc). Counterparts therefore did respond to emerging needs and understood their work would not longer be relevant in a HIV/AIDS context if they did not incorporate HIV/AIDS.
The relevance of HIV/AIDS integration is challenged in a context like that in Zimbabwe. The needs are so primary and omnipresent (poverty and hunger) and HIV/AIDS is not of primary concern to most of the constituencies. However, for example for Arise in Zimbabwe, it was necessary to become an HIV/AIDS specific organisation as no single HIV/AIDS provider was active in the wider communities.
In India, generalist organisations play a vital and hence relevant role in filling the gap regarding the prevention and destigmatisation of PLWHA against the background of a class and caste society. One of the significant outcomes of their work is that minority groups often excluded from information are being reached and have come to understand their susceptibility to HIV. NESA’s network of forty-two NGOs mainstreaming HIV/AIDS has considerable scope and real potential to make impact.
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