The International HIV/AIDS Alliance supports ‘linking organizations’ in various developing countries which, in turn, support local NGOs to carry out HIV/AIDS activities with local communities. Experience and accumulated evidence has shown that information, education and communication (IEC) alone is often insufficient to bring about sustained behaviour change, or substantially impact on people’s ability to protect themselves from HIV infection. Issues discussed are: ‘ain’t misbehavin’, what’s your problem anyway?’; shifting the primary focus to vulnerability; addressing vulnerability through participation and empowerment; examples of community identified strategies responding to HIV/AIDS (addressing social contexts and peer norms in participatory group work; addressing people’s vulnerability by working with other sexual partners; addressing gaps in service provision; addressing other contextual factors and linking those to HIV/AIDS; mobilizing and empowering marginalized groups); ten lessons learned.
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