Can Tanzania support the welfare needs of children affected by HIV/AIDS? The short answer to this question is, yes it can.
Tanzania has a programme to support the ‘most vulnerable children’. One deeper question concerns the extent of support which can and will be provided, including that from the government budget. The programme which is costed here would provide only modest assistance and while it undoubtedly would help improve the outcomes for very poor and vulnerable children, it is questionable whether it covers enough children and gives them enough assistance to be truly said to meet their welfare or social protection needs. A second deeper question is whether ‘children affected by HIV/AIDS’ warrant special support beyond that which would be available for children who are most vulnerable for whatever reason. Moreover, support specifically targeted at children affected by AIDS runs the risk of being stigmatising and discriminatory, even if it were practically feasible.
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This article comes from the IDS Bulletin 39.5 (2008) Can a Developing Country Support the Welfare Needs of Children Affected by AIDS? A Perspective from Tanzania