The objective of this report to UNICEF is to provide decision makers, programme managers and advocates for children with evidence and guidance for setting priorities for the protection and care for children in the face of HIV and AIDS in East Asia and Pacific. Evidence on the situation of children and HIV in the region, and on the effectiveness of different solutions, remain limited.
What counts as evidence in international policy (‘gold standard’ evidence-base for ‘best practice’) further restricts the development of effective national and regional solutions: What can be generalized across contexts is not necessarily the most significant epidemiological driver of the disease in local contexts. However, a regional perspective can provide an overview of local evidence and enable operational possibilities to be shared. Such a perspective can address the disparity between global guidance and local variation. It can also provide countries and stakeholders with opportunities to address cross-border aspects of the problem in ways which may include responding positively and collectively to issues such as migration vis à vis HIV, and building a shared pool of expertise and evidence that may be used to frame a cohesive regional approach.
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