Call To Action - Toronto 2006

T O RO N T O 2006

CALL TO ACTION

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Prioritise everyday systems of care – families, schools and communities

Coalition on Children Affected by HIV/AIDS, working group on psychosocial wellbeing of young children in sub-Saharan African communities affected bij HIV/AIDS

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The most appropriate and sustainable sources of psychosocial wellbeing for young children come from caring relationships in the home, school and community.

Supportive families and communities nurture and sustain children’s resilience. All efforts to enhance the psychosocial wellbeing of young children must support these natural systems of care in everyday life. Children in stress are calmed and reassured when the environment and activities of normal life are restored.

HIV/AIDS undermines the psychosocial wellbeing of young children in affected communities, impairing their long-term development. Too few resources are going into promoting the psychosocial wellbeing of young children – and they are concentrating too heavily on intensive support for small numbers of children. They are not benefitting the majority of children. They are not paying enough attention to building the capacity of families and communities to promote psychosocial wellbeing.

The Coalition on Children Affected by HIV/AIDS <www.ccaba.org> commends to participants at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, August 2006, the following call to action: 1. Prioritise everyday systems of care – families, schools and communities 2. Invest long-term in integrated services to promote psychosocial wellbeing 3. Realise the right of all children to access these integrated services 4. Demand that more governments take the lead in guaranteeing this right 5. Earmark resources for applied research to expand the evidence base

CALL TO ACTION

TO R O N T O 2 0 0 6

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Invest long-term in integrated services to promote psychosocial wellbeing

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Demand that more governments take the lead in guaranteeing this right

The psychosocial wellbeing of children and their primary caregivers is best supported by integrated services that address economic, material, social, emotional and spiritual needs. Long-term investments in community development, health, education and family support services are mose sustainable and successful than shortterm, crisis-driven interventions.

Governments must lead and resource a coordinated effort that matches the generally vigorous responses to support vulnerable children that have come so far from civil society. Systems to guarantee universal access to health and education must be strengthened. Social security underpins formal and informal, community-based, safety nets.

CALL TO ACTION

CALL TO ACTION

TO R O N T O 2 0 0 6

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www.ccaba.org

TORONTO 2006

www.ccaba.org

Realise the right of all children to access these integrated services

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www.ccaba.org

Earmark resources for applied research to expand the evidence base

Rights are fulfilled through state services to which all caregivers and their children are entitled. These include education, health and social servtices. Universal access will also address many of the most pressing needs of very vulnerable children. Services and programmes must provide for the differing needs of boys and girls, younger and older children, and children living in a variety of settings.

We need to learn from experience and apply lessons learnt from other fields, rather than treat HIV/AIDS as a special case in all respects. More evidence, including impact assessments, is crucial to guide and sustain appropriate and effective action.

CALL TO ACTION

CALL TO ACTION

TO R O N T O 2 0 0 6

www.ccaba.org

TORONTO 2006

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www.ccaba.org

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