Policy and Strategy Programme

CADRE conducts a range of social, behavioural and epidemiological research in southern Africa. These studies inform policy and strategy in the region. This programme also includes the development and promotion of critical perspectives on the relationship between HIV/AIDS and social contexts through theoretical development, methodology development and rigorous approaches to research.

CADRE has conducted a number of internal policy and strategy reviews for international donor bodies and foundations, and is also involved in drafting and commenting on national and sub-national HIV/AIDS strategies, mainly in southern Africa.

Key projects include:

  • Research and development of a national HIV and AIDS multisectoral communication strategy for the government of Mauritius.
  • Conducting the 2002 and 2005 South African national HIV prevalence, behaviour and communication surveys in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Medical Research Council (MRC). Work is also ongoing on a third survey to be conducted in 2008.
  • Providing technical support to the Department for International Development (DFID) Multisectoral Support Framework for South Africa in partnership with Constella Futures UK. This includes support to strategy and programmatic interventions conducted by national government departments, provincial governments and non-governmental organisations.
  • Conducting HIV/AIDS socio-behavioural and communications surveys in Namibia in partnership with Johns Hopkins University Center for Communications Programs and Nawa Life Trust.
  • Conducting research into the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV with various local and international partners. This has included an assessment of the national PMTCT programme and an ongoing evaluation of an intervention aimed at improving infant feeding practices.
  • CADRE, in collaboration with the Epicentre and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, is conducting workplace HIV seroprevalence and impact studies in KwaZulu-Natal. The project, supported by the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, is conducting workplace HIV surveys, providing VCT, and conducting impact analysis in four sectors.
  • CADRE, in partnership with the Epicentre, conducts workplace HIV surveys and provides VCT services throughout South Africa.
  • Apparel Lesotho Alliance to Fight AIDS (ALAFA) included a linkage between CADRE and ComMark/DFID to conduct research into the feasibility of a private sector response to HIV/AIDS in the apparel sector in Lesotho. A public-private partnership has subsequently been established, and CADRE remains involved in implementation.

Some of our policy and strategy consultancies include:

  • An assessment of funding, policy and programmatic responses to HIV/AIDS in Africa for the Ford Foundation.
  • A review of private sector response to HIV/AIDS in Lesotho for DFID.
    An analysis of the epidemiology of infectious diseases in the Lesotho Highlands in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council and for the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority.
  • Contributions to the KwaZulu-Natal Comprehensive Integrated HIV and AIDS Strategy for the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government.
  • An evaluation of the Public-Private Partnership against HIV/AIDS in Namibia for the World Bank.
  • An evaluation of the Partnership on HIV/AIDS and Mobile Populations in Southern Africa (PHAMSA) project for the International Organisation for Migration.
  • An evaluation of the Ndwedwe Integrated TB/HIV/AIDS Programme (NITHAP) funded by USAID.

Copies of publications on HIV/AIDS policy, strategy and epidemiology can be found in the Publications & Presentation menu or use the search.