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Todd Shapera,India, A woman from the village of Bagi kissing her infant

UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development

Mike Jay Browne, Romania, A homeless family living on waste ground near the Arad railway station

JHU/CCP, A man holding his daughter on his shoulder

Working Group on Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Working Group & Member Publications on Orphans & Vulnerable Children

Working Group/Consortium Publications

Review:
UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development, 2005
Civil Society Involvement in Rapid Assessment, Analysis and Action Planning (RAAAP) for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
An Independent Review by Louisa Gosling.
Download PDF file (2.92MB)

Report:
UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development, 2004
Symposium on Sharing of Best Practice in Orphans and Vulnerable Children Programming Workshop Report, November 2004
UK Consortium on AIDS & International Development Working Group on Orphans and Vulnerable Children and the UK Department for International Development (DfID). Published: 2005. Contents: Session 1 – Strengthening the Capacity of Families: Healthlink Worldwide: Communicating to Strengthen Family Capacity; HelpAge International: Living Together. Session 2 – Mobilise & Support Community Based Responses: Promising Practices in OVC Responses; Strengthening Community Structures. Session 3 – OVC Access to Essential Services. Session 4 - Government Protection of Vulnerable Children: Developing a national social protection strategy in Ghana; Responding to OVC in a humanitarian aid context in Zimbabwe. Session 5 – Advocacy & Social Mobilisation: Social Inclusion for OVC: Learning from Africa and Asia; Strengthening Social Mobilisation Efforts at the Community Level.
Download PDF file (266KB, 24 pages)

Paper:
Working Group on Orphans & Vulnerable Children
Submission to the International Development Committee Evidence Session on AIDS Orphans. March 2004.
Download a Word file of this document

Member Publications

Reports:

Save the Children Fund, 2005
Bottlenecks and Dripfeeds: Channelling resources to communities responding to orphans and vulnerable children in southern Africa
by Geoff Foster
One of the biggest challenges in southern Africa is how to support the huge and growing numbers of orphans and vulnerable children within their own communities. Small groups of committed community members are already caring for children - but are in urgent need of more funds and technical support to ensure all orphans and vulnerable children receive the support they need. This briefing document summarises findings from recent research by Save the Children UK in southern Africa and offers key recommendations. It identifies a number of 'bottlenecks' that are stopping the smooth flow of funds to support community initiatives: providing resources to communities is not taken seriously at global and national level; current mechanisms do not allow for resource 'flows' that reach community-based organisations (CBOs); lack of clarity about the numbers of children reached and the quality of interventions; donors and governments are not held accountable for spending to support community initiatives.
Download PDF file (179KB, 38 pages)

World Vision UK, 2005
More than words?
Action for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Africa
Monitoring progress towards the UN Declaration of Commitment
on HIV/AIDS
Given the devastating impact on these children’s lives, urgent international action is needed to ensure that their rights are protected and needs met. In 2001, specific commitments to orphans and vulnerable children were made as part of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS – commitments which were to be met by 2005. Despite this, many governments and donors have fallen short of the promises made and progress has been frustratingly slow. Intended to inform and challenge, More than words? is a qualitative investigation of how far the rights and needs of orphans and vulnerable children are being met in four of the worst-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Based on surveys and focus group discussions with children, parents, caregivers
and officials in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia, this report offers a timely insight into how far the commitments are being met and provides practical recommendations for action at both national and international level.
Download PDF file (4MB, 67 pages)

RAISA-VSO, 2004
Conference on Orphans and Vulnerable Children
The focus of the conference was looking at rights of the child, treatment, care and support, caring for carers. Youth delegates took part in skills building sessions on art and play therapy and hero books, on day three of the conference the youth delegates facilitated the adults through a taster of the skills building.
Download PDF file of the report (903.4KB)

Tearfund, 2004
Reaching out? Donor approaches to faith-based organisations in the response to HIV/AIDS
”A number of major donor agencies and governments are showing increased interest in the response to HIV/AIDS by faith-based organisations (FBOs). This briefing paper highlights the responses of FBOs, analyses current responses by donors to FBOs in the context of HIV/AIDS and makes recommendations for DFID and other donors to ensure that those working effectively at local level are provided with appropriate support.”
Download PDF file of the report

Tearfund, 2004
Poor relations? PRSPs and the response to HIV/AIDS and children
”HIV/AIDS is a key driver in increasing poverty and reversing development gains for children and their communities. This briefing paper analyses the vision and reality of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) in responding to HIV/AIDS, considers the future of PRSPs in increasing responses to HIV/AIDS, and makes recommendations for action for DFID and other donors to ensure that support for national PRSPs maximises the impact of resources in responding to HIV/AIDS.”
Download PDF file of report

Member Toolkits:

HIV/AIDS Alliance and Family Health International, 2005
Orphans and other vulnerable children support toolkit
Online toolkit on supporting orphans and other vulnerable children, which shares learning and resources from a wide range of organisations. Many countries now have to cope with large numbers of children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. Families, communities and organisations are providing considerable levels of support to orphans and other vulnerable children, often in difficult circumstances. As a consequence, there is growing evidence of what works and what does not work in supporting them.

www.ovcsupport.net covers the following broad categories: Running a programme; Health and nutrition; Education; Psychosocial support; Economic strengthening; Living environments; Children’s rights. Each category has several sections and sub-sections – over seventy sections in all, on a wide range of topics concerning community-based support to orphans and vulnerable children. Using www.ovcsupport.net , users can download publications, find out about experiences in particular countries, read about terminology, learn about monitoring and evaluation, and contribute and make comments.
Web: www.ovcsupport.net

Member Guides:

International HIV/AIDS Alliance, 2004
A Parrot on your shoulder – a guide for people starting to work with orphans and vulnerable children
“A parrot on your shoulder” is one of a series of resources that the Alliance is developing to encourage participation in practice. It seeks to support individuals and organisations working with orphans and other vulnerable children living in a world with HIV/AIDS. This fully illustrated activity guide aims to meet the needs of people who want more meaningful engagement with children by providing activities that will help them get started.
It provides advice on children’s participation, as well 30 detailed examples for activities aimed at engaging children actively in discussions. The guide includes activities for: Ice breakers and energizers; Group work and co-operation; Observation, active listening and analytical skills; Drama, mime and role play; Painting and drawing. This guide is aimed at facilitators, trainers, NGOs and CBOs who are starting to work with children.
Download a PDF file of the guide

Other key documents

HIV/AIDS and the rights of the child, General Comment No.3
Committee on the Rights of the Child, March 2003