The EMPHASIS project aims to address HIV vulnerability among mobile populations traveling between Nepal, Bangladesh, and India over 5 years. It will establish service centers and linkages along migration routes to increase access to HIV prevention, testing, and treatment. It will also build capacity of partners, generate research on HIV and mobility, and advocate for supportive policies. The first year will focus on gathering baseline data and assessing needs to design effective interventions along the mobility corridors.

1. Enhancing Mobile Populations’
Access to HIV/AIDS Information
and Services (EMPHASIS)
General Overview
Revised May 2010
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

2. EMPHASIS
Enhancing Mobile Populations’ Access to HIV&AIDS
Services, Information & Support
BIG Lottery Fund grant: £5,102,419 (BD £722,833)
Duration: 5 years
Regional portfolio: Bangladesh, Nepal & India
Direct Beneficiaries: 141,307
Aim: To address HIV vulnerability amongst mobile populations in South Asia.
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

3. EMPHASIS
INDEX
Flow from Nepal and
Bangladesh to India
Backward flow from
India to Nepal and
Main target groups Bangladesh
Flow from Border to
destination Cities
 Mobile workers (men & women) from
Nepal and Bangladesh travelling to
India
 Wives & families in source
communities
Target Location
1. From Accham and Kanchanpur in Far
West Nepal to National Capital
Region of India
2. From Jessore and Sathkira in
Bangladesh to Kolkata Metropolitan
Area in West Bengal, India
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

4. EMPHASIS
HIV&AIDS and Mobility in South Asia Pop ulation
Exp l
oitation and
m ovem ent from
viol ence in
• Undocumented status of mobile population Bangl esh
ad
bord er or transit
and N ep al to
areas
Ind ia
• Political sensitivity of illegal migration
• High-risk behaviour in destination communities
• Women especially vulnerable to exploitation
• Lack of access to health care
Presence of
• Spouses and families highly exposed to risk of Vulnerabl to
e p op ulation
HIV & STIs HIV infection having high risk
behavior
• Discrimination and stigma
• Lack of coordinated approach to a cross-border Lack of health
issue care
infrastructure
• Lack of data to inform interventions and other civic
am enities in the
b ord er zone
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

5. EMPHASIS
CARE Piloting a comprehensive cross-border approach
 Working along the entire mobility continuum: source
(Bangladesh or Nepal) -> transit -> destination (India) ->
back to source country
 Setting up service networks linking into national health
systems
 Increasing access to prevention and treatment services
 Action research in order to add to the strategic information
available on HIV and Mobile populations towards the aim of
strengthening the advocacy platform
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

6. EMPHASIS
Objective 1: Demonstrating Good Practices
Setting up a model for good practice for accessing and providing services to mobile
populations vulnerable to HIV&AIDS
• Establishing service centres throughout the mobility route
• Establishing a service linkage network
• Increasing access to Voluntary Counselling and Testing, condom provision, advice
and information
• Providing uniform messages to influence behaviour change
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

7. EMPHASIS
Objective 2: Enhancing capacities
Enhancing the capacity of various partners, strengthening mechanisms for consistency
and facilitating linkages among service providers and organisations
• Understanding gender dimensions of HIV and mobility
• Raising awareness of specific vulnerabilities to HIV arising out of mobility
• Supporting service providers to reach out to mobile populations sensitively
• Increase the quality and access of services for mobile populations and their families
• Key Targets: government agencies, health service providers, CSO service providers,
PLWHA networks, research institutes and organisations.
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

8. EMPHASIS
Objective 3: Research and Advocacy
Generating evidence on HIV and mobility to influence national and regional
policy-making.
• Specific research to generate information to strengthen policy advocacy:
baseline and end line studies; mapping and analysis of laws, policies and
systems which frame the scope for reducing vulnerability of migrants; in-
depth study on the vulnerabilities faced by mobile populations and the
families; documenting good practice models.
• Publication and dissemination of research findings
• Policy Advocacy: briefing papers, advocacy and campaigning
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

9. EMPHASIS
Next Steps
Year one of the programme has been designated
the Building Knowledge Phase.
• Build knowledge, information, and analysis while
supporting existing services for the sub-impact
groups.
• Using analysis to clarify assumptions about
services for each of the two mobility routes
– Assess: Inputs → Outputs → Outcomes →
Impact
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

10. Key Task for the
Knowledge Building Phase
• Define Mobile Populations and sub-populations
• Describe the Impact Population (Primary
Beneficiaries)
• Define the Target Population (Secondary
Beneficiaries)
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

11. Key Task for the Knowledge
Building Phase, cont.
• Identify for the Impact Population in relation to HIV risk
• Mapping along the mobility route of:
– Key service providers
– Key state and district actors (including security forces)
– Risk hotspots
– Resource inventory
• Resource gaps analysis along the route
– What services are missing
– What services are insufficient – access, quality
• Identify potential community human resources (including
potential community leaders, volunteers, educators,
mobilisers)
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

12. Key Task for the Knowledge
Building Phase, cont.
• Begin to identify potential indicators to measure:
– Vulnerabilities
– Determinants of vulnerabilities
– Risk
– Effectiveness
– Capacity
– Attribution
• Baseline Survey of mobile workers, communities, service
providers (including EMPHASIS stakeholders) and other
stake holders on "HIV" and "mobility"
– Including quality standards for services
• Situational Analysis by source, transit, and destination
communities
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

13. Key Task for the Knowledge
Building Phase, cont.
• Analysis of relevant laws and policies from local
to regional
– What laws and policies exists
– How are they implemented and enforced
– How supportive are they
• Government engagement plan from local to
regional
– Within the country
– Cross-border
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

14. Key Task for the Knowledge
Building Phase, cont.
• Analysis of existing or past programmes across the route
(in terms of interventions and activities – DICs, Outreach,
Peer Education, etc.)
– Who has done what
– What has worked
– What has not worked
– Attribution of programmes impacting communities
– Synergies with EMPHASIS – including linkages to
existing programmes (e.g., C-NP Safe Passages)
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.

15. Thank You
Defending dignity.
Fighting poverty.