Children Affected by HIV/AIDS: Rights and Responses in the Developing World

AIDS is now the greatest threat to child development in many parts of the world. In responding to HIV/AIDS, however, the children affected by the epidemic, especially those indirectly affected, are too often the forgotten ones. There is already a significant body of literature on the care and support of children living with HIV/AIDS, but most of this focuses on children in developed countries. The needs of children who are affected through the sickness and death of parents, guardians, siblings and others in the community, however, have not been seen as a priority – even though the number of such children dwarfs the number actually infected and will continue to do so.

This paper will examine the situation of children affected by HIV/AIDS who live in poor countries, and will analyse the responses of households, communities, programming organisations, governments and donors.