Migration and AIDS

AIDS and migration are two salient features of the latter half of this century. Over 30 million persons world-wide are estimated to be infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Concurrently, about 100 million persons move voluntarily within or between nations each year, while almost 40 million are either internally displaced or refugees outside their own countries. Previously, governments' main concern was that incoming migrants might bring HIV with them. While this scenario still applies, there is increasing recognition that migrants may be more vulnerable than local populations to acquiring the infection during migration, and that they may spread the infection upon return to their respective homes. This article is jointly authored by the two international organizations with major responsibilities in the fields of migration and HIV/AIDS. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) upholds the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. Among its responsibilities, the IOM is dedicated to advancing understanding of migration issues and work towards effective respect of the human dignity and well being of migrants. The United Nations Joint Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) is the main advocate for global action on HIV/AIDS. Part of its mission is to lead, strengthen and support an expanded response to the epidemic. UNAIDS does this through strategic alliances with its UN cosponsors as well as other partners. In order to address gaps in policy and research, and better identify the priorities for further work, UNAIDS and the IOM undertook a joint project to review the current state of knowledge about migration and HIV/AIDS, and to identify priority areas and issues for research and intervention. The long term objective of this work is to strengthen the joint action of IOM, UNAIDS and its cosponsors and other key players at the global, regional and country levels in order to advance the issues of AIDS and migration to a level of operational response to the epidemic.