EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/642

(2004/C 88 E/0659)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3331/03

by Anne Van Lancker (PSE) to the Commission

(5 November 2003)

Subject: Defunding HIV/AIDS prevention programmes for refugees

On 27 August 2003, the US State Department announced that it would withhold funding for an HIV/AIDS prevention programme for refugees run by the RHR Consortium. (The members of the Consortium are the following: American Refugee Committee (ARC), CARE, Columbia University Heilbrunn Center for Population and Family Health, International Rescue Committee (IRC), JSI Research and Training Institute (JSI R&T), Marie Stopes International (MSI) and Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children (WCRWC).

Subsequently, on 29 August 2003, President Bush issued a Memorandum extending the ‘Mexico City Policy’, which had previously only applied to programmes administered by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to all voluntary population planning funds administered by the State Department. The State Department is still assessing which other programmes and organisations could be affected by this expansion of the US policy.

In view of this latest development, would the Commission be prepared once again to make funds available to minimise the damage caused to HIV prevention programmes for refugees?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(11 December 2003)

The Commission is concerned about decisions taken by the American administration to implement the so-called Mexico City Policy. This policy seriously undermines efforts by various organisations to address effectively the threat posed by the human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) to the health and life of people living in developing countries and to development overall. The Commission is very active in supporting prevention of HIV/AIDS in accordance with the framework of its Programme for Action on communicable diseases, targeting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, including, inter alia, substantial donations to the Global Fund (GFATM).

To help to address the lack of funding for certain key organisations, due to decisions taken by the United States, the Commission has decided to support the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) through additional funding. No specific funds have been allocated to address in particular HIV/AIDS among refugees. However, within the health programmes in refugee camps, the Commission funds a variety of activities. The activities funded in a specific country take into account the host country context, the dialogue with the national authorities, and the situation of the refugees vis à vis the local population to avoid discrepancies between the living conditions of the two groups.

The Commission's Humanitarian Office (ECHO), has in that perspective funded HIV/AIDS awareness raising activities including ‘theatre plays’ about HIV/AIDS issues, and standardised training material for training of local staff in refugee camps, transfer centres and for refugees going back to their country of origin. Also, the Commission has supported measures to ensure safe blood transfusion and application of universal precautions, condom distribution and tracing of sexually transmitted infections (STI). Ill refugees visiting the health centres in the camps are offered testing and counselling, but for care and treatment they are referred to national hospitals.