It is the responsibility of governments, working with civil society, to provide the leadership, means and coordination for national action aimed at reducing the vulnerability of MMPs to HIV.

2.  The migration/mobility cycle

Migration/mobility is a process with at least three and often four steps: departure (source/sending), transit, arrival (destination/receiving) and return. Policies and programmatic support will consider the entire cycle.

3.  Multi-sectoral responses and partnerships

Both HIV/AIDS and migration are impacted by a range of stakeholders. Both issues are best addressed through the involvement of a range of partners from government, civil society, private sectors and others. A multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral response is therefore an essential imperative that will guide the planning and implementation of the strategy. Effort will be made to move beyond the traditional partners (e.g. transport, health) to also include other sectors such as tourism, police, railways, immigration, labour unions and organizations as well as the employers’ unions in the response.

4.  Human rights and Universal Access

Operating in the HIV/AIDS environment requires dealing with stigmatized segments of the population, whose actions are frequently considered immoral at best and illegal at worst. This often results in abusive and discriminatory reactions. To counteract this, all stakeholders must ensure that their responses demonstrate respect for individual and collective rights. In this regard, a key element of the current strategy will be to promote and monitor the human rights of those MMPs most at risk, and those living with HIV or AIDS. Additionally, efforts will be made to ensure that MMPs and their family members have equitable and non-discriminatory access to prevention, treatment, care and support services, regardless of their status. This will be in accordance with Universal Access principles.

5.  Empowerment

Empowering MMPs is a crucial aspect of lowering their vulnerability to HIV infection. Despite the fact that they contribute to the development and sustenance of both source and destination economies, their positive role is often forgotten. They often end up in situations where they have little or no control over the choices available to them, including whether or not to engage in safe sex, how to access heath and education services, where to seek treatment, along with legal and social services. Both advocacy and capacity-building efforts will be informed by the important contribution being made by the migrants in the overall development of the region and stress the provision of migrant-friendly services.

6.  Involvement of MMPs and PLWHAs

MMPs and PLWHAs are not just recipients of social support services; they are also part of the solution. Their efforts, experiences and insights are valuable in all aspects of the national response, from policy development to programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. This principle is as true for the mobility-HIV vulnerability link as for all other HIV/AIDS issues.

7.  Harm reduction

The principle of harm reduction remains an important guiding principle in the overall response to HIV and AIDS. This means that the sexual and drug-using behaviour of all people, including MMPs, will be respected. Judgments should not be made about whether these behaviours are appropriate or not; instead, support will be given to make these behaviours as safe as possible.

8. Gender-sensitive approach

The strategy will take into account the specific vulnerabilities of men and women who migrate or are impacted by migration, recognizing that their needs and their experiences may differ at various stages of the migration cycle. This approach will ensure that not only women who move, but women who stay behind while the men migrate are also considered in the response planning.

9. Linguistic and cultural variables

The strategy will recognize and promote investigation of the specific linguistic and cultural variables of migrant and cross-border populations that may increase or decrease vulnerabilities to HIV and AIDS. In particular, the strategy will focus on cultural factors in the transmission and prevention of HIV and AIDS, address the structural vulnerabilities of ethnic and sexual minorities in the context of migration, and promote the right of all peoples to culturally appropriate HIV/AIDS information in their own language.