Ethiopia is among the hardest hit countries of the world by HIV/AIDS catastrophe. Multi-sectoral
Approach has been implemented as one of the national prevention strategies against the
impacts of the pandemic in public, private sectors at all levels. However, HIV/AIDS issue is not
yet seriously taken as a top priority development agenda. Hence, taking this implementation gap
into consideration, this study was conducted with the main objective to assess whether this
HIV/AIDS mainstreaming has been effectively implemented or not in the Finance and Economic
Development Sector (FEDS) of the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region
(SNNPR), Ethiopia.
The survey conducted had an open and semi- structured questionnaire and a qualitative focus
group discussion. A cluster sampling was employed, in which 13 zonal geographical clusters
offices of the sector in the region were considered for the quantitative study. For the qualitative
part of the study, purposive sampling technique, in which a focus group discussion composed of
the regional bureau and 2 central zones officers were included.
Accordingly, in this survey 1 staff from the regional bureau and 13 from zonal (branch offices), a
total of 14 HIV/AIDS mainstreaming officers, as well as 14 planning officers from respective
offices with 2 key informants from regional health sector, which is a total of 30 respondents were
involved for interviews. Furthermore, the survey was supported by one focus group discussion (a
group of 12 participants) comprising relevant staff members from the regional bureau and from 2
central zonal offices (Sidama and Hawassa City Administration). The focus group discussion
was composed of participants from Human resource, Gender mainstreaming, public relation and
Monitoring and Evaluation secondary processes of the 3 respective offices of the sector.
The findings of this study had revealed that all of the 14 offices (100%) had HIV/AIDS
mainstreaming focal persons that have a clear job description. In addition it was established that
all of the sector offices, 14 (100%), were undertaking condom promotion and distribution
activities. Similarly, the majority, 12 (86 %) of the sector offices were found promoting and
advocating for their staff to receive the HIV VCT services so as to demand the necessary care
and support if positive. However, despite the existence of care and support activities for HIV
positive people and other vulnerable children in all study institutions, only limited, (a total of 13
HIV positive staff members and only 1 orphan), had received the aforementioned care and
support in the sector offices. A finding which might indicate that still people do not want to
disclose themselves as the level of stigma and descrimination is high.
Hence, this study concludes that the response of the FEDS in SNNPR through HIV/AIDS
mainstreaming activities into their core–sector specific activities remained to be ineffective as
only the activities indicated at the early implementation stage of the UNDP,2005 HIV/AIDS
mainstreaming guideline, that could not move beyond stage-I of HIV/AIDS mainstreaming, were
undertaken in almost all levels the sector offices. However, major activities in the guideline like
AIDS risk analysis of sector workers, Impact analysis to assess the impact of AIDS on the
sector, Actions to mitigate impact implemented, Analysis of sector policies, strategies and
actions and reflection on these policies and interventions and the like were found to be
untouched by any of the office found under the study sector. Taking the findings of this study as
a baseline, continuous capacity building on the concept and details of HIV/AIDS mainstreaming
and taking practical measures to enhance the top leadership commitment to implement all
activities of HIV/AIDS mainstreaming were the major recommendations of this research.