HC Deb 17 December 2002 vol 396 cc702-3W
John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress she has made with HIV\AIDS education within African school curriculum projects supported by her Department. [87170]

Clare Short

DFID is working with development partners to ensure that HIV is mainstreamed throughout education systems, plans and interventions in all African countries where we are providing education support. This includes working directly with Ministries of Education to ensure that school curricula address HIV and AIDS in a manner that is gender-sensitive and relevant to students.

We are also making progress by piloting targeted school-based HIV prevention programmes—the Nigeria Extended Life Planning Education Project is one such initiative.

DFID is also supporting innovative programmes in Southern Africa, using multiple media such as radio drama, pamphlets and cartoon books to communicate about HIV prevention. We are supporting Soul City on a regional initiative to provide materials on HIV\AIDS to all 12 to 16-year-olds in Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.