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Abstract:
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Malawi’s high HIV burden means that one in six children are highly vulnerable and one in ten adults are living with HIV.1 In this context, designing a national child protection system presents particular challenges. In summary, a child protection system is a coordinated and systematic effort to improve the protection of children vulnerable to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect. This paper looks at the key issues confronting children affected by AIDS, and the degree to which these issues can be met by a well-designed, HIV sensitive child protection system. It documents the emerging child protection system and the situation of children affected by AIDS in Malawi. It then examines coverage and gaps for children affected by AIDS against the national child protection system currently being developed. The paper demonstrates that with an HIV-sensitive approach, it is possible to establish a system that protects children from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect while mitigating the impact of HIV. HIV-specific health services and livelihood support are the biggest gaps in terms of meeting the holistic needs of children affected by AIDS through the child protection system. The paper reinforces the need for strong coordination between the child protection system and health, education and social protection sectors to ensure comprehensive impact mitigation for children affected by AIDS. |