2.2.1. An enabling environment across multiple sectors

At the national level, political commitment at all levels has been shown to be essential for programme success. Multilevel interventions that seek to involve a variety of partners in coordinated action have been shown to be more successful than those that work in isolation (UNAIDS, 1999, 2000a). Furthermore, coordinated economic, political and social effort are required to reduce societal vulnerability, alongside programmes and interventions operating at individual and community levels. Global experience has shown the following elements to be among those central to effective national HIV prevention efforts (Piot and Aggleton, 1998):

· General awareness-raising activities to provide information and counter negative reactions among the population at large

· Focused persuasive action to meet the needs of specially vulnerable groups and communities, with steadily expanding coverage

· Multisectoral and multilevel partnerships to deliver programmes and services across a range of contexts

· Community ownership of programmes, and building upon the will of groups and individuals to contribute to national HIV prevention efforts

· Greater integration between prevention and care to reduce costs and to reduce levels of discrimination and stigmatization

· Action to build societal resistance to HIV transmission and reduce the systematic vulnerability of particular individuals, groups and sections of society