The integration of HIV/AIDS issues into the environmental assessment process for World Bank-funded development projects

The World Bank commissioned a feasibility study into the potential for integrating HIV/AIDS issues in to the Environmental Assessment process for development projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. This report represents the findings of the study. Within all sectors, HIV/AIDS impacts on development and is resulting in a retardation of the development process being made in Africa. As a result of this impact on development, there is an imperative to consider HIV/AIDS in World Bank-funded development projects. Less obvious but equally compelling is the potential negative impact of development projects themselves on the transmission of HIV. In recent years, developers have recognized that some projects can lead to the unintentional increase in transmission of HIV because of activities related to the project. Development projects can lead to problems such as increased mobility of people, separation of men from their families, and income inequalities. These factors promote risky sexual behavior that can lead to increased transmission of HIV. In order to mitigate these impacts as far as possible, an assessment of HIV/AIDS is necessary to identify potential impacts and put into pace mitigation measures to reduce the impacts. The report concluded that using the EA process as a vehicle for HIV/AIDS assessment and management is a logical approach for a number of reasons, including: 1) The broadening focus of EA includes consideration of human health issues and elements of HIV/AIDS issues have already been incorporated into the EA of Bank-funded projects, albeit on an ad hoc basis. 2) EA is a process allowing the early screening of all Bank-funded projects. 3) The EA process follows a project from initiation through implementation and thus allows HIV/AIDS issues to be brought into the project at the start and carried through to the end of the project cycle. 4) HIV/AIDS prevalence in an area can lead to the failure of a development project and projects must take account of HIV/AIDS before development. 5) The EA already has an established process that can be adapted to include HIV/AIDS impacts. 6) Integrating HIV/AIDS issues to EA mitigates the need for development projects to undergo an additional assessment process.