Health and Development Networks (HDN) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for Southern Africa are pleased to announce a forthcoming time-limited structured discussion on: HIV/AIDS AND MOBILE POPULATIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA This discussion will take place on the AF-AIDS electronic discussion forum (eForum) between February - June 2005.

The overall aims of this discussion are to share our experiences and raise awareness about the issues of mobile populations and HIV/AIDS, particularly in the Southern African region. The discussion will explore the specific factors that increase HIV/AIDS vulnerability for mobile populations as well as examine how HIV/AIDS affects migration patterns. It will also focus on the particular challenges raised by dwindling human resources in the healthcare sector and its links to HIV/AIDS. Your contributions and comments on the following themes will be particularly encouraged:

Topic 1: Migration and HIV/AIDS - How does migration and population mobility lead to increased HIV/AIDS vulnerabilities in Southern Africa?

Topic 2: Migration and HIV/AIDS - How does HIV/AIDS affect migration and population mobility patterns?

Topic 3: The brain drain of healthcare professionals from Southern Africa The discussion will begin soon, although we welcome your early contributions now.

If you are already a member of the AF-AIDS eForum DO NOTHING, further information will be sent to you in the next few days. To join the eForum, send an email to:

[email protected] More information on the links between HIV/AIDS and mobile populations in Southern Africa may be found on the IOM website: www.iom.org.za Following the discussion, a summary will be prepared that captures the highlights of all contributions - all contributors will be duly acknowledged and cited. The summary will be published by IOM/HDN in hard copy as well as CD-Rom versions.

If you have any questions about the discussion, or would like to be more directly involved, please let us know. We look forward to working together to make this a stimulating and meaningful discussion on this important topic of HIV/AIDS and mobile populations in the region.

HDN eForum Resource Team Email: [email protected]
Web: www.hdnet.org