IOM

IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental, international organisation, IOM collaborates with its partners in the international community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants.

HIV, as with migration, is linked with youth, poverty, and increasing economic disparities as economies modernise and grow. Changing economic structures mean that some families and individuals become more vulnerable to a range of social problems, including HIV, and attract migrants to the workforce who might be vulnerable to increased risk behaviour. HIV is a programme priority for IOM and addressing HIV issues fits well within the organisation’s mandate as the only international agency to deal with the entire spectrum of migrant and mobile populations and during all phases of the mobility process.

IOM’s programme priorities related to HIV include:

• Advocacy and policy development
• Capacity building
• Mainstreaming
• Research and information dissemination

In Vietnam, IOM works collaboratively with governments, intergovernmental organisations, NGOs, and migrants on a wide range of HIV/AIDS initiatives. IOM is a member of the UN theme group on HIV/AIDS in Vietnam and focuses on preventing HIV and TB transmission, as well as exploring methods to provide care and treatment for migrant and mobile people with HIV. IOM will continue assessments to determine migrants’ access to health care and social services, health seeking behaviour, and self-esteem and health care and prevention. In Vietnam and the region, IOM has conducted confidential HIV counselling and testing for migrants for over ten years. IOM pioneered counselling and testing for migrants in Southeast Asia, developing guidelines for laboratory practices, as well as the ethical and professional provision of culturally-sensitive pre-test and post-test counselling. IOM started working in Vietnam in 1987 and since 1992, IOM has provided HIV counselling and testing to a total of 262,428 migrants.

IOM in Vietnam can be reached at iomvietnam@iom.int.vn and more information is available at www.iom.int.vn and www.iom.int.

(Updated June 2005)