Humanitarian Settings and Pandemics

The Joint Programme contributed to preparedness and continuity of HIV and sexual and reproductive health services in humanitarian settings in 2025 through support for operational guidance development, integration of HIV into humanitarian response systems, expansion of community-led service delivery, frontline capacity building and targeted emergency financing, with a focus on ensuring equitable access for refugees, internally displaced people and other vulnerable groups.

The Joint Programme reinforced its normative leadership role on HIV in humanitarian settings by providing key support to the Inter-Agency Task Team on HIV in Emergencies (IATT), strengthening coordination and updating the 2010 Inter-Agency Standing Committee Guidelines for Addressing HIV in Humanitarian Settings, led by UNHCR and WFP. Evidence generated through the El Niño Comparative Study led in eastern and southern Africa informed regional humanitarian planning and supported the integration of sexual and reproductive health, HIV and gender-based violence into climate adaptation and disaster response frameworks across 12 countries.

Operational continuity of HIV services was maintained and expanded in crisis-affected settings. UNFPA implemented the Minimum Initial Service Package for reproductive health in crises across eastern, western and central Africa, and supported related capacity development, reaching over 2 million people with sexual and reproductive health, HIV and gender-based violence information and services. In Sudan, where conflict rendered an estimated 80% of health facilities non-operational, UNDP and the Global Fund deployed nine mobile health centres across four states. Despite severe system disruption, 96% of people on HIV treatment were able to maintain care. In Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, a community-led partnership delivered HIV testing to 3430 individuals and testing for sexually transmitted infections to over 3200 people across refugee camps and host communities. The World Bank's IDA20 operations directed US$ 30 billion toward fragile and conflict-affected countries, delivering integrated sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence services to over 2.4 million refugees and host community members in Bangladesh, and maintaining essential services for over 15 million people in Ukraine.

Logistics and supply chain support ensured continuity of essential HIV commodities. WFP transported or stored nearly 46 000 metric tons of health commodities across seven sub-Saharan African countries, ensuring availability of lifesaving HIV, TB and malaria supplies in challenging operational contexts. The Joint Programme and national partners also focused on building capacity to improve HIV prevention and address protection risks in emergency settings. In Haiti, the Secretariat and UNFPA jointly trained 70 providers from mobile clinics on integrated HIV, TB, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence services. In Chad, more than 280 humanitarian, health and community workers were trained on protocols for HIV, TB, STIs and hepatitis, towards improving adherence to treatment protocols among TB patients and people living with HIV.

Community-led responses remained central to the humanitarian HIV response. In Burundi, 157 community actors including refugees were trained on HIV prevention and treatment, enabling outreach to over 7700 people and HIV self-testing for 830 individuals. In Burkina Faso, community-based organizations expanded family index testing among displaced and vulnerable families and strengthened medical follow-up for malnourished HIV-positive children. In Ukraine, the Secretariat helped community organizations connect with external donors, securing resources for shelter services in Kryvyi Rih and humanitarian assistance for LGBTQI+ communities in Lviv.