Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA)

SAHARA is an alliance of partners who seek to conduct, support and use social sciences research to prevent the further spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of its devastation in Africa. It consists of a core office and regional offices.

Objectives

SAHARA undertakes multi-country and multi-site research, which enables it to make a significant contribution to evidenced-based policy formulation and practice, and through its network of researchers, policy makers and practitioners, to ensure widespread dissemination of that research. Specifically, the key objectives of SAHARA are to:

• Facilitate a research network in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Generate scientific material in the area of the social aspects of HIV and AIDS.
• Produce a journal on the social aspects of HIV and AIDS.
• Convene a regular SAHARA conference.
• Conduct policy research on access to drugs and trade-related issues.
• Improve the quality of data that is used for planning and implementing HIV and AIDS interventions and policies (best practices).
• Facilitate increased women's participation in decision-making in academic and research institutions.
• Establish SAHARA information systems.