Dominican Republic
Assistance and Support to Vulnerable Children

USAID/Santo Domingo contracted TASC/JSI to study the impact of HIV/AIDS in the Dominican Republic on children ages 0-14.

The AIDS pandemic has spread to the general population in the Dominican Republic. It is estimated that 2.2-2.5 percent of the total adult population has HIV. Recent research shows that, in the National District of Santo Domingo, AIDS is the most common cause of death among women of reproductive age; approximately 12 percent of all deaths in this group were AIDS related.

Experience in other regions of the world shows that death and illness of adults due to AIDS has a devastating impact on the lives of children in affected households. Children who lose one parent to AIDS are at an increased risk of losing their second parent. While any child will be grief-stricken and confused at the death of a parent, children who lose one or both parents to AIDS are also stigmatized and socially excluded because of the disease.

TASC/JSI will undertake the following activities to address these issues:

1. Conduct a study to analyze the situation faced by children because of the challenges and changes in their households, families, communities, and traditional support systems; and evaluate the policies being implemented to protect these children and their families.
2. Based on the findings of the study, design two pilot programs which will mobilize local communities and nongovernmental organizations and incorporate some type of income-generating activity.

The study will analyze current public policies that protect orphans, as well as adoptions, social security for disabled adults, inheritance, assistance provided by extended families, and any other program that assists children.

The results of the study will be printed in Spanish and English and will be presented to USAID, The Presidential Commission for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS (COPRESIDA), and high-level government officials.