Case study
The village/commune safety policy and HIV prevention efforts among key affected populations in Cambodia: finding a balance
1 National Institute for Public Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
2 Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
3 Centre for Law Enforcement and Public Health, Melbourne, Australia
4 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
5 World Health Organization, Cambodian Country Office, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
6 FHI 360, Cambodian Country Office, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
7 Melbourne School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, 207 Bouverie Street, Parkville, 3100, Australia
Harm Reduction Journal 2012, 9:31 doi:10.1186/1477-7517-9-31
Published: 9 July 2012Abstract
The Village/Commune Safety Policy was launched by the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2010 and, due to a priority focus on “cleaning the streets”, has created difficulties for HIV prevention programs attempting to implement programs that work with key affected populations including female sex workers and people who inject drugs. The implementation of the policy has forced HIV program implementers, the UN and various government counterparts to explore and develop collaborative ways of delivering HIV prevention services within this difficult environment. The following case study explores some of these efforts and highlights the promising development of a Police Community Partnership Initiative that it is hoped will find a meaningful balance between the Village/Commune Safety Policy and HIV prevention efforts with key affected populations in Cambodia.
