Supporting the Development of Evidence-Based Policies
and Programmes:
Towards an HIV and AIDS Research Agenda for the Department of Social Development
Report on Identification of Information and Research Gaps on the Impact of HIV & AIDS and Research Priority Needs

Report submitted by Gill Schierhout, Malcom Steinberg and Anthony Kingorn

The National Department of Social Development (DSD) faces the challenge of responding to the socio-economic threats of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. This report covers the third and final phase of an overall project on research gaps. The report aims to document research that has been done on DSD’s HIV and AIDS response and on DSD’s partnership with the social cluster. It also aims to identify research gaps and the work done by DSD in refining its research strategy and in increasing the use of research for informing planning, policy and programmes. The study has three broad objectives:
• To identify the research priority needs of DSD in terms of the impact of HIV and AIDS on DSD’s policies, programmes and services.
• To develop a searchable data base of key selected research for publication on the website of the Chief Directorate: Population and Development.
• To determine with DSD programme managers a process for commissioning the prioritised research and a process for integrating and monitoring the use of HIV and AIDS-related research for policy development and planning.