Sport and the multisectoral approach to HIV/AIDS in Zambia

Sport is increasingly being recognised for the contribution it can make to the Millennium Development Goals and, in particular, the response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This study is based on Zambia, a low-income country, heavily affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The study focuses on National Sports Associations (NSAs), which are quasi- autonomous organisations at meso level of policy analysis. Centring on three NSAs: Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), Zambia Basketball Association (ZBA) and Netball Association of Zambia (NAZ), this study critically analysed the organisational responses of each of the selected cases towards the HIV/AIDS multisectoral approach. The study adopted a case study approach which utilised semi-structured (face-to-face and telephone), interviews, focus group discussions and documentary analysis for data collection. Comparative analysis of all three cases revealed differences in how each case mainstreamed HIV/AIDS based on power, resources and forms of collaboration. Meso-level analysis was utilised to examine workplace HIV/AIDS policy formulation and implementation. In addition, meso-level analysis also helped reveal forms of health-related collaborations with both internal and external agencies. Macro-level theories of the state were useful in examining power relations between the Zambian state and civil society. The application of policy network theory, global health governance, multiple streams framework, and the top-down and bottom-up approaches to policy implementation proved useful in drawing attention to how each NSA case responded differently to the mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS. The political power of football as a national sport and the Association s access to foreign resources enabled FAZ to influence HIV/AIDS policy implementation and build of strong collaborative relationships with government than the ZBA and NAZ. The study concludes that lack of political steer from the top has re-introduced a new foreign top-down approach as those with resources from the Global North influenced policy formulation and implementation within all three cases. The conclusion also found useful the application of post-colonialism and development theories when examining international sport-for-development practices. This finding revealed the power imbalances between Global South practitioners and Global North funding partners.