Although the ways in which social protection and HIV and AIDS link together remain complex and debated, a recent review of the evidence confirmed that social protection can improve the response and coping strategies of people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS (Temin, 2010). Social protection can also reduce the risk of HIV infection among vulnerable groups through anti-poverty strategies (see also UNAIDS, 2010). An equity approach is often integrated into social protection schemes, to address gender and social inequalities, as well as discrimination (Devereux and Sabates-Wheeler, 2004; Holmes and Jones, 2010).

This Project Briefing presents key findings from a larger study exploring social protection and related programming in a context of high HIV prevalence in Nigeria (Samuels et al., 2011). Drawing on secondary literature and primary qualitative data collection in four states (Adamawa, Benue, Edo and Lagos), four key issues were explored: the drivers of HIV-related vulnerabilities; the impacts of HIV and AIDS on different groups of people and related coping strategies/mechanisms; institutional responses to HIV and AIDS; and current social protection responses that link with HIV and the potential for replicating and/or scaling these up.