One of SAHARA's main functions is to facilitate and conduct multi-country research in an effort to generate new social science evidence on approaches to the prevention, treatment and care of HIV and AIDS. SAHARA's main projects include:

• Orphans and vulnerable children
• Stigma reduction and behavioural risk reduction
• Poverty and HIV and AIDS
• National HIV prevalence and behavioural risks household surveys in four Southern African countries.

SAHARA also does work in these areas:

• Gender mainstreaming
• Capacity building of young scholars
• SAHARA Journal.