|
Kelly Hallman, Kasthuri Govender, Eva Roca, Emmanuel
Mbatha, Rob Pattman, and Deevia Bhana. "Building social support and
livelihood capacities of girls living in the path of HIV." (Abstract
no. CDD0231)*
ABSTRACT
Issues
Most adolescent HIV prevention programs in developing countries
emphasize the ABC approach and do not recognize that young people's
vulnerabilities differ by gender and socioeconomic status. Narrow
health-oriented approaches are proving ineffective at stemming the tide
of the HIV epidemic, especially among girls, many of whom reside in
impoverished communities and lack access to skills-building programs,
savings mechanisms, recreational opportunities, and employment. Such
girls are at higher risk for early sexual initiation, coerced sex, and
exchange of sex for money or gifts.
Description
This lack of attention in programs and policies to the needs of
vulnerable girls spurred the development of a multidimensional,
evidence-based program designed to provide context-specific strategies
to enhance the livelihood capacities, social capital, and HIV/AIDS
knowledge and skills of girls in poor, HIV-affected communities of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Lessons learned
Evaluation findings from the quasi-experimental pilot project
indicate that relative to comparison girls, participant girls after the
intervention had higher rates of discussing financial matters and
implementing what they had learned—more had begun budgeting and
saving. Intervention girls also had greater knowledge and awareness of
HIV/AIDS prevention methods, and more had discussed avoiding or delaying
sex with their sexual partners.
Next steps
This evidence-based piloted program has now been nationally
accredited, and a randomized experiment is underway in KwaZulu-Natal to
assess its effectiveness.
* Accepted for conference, but not displayed.
|
