Population Council Research that makes a difference

Day of Dialogue—
Building Girls' Protection Strategies Against HIV/AIDS:
What We Know and What We Need to Know

Taj Padmozi Hotel
Lusaka, Zambia
12 November 200

The Population Council convened a Day of Dialogue on 12 November 2009 in Lusaka, Zambia, on "Adolescent Girls' Protection Strategies Against HIV/AIDS: What We Know and What We Need to Know." The day was designed not only to share findings from our recently completed study, Understanding Adolescent Girls' Protection Strategies Against HIV: An Exploratory Study in Zambia, but also to offer insights on what we are learning more broadly about adolescent girls' notions of risk and protection, safety and mobility, and experience with gender-based violence, as well as practical lessons gleaned from our rich and unique efforts on “safe spaces” programming.

The Day of Dialogue was highly successful with more than 70 participants across key constituencies: the Government of Zambia (Ministry of Education, National HIV/AIDS/STD/TB Council, Ministry of Health), donors (UK Department for International Development, Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Irish Aid, United Nations Population Fund), a number of research and technical agencies (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, University of Zambia Institute of Social and Economic Research, Family Health International, Jhpiego), service-delivery organizations (Marie Stopes, CARE, Corridors of Hope, AIDS Alliance, Kara Counselling, Go Sisters), members of the press, and a range of international and Zambian NGOs who work with youth.

Opening remarks were made by a representative from the Government of Zambia's Ministry of Education. Country director Jill Keesbury and senior associate Martha Brady made presentations to set the stage for the day’s discussion; study findings were presented by Joseph Simbaya of the Institute of Social and Economic Research. Lively discussion followed all of the presentations. This Day of Dialogue filled an “unmet need" for data, ideas, and discussion around adolescent girls' programming and research needs.

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Agenda

8:30 am	Welcome Jill Keesbury, Country Director, Population Council, Zambia
8:40 am	Official Opening Peter Jul Larsen, Danish Embassy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education—Represented by A. Phiri, Director of Human Resources and Administration
9:00–9:45 am	Why Adolescent Girls? A Global Perspective on Protection Strategies Martha Brady, Senior Associate, Population Council, New York Gender-based Violence Among Adolescent Girls: The Zambian Context Jill Keesbury, Country Director, Population Council, Zambia
9:45–10:00 am	Q and A Discussion Facilitated by Jolly Kamwanga, Assistant Director, Institute of Economic and Social Research
10:00–10:15 am	Tea Break
10:15–11:15 am	Understanding Girls’ Perceptions of Risk, Safety, and Protection: Results of an Exploratory Study in Zambia Joseph Simbaya, Institute of Economic and Social Research Listening to Girls: Insights from Qualitative Research Nancy Mukupa, Institute of Economic and Social Research
11:15–11:30 am	Q and A Discussion Facilitated by Jolly Kamwanga, Assistant Director, Institute of Economic and Social Research
11:30–11:45 am	Go Sisters Program (Edusport Foundation): A Program Example Mr. Mwango, Executive Director, EduSport Foundation Annie N. Musonda, Go Sisters, Edusport Foundation
11:45 am–12:45 pm	Facilitated Discussion
12:45–1:00 pm	Closing Remarks
1:00 pm	Invitation to Lunch

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