Background
In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of the link between HIV and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and, more broadly, the common vulnerability aspects and effects on people's lives. In 2004, the Program on International Health and Human Rights (PIHHR) developed a pilot project with the aim of using a human rights framework to facilitate programming, advocacy efforts and research amongst those working on issues of HIV, GBV, and sexuality. Overall, it hopes to support translation of the growing theoretical and policy discussion about the links between HIV and GBV into enhanced programming.
Our Partners in China, India, Thailand and Vietnam
In its initial stage, the project is collaborating with partners in China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam bringing two organizations to work together in each country: one working primarily on HIV and one working primarily on GBV. Our partners in each country are:
• China: the AIZHIXING Institute of Health Education and the Maple Women’s Center.
• India: Swaasthya and Action India.
• Thailand: the Raks Thai Foundation and the Friends of Women Foundation.
• Vietnam: the Institute for Social Development Studies and the Center for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women and Adolescents.
Activities
All project partners were introduced to the frameworks of gender, sexuality and human rights as tools for working at the intersection of GBV and HIV both to understand the common underlying causes of these issues as well as approaches to addressing them. Each country team then designed a project using these frameworks to work at this intersection in a manner appropriate to its local context. Thus, a range of activities has been undertaken ranging from the analysis of a sexual abuse hotline’s call records for explicit mention of HIV/AIDS, to training of partner organizations on human rights as a framework for collaboration.
Lessons Learned
• Intensive attention to the nexus of gender, sexuality and human rights enables common analysis and action and can bring together the work of organizations focused on HIV and on GBV.
• A perilous disconnect exists between research, programming, policy, and advocacy – mechanisms for improving collaboration and understanding between these is needed. The lack of available data on the overlap between GBV and HIV at local level impedes understanding of these issues in each particular context; it is critical that a local evidence base be created to inform effective programs and advocacy.
• In setting up projects linking GBV and HIV work, it is important to pay attention to the process of implementation such as how well partner organizations know one another and work together.
• The global nature of this project has proved extremely important for the national teams in different ways. PIHHR has played a key role. All of the teams have had the opportunity to learn from one another’s experiences not only in relation to this project but also more broadly. Furthermore, they have drawn strength from being part of an initiative that reaches beyond their national borders and is linked into GBV and HIV-related work at a global level.
Next steps
Having begun to create an evidence base on GBV and HIV within their local context, country teams are now eager to explore how these overlaps can be addressed. Planned activities for the next phase include mass media campaigns highlighting the intersection of GBV and HIV, and development of curricula to address GBV and HIV using a human rights framework. PIHHR will continue to provide frameworks for ensuring that lessons learned are disseminated regionally and globally, as well as ongoing technical support to the teams including training, assistance with data collection and analysis, and international networking.
Click on the following for more information:
- Posters from Toronto
- Linking Gender-Based Violence and HIV Prevention Efforts: Initial Lessons from Implementation of a Pilot Project in China, India, Thailand, and Vietnam [PDF]
- HIV/AIDS and Gender-Based Violence: Linking the Response at Prorammatic Level in India [PDF]
- HIV/AIDS and Gender-Based Violence: Linking the Response at Prorammatic Level in Thailand [PDF]
- Using the Nexus of Sexuality, Health and Human Rights: Linking Efforts to Prevent Gender-Based Violence and HIV in China, India, Thailand and Vietnam [PDF]
- Gender Based Violence and HIV/AIDS Meeting: Bringing Together Research, Policy, Programming and Advocacy. For the meeting report, click here.
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