HERAF

You are here:

Programmes

Strengthening the Capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to Engage in Gender Sensitive and Gender Transformative Programs and Interventions on HIV and AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

a) PROJECT BACKGROUND

Over the past two decades, research and strategies to combat HIV have increasingly recognised that HIV infection and prevalence levels tend to be higher in women and girls than in men in Kenya, and that the negative social and economic consequences of the HIV& AIDs pandemic weigh most heavily on women and girls.

The Gender Audit of the National HIV& AIDS Response in Kenya which was commissioned by NACC revealed that most Civil Society Organisations working in HIV&AIDs interventions do not have basic gender awareness and expertise to enable them engage in gender sensitive and transformative programs and interventions in HIV&AIDs prevention, care, treatment and support.

Heeding to the call by the Gender Analysis of the Strategic Review of KNASP 2005/6-2009/10 for Gender Mainstreaming (2009) to adopt and implement more policies, programs and interventions that are geared towards addressing specific gender needs in HIV related risks, HERAF in collaboration with HENNET, and with financial and technical assistance from the German BACKUP Initiative (GIZ) is implementing a project entitled," Towards gender sensitive and transformative HIV programming." The main objective of the project is to ‘strengthen the capacity of Civil Society Organizations to use gender analysis for programs and interventions to reduce gender-related barriers to HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care'.

b) OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the project include;

v  Increasing the knowledge and understanding of Civil Society Organisations on the linkages between gender and HIV&AIDS prevention, treatment and care

v  Strengthening  the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)  to use gender analysis as a basis for gender sensitive and  transformative HIV&AIDS programmes and interventions so as to reduce gender related barriers in prevention, care and treatment, as reflected in their work plans

v  Development of stronger links, collaborations and networking between Civil Society Organisations working gender sensitive and gender transformative HIV&AIDs programmes and interventions.

 

c) EXPECTED OUTPUTS OF THE PROJECT

The expected outputs of the project include;

v  Increased knowledge and understanding by Civil Society Organisations on the linkages between gender and HIV&AIDs prevention, treatment, care and support.

v  Strengthened capacity of  Civil Society Organisations  to use gender analysis as a basis for gender sensitive and  transformative HIV& AIDS programmes and interventions so as to reduce gender related barriers in HIV prevention, care and treatment  as reflected in their work plans

v  Strengthened and enhanced links, collaborations and communication between Civil Society Organisations working in the areas of gender, HIV& AIDs prevention, treatment and care.

 

d)      The target groups of the project include Civil Society Organisations implementing programmes and interventions in the health sector.

 

e)      The primary beneficiaries of the project include: Women, Sexual Minority groups, Boys and girls, People living with HIV and AIDs and the general Public.

 

 

3) Promoting Health Sector Management and Governance

.

2) Evidence-based advocacy for reforms in health policies

Under this, HERAF is:
  • Enhancing citizen's awareness of Kenya's August 2010 Constitution, provisions and opportunities on right to health.
  • Mobilizing, empowering and providing opportunities to civil society and citizen groups to proactively engage in all the constitutional implementation processes including development of the comprehensive National Health Framework 2011 - 2030
  • Engaging in constructive partnerships with the government and other stakeholders, in  influencing health policies, public opinion, attitudes and perceptions of the right to health at the community, district, county, national and international level, through dissemination of national health policies and strategic plans, organisation and facilitation of advocacy forums targeting different stakeholders such as policy makers, women representatives and health care providers, and issuing petitions and briefing papers on health and human rights related issues.
  • Providing leadership to health workers and civil society in identifying and addressing the emerging policy gaps on the right to health in Kenya by identifying barriers impeding public participation in health sector governance, supporting health workers, civil society and other stakeholder organisations to take part in health sector policy advocacy and development. HERAF is also actively launching  and strengthening partnerships, networks and collaborative meetings between various stakeholders engaged in the demand and promotion of the respect of the right to health.



4) Enhancing an efficient health care financing system

Under this programme HERAF:
  • Empowers citizens to comprehend the national budget making process - Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Annual Operational Plans (AOPs) at dispensary (Level 2), health centre (level 3), district hospital (level 4) and national level health facilities.
  • Facilitates community members to monitor governance and management of the Health Sector Services Fund (HSSF) and Hospital Management Services Fund (HMSF) budget allocation and implementation at dispensaries, health centres and district hospitals
  • Advocates for improved management and governance of devolved health funds including conducting national budget analysis to scrutinize actual government's allocations for devolved funds - HSSF and HMSF, against stated social commitments and Annual Operational Plan (AOPs) for each target facility

Under this programme, HERAF has in the recent past promoted the participation of health workers and the civil society in the budget making processes, analysis and expenditure monitoring and tracking in Kenya. This has been through the creation of awareness and educating of civil society  and other stakeholders about health sector budget making processes.Some of the initiatives that HERAF has been involved in the past include:

a) Providing leadership to civil society organizations' consultation forums on health sector budgets in making recommendations to Ministry of Finance for Considerations in the budget.

b) Debt2Health Campaign which aimed at freeing up domestic resources through debt relief that can then be invested in urgent public health needs, such as the fight against HIV&AIDS, TB and malaria.

c) The 15% Campaign to demand that the Kenyan government fulfils the 2001 Abuja Declaration pledge to allocate 15% of the annual budget into the health sector.

d) Kenya International Financial Institutions Watch Network (K-IFI Watch net): Through this initiative HERAF in collaboration with other partners examined the effects of international financial institutions (IMF& WB) on health, education and gender sectors in Kenya

1) Health Rights Awareness and Education

HERAF aims at enhancing its visibility in matters health, especially financing and service delivery, making certain that credibility is maintained in all activities, by fulfilling duties to the recipients and supporters of all our activities, partners included.

Under this thematic area, HERAF:

  • Provides accurate and up to date information on the right to health and other related economic, social and cultural rights
  • Enables health care workers, civil society and the general public understand and acknowledge the right to health through the; development of a human rights based curriculum for use at health care training institutions and  facilitation of forums for health care providers to understand the rights based approach(RBA) to health care access and provision.
  • Develops and disseminates targeted Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials including fact sheets, fliers, service charters, newsletters and posters among others.
  • Facilitates community theatre groups to organise and conduct plays, skits, role plays, songs and dances with messages on right to health in community organised functions such as provincial administration meetings, ‘barazas', national day celebrations, health days, health stakeholders forums, seminars, workshops, conferences and political rallies.
  • Maintains, updates and adds important links to the  website
Previous Next
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
Uganda: Shifting the Weight to Bear the Burden Published on AllAfrica.com on 7 April 2009 Wambi Michael Kampala — There is no lunch break for the staff at the Kiswa Health Centre. With ... Read more
GLOBAL: As the money flows, so the world turns Posted on plusnews.org JOHANNESBURG, 15 July 2009 (PlusNews) - The stats are in – 2008 was a bumper year for HIV/AIDS funding, according to... Read more
SOUTHERN AFRICA: The high cost of sex work Posted on plusnews.org JOHANNESBURG, 16 July 2009 (PlusNews) - Southern Africa's sex workers, denied access to HIV prevention and treatment... Read more
Uganda: Catch 22 - to Breastfeed or Not to Breastfeed Posted on allafrica.com As the world commemorates the world breastfeeding week, Uganda's readiness to promote breastfeeding in emergency se... Read more
Botswana: Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Lowest in Africa - Study Posted on allafrica.com A study has revealed that Botswana has the lowest rate of mother-to-child transmission ever recorded in Africa or f... Read more
Uganda: Global Fund Gives Sh9.2 Billion for ARVs Posted on allafrica.com Kampala — THE Government has received sh9.2b from the Global Fund for the emergency procurement of anti-retroviral ... Read more
NAMIBIA: Saving HIV-positive babies Posted on plusnews.org JOHANNESBURG, 3 August 2009 (PlusNews) - While a number of countries in southern Africa have made great strides in i... Read more
Namibia: Pregnancy, HIV Add to Flu Risk Posted on allafrica.com Research published last week has shown that pregnant women and HIV-infected people are more prone to contracting th... Read more
Uganda: Army Slams Embassies Over HIV Discriminations Posted on allafrica.com Kampala — ARMY spokesperson Maj. Felix Kulayigye has lashed out at embassies that deny visas to HIV-positive soldie... Read more
ETHIOPIA: Government empowers nurses to boost ARV treatment Posted on plusnews.org ADDIS ABABA, 7 August 2009 (PlusNews) - Simay Muluneh, 32, who lives in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, will a... Read more
Africa: Alarm Over Laws Criminalizing HIV Transmission Posted on allafrica.com Civil societies have criticized the so called African Model Law on HIV/AIDS which they say hurts the fight against ... Read more
Rwanda: Moh to Open HIV/Aids Centre for Kids Posted on allafrica.com Kigali — After years of focusing mainly on adults, the Ministry of Health, will set up a special centre for childre... Read more
Nigeria: Wade - A Sick Nation Can Never Develop Posted on allafrica.com Dakar — Senegalese President, Abdoulaye Wade, has said that proper attention to health-related issues in developing... Read more
SOUTH AFRICA: HIV biggest threat to pregnant women Posted on plusnews.org JOHANNESBURG, 11 August 2009 (PlusNews) - HIV is the main cause of death among pregnant women in Johannesburg, South... Read more
Ghana: Upper East Health Service Targets 200,000 for HIV Test Posted on allafrica.com Bolga — The Upper East office of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has launched the "know your status HIV/AIDS campaig... Read more