Addressing Negative Gender Based Attitudes and Practices That Make Women and Girls Vulnerable To HIV Infection
In an effort to fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic which a major threat to health in of Kenyans, HERAF has relentlessly engaged in collaborative activities that seek to address the various causes of increased rates of HIV infection. Among the leading causes of HIV infection is gender based violence which is grave form of human rights violation that mostly affects women and girls.
HERAF implements the Stop Aids Now! Gender Development Project through addressing the negative gender based attitudes towards women and girls and the continued perpetuation of harmful traditional practices that continuously promoted gender-related violence increasing the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV infection.
I am HIV positive and was dismissed from my job and my employer refused to pay me. My husband has kicked me out of the house and I don’t have a place to live (woman, Nairobi)
HERAF uses different approaches in implementing the Gender Development Project
Creation of awareness through development and dissemination of IEC material
Develops and disseminates of IEC material such as posters, brochures fliers, facts sheets and newsletters that create awareness about, GBV as a human rights violation and how it exacerbates the risk of HIV infection among women and girls. Such materials are issued to organizations and individuals who visit HERAF offices, during workshops and forums organized by HERAF or other partner organizations.
I am glad that HERAF is able that I can be able to read information about gender based violence and HIV/AIDS. I can now share it with my people when I go back .I hope that such materials can be made available to the people in the deep rural areas where gender based violence is higher (participant,kajiado)
Organizing and facilitating community dialogue forums
HERAF also organizes and facilitates community dialogue forums that bring together CBOS,NGOS, community leaders ,youths, PLWA, women and girls and other community members involved in work that targets women and girls ,HIV/AIDS and human rights. Through such dialogue forums community members are sensitized on the impact of GBV on health of the victims especially the way it contribute to the increased risk of HIV infections. Such forums have been conducted in Machakos, Nyeri and Kajiado districts and have helped us identify and document cased of GBV and HIV and be able to dialogue with the community members about the progress they have made in trying to solve the problem, share experiences and challenges encountered and come up with ways forward.
I would like to thank your organization for the work they are doing and ask you to organize more of forums like this and even trickle them down to the rural areas where there is a dire need for sensitization about gender, gender based violence and HIV(participant,kajiado forum)
Strengthening networks and partnerships
We also collaborate and partner with other like minded organizations in order to strengthen our networks. We attend and participate in workshops and meeting organized by other like minded organizations and also show case what we do in our GDP program. HERAF sent its representative to the WE CAN campaign which was held in Kisumu on 9th of December 2009, to participate with other partner organizations in the fight against GBV and HIV. HERAF is also a member of the GDP steering comities which spearheads the GDP activities.