Linked Responses to Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS

“Integrating HIV prevention into Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and Family Planning (FP) programmes addressed missed opportunities to curb the HIV epidemic".
The World Bank, 2003

Linked response to HIV/AIDS and RH can assist in creating a more concerted, well– coordinated effort to ensure program sustainability and efficiency, and to increase community involvement. Through the project, Hiwot developed a strategy for a linked response which comprised between FP and VCT, and promotion of male involvement.

Project Evaluation and Consultative Meeting

Hiwot utilized its community conversation team, which comprised representatives from other youth organizations, women’s organization and Idir groups (community based organization), youth clubs, and peer promoters, to solicit support from the community.
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The project has enabled Hiwot to identify and integrate missed opportunities that could have been linked in addressing both HIV and RH information and services. FP counseling as well as referral for VCT and FP services is now offered as a package. In view of the vulnerability of young people especially girls to HIV/AIDS and the risk of early sexual debut, marriage and pregnancy.

The linked response has also shaped the organizational outlook in framing the peer discussion by linking HIV/AIDS and RH, as guiding the discussant to demand for linked services. Youth dialogues sessions were conducted. The dialogues focused on male involvement in FP access and HIV/AIDS prevention and being supportive of their partners.

Hiwot organized a public discussion on ‘male involvement on the issues of women’s sexual and reproductive health. The organization had similar experience in advocating for male involvement in the past but the experience had been limited – the ‘how’ and ‘where’ male can involve in a linked service were not addressed. The advocacy conducted in this particular project has paved the way for understanding, identifying and addressing missed opportunities to gear male involvement in better RH services and HIV/AIDS prevention. This activity appeared on the Addis Ababa City TV Program. Linked response was highlighted.

Hiwot also organized another public discussion session to advocate for SRH including HIV/AIDS right and needs of HIV positive women. This program was organized in such a way that participants understood the concept of linked response in line with the basic right of RH

Linked response also triggered new ideas. Young boys’ involvement and active participation in gender– sensitive RH/HIV/AIDS programmes would have a paramount effect in promoting RH.
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