HIV/AIDS prevention and strengthening women’s rights III (combating FGM)

active

The development policy objective of the project is to contribute to improving the sexual and reproductive health of the Sierra Leonean population. The FC objective is to prevent gender-based violence (especially female genital mutilation (FGM)), HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies, and to strengthen the options for action and social position of women and girls (empowerment). The target group is the country's sexually active population. A particular focus is on women and vulnerable groups. The project consists of a social marketing component and a social security component to strengthen the resilience of population groups and communities (resilience). Both components are to be more closely interlinked in the third phase. The social marketing component uses various communication techniques to promote education and positive behavioral change with regard to existing health risks. For example, condoms are advertised under the aspect of double protection (against unplanned pregnancies and to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases) and distributed via a national private sector distribution network. In addition, in order to strengthen the sustainability of the approach, special emphasis will be placed on setting up a national social marketing organization in the third phase. The social security component (Impact Mitigation Fund, IMF), which is to be strengthened in the third phase, promotes social security for particularly disadvantaged population groups and integrates health education and measures against gender-based violence, among other things. The IMF is characterized by the fact that community-based and non-governmental organizations are enabled to carry out projects to improve the situation on their own responsibility. This also contributes to strengthening civil society.