HIV/AIDS and SRH – C4D Network

Thumb-Stopping and 15 other Case Studies on HIV-related Behaviour Change Communication (APCOM, 2018)

November 5, 2018

Many Asian countries are recording alarmingly high numbers of HIV infection among its MSM population. This is particularly evident in large urban areas like Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, and Saigon. HIV prevalence has been reported between 15-31% in these cities. Where data is available, the rate of HIV testing among young MSM aged 18 to 29 is less than 50%.

Meanwhile, the adoption of media and technology in Southeast Asia – especially in urban areas – has grown exponentially. Online sexual networking websites and mobile dating apps are used by young MSM to regularly seek out sexual partners. This gives campaigners new opportunities to reach and engage this demographic like never before.

testXXX was created by APCOM to respond to this crisis and opportunity for HIV services for young MSM in the region. testXXX empowers the existing community-based clinics to reach and recruit wider young MSM audience. It does this by harnessing the power of cutting-edge communications and creativity that resonates with the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of young MSM.

Thumb Stopping and 15 other Case Studies on HIV-related Behaviour Change Communication is the report based on the lessons shared during the testXXX Regional Dialogue, which took place in Bangkok during 23-25 May 2018 and were attended by eight testXXX campaigners from Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila and Saigon.

Click here for full report.

Bridging Theory and Practice in Entertainment Education: An Assessment of the Conceptualization and Design of Tsha Tsha in South Africa (SAGE Open Journal, 2018)

October 11, 2018

Abstract: The entertainment–education (E-E) strategy in development communication has been widely described as the panacea to development challenges in Africa. However, despite its growing application on the continent, E-E is still argued to be inhibited from contributing meaningfully toward development efforts. E-E interventions are argued to be hamstrung by their failure to embrace theoretical advances in development communication and E-E scholarship and for remaining rooted in the modernization paradigm. Using the social change paradigm as its framework, this article assesses the notions of development, change, communication, audiences, and education that underpin the conceptualization and design of Tsha Tsha, an E-E television drama that uses a novel cultural approach to address issues surrounding HIV and AIDS in South Africa. The data informing the study were gathered through a Focused Synthesis Approach and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The study’s findings show that significant efforts have been made by Tsha Tsha’s producers to bridge E-E practice and contemporary development communication and E-E scholarship. The data analyzed in the study show that Tsha Tsha’s notions of development, change, education, communication, and audience have been significantly remoored in line with the core tenets of the E-E for Social Change paradigm. The implications of the study are that more engagement and synergies need to be cultivated between E-E practitioners and development communication and E-E scholars if E-E’s full potential, in contributing to development challenges on the continent, is to be realized.

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22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) – list of C4D related sessions and abstracts

September 9, 2018

The 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018 http://www.aids2018.org/) took place in July 2018 in Amsterdam. The theme of AIDS 2018 was “Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges”, drawing attention to the need of rights-based approaches to more effectively reach key populations, including in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and the North-African/Middle Eastern regions where epidemics are growing.

Some of the C4D related conference sessions and abstracts submitted are listed below.

Our actions count: Community mobilization model for social change and transforming ‘inaction in response to Stigma and Discrimination’ into ‘action’

HIV and TB-related stigma and discrimination are important impediments to controlling the dual HIV and TB epidemics. A South African Stigma Index Survey was completed in 18 districts in South Africa. This study included over 10 700 participants who are HIV positive and who are older than 15 years, the largest of its kind in the world. Measuring stigma associated with TB was included in this type of survey for the first time. The purpose of the Stigma Index was to measure stigma and discrimination experienced by PLHIV and TB and to inform the development and implementation of national policies and programmes to protect the rights of PLHIV and TB.

From online reach to offline services: Using social media strategies to increase uptake of and access to HIV testing among MSM in Vietnam

Rates of HIV are increasing among the estimated 330,000 men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vietnam. Face-to-face outreach only reaches a fraction of at-risk MSM. A 2015 USAID/PATH Healthy Markets (HM) study found that 98% of MSM surveyed across four provinces regularly used Facebook, and preferred social media as a source of HIV and health information. HM and MSM leaders co-created a fun, sex-positive HIV prevention and service awareness, trust, and uptake campaign?“My Future, My Choice”?that utilized a Facebook community (Rainbow Village), online influencers trained as HIV lay testers, and an HIV service booking application (I Reserve), to allow for a measurable online-to-offline HIV testing-treatment cascade.

Civil society under threat: How can HIV advocates resist the impact? Conservative populism and social exclusion of civil society

Repression of civil society is rising. In 2012-2015, more than 120 laws restricting civil rights were introduced or proposed in 60 countries. Governments are implementing legal, administrative and other measures restricting operations of non-governmental organizations, particularly those rooted in marginalized communities disproportionately affected by HIV. Repression tools include burdensome registration requirements, restrictions on basic freedoms (including peaceful assembly and online expression), physical attacks and imprisonment. Panellists will explore the impacts of civil society restrictions and human rights violations on the HIV response and they will discuss how HIV advocates can defend essential civil liberties.

New information and communication technologies: Opportunities for empowered, person-centred healthcare

In a world of exponentially growing data and new technologies, many new insights in behaviour can be discovered. These data insights inform us on how to design effective health intervention and new technologies allow for sufficient reach among the target audience. This session will showcase new innovative approaches in using electronic data to gain better insights in health behaviour and new communication technologies to better reach the right audiences with tailored information.

We are women with voices, not an HIV diagnosis! Sharing experiences on processes of individual and collective empowerment driven by women’s lives, bodies and creativity

Traditional ways of working with women with HIV focus on their diagnosis rather than addressing their specific needs and guaranteeing their rights. Methodologies based on providing information are not enough for them to build both leadership and capacities for advocating on their rights. At the end of the workshop, participants will be aware of the value of empowerment methodologies based on gender and a human rights approach. They will learn about partnership potential among feminists, women with HIV and artistic movements. The workshop will be itself a space to boost networking and joint action.

Women LEAD Community Participatory Research based advocacy towards policy and programs that impact women and girls.

Lived experiences and story narratives of people living with HIV particularly women Living with HIV have been pivotal in processes that design, plan, implement, monitor, review, and reform Policy, Law and programs that have impacted the lives of women and girls in the HIV and health response. Innovative approaches for packaging this information has always evolved as targeted Advocacy efforts are designed by women led organizations as well as stakeholders who work to address issues focused on women and girls access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. A presentation on the role of Women led community participatory research for strengthening evidence for desired change showing up-to-date impact will be combined with presentations by women leaders from Regional and country ICW networks and partners to share experiences, growth process and key lessons for supporting stronger community participatory approaches by donors and stakeholders

From Invisibility to Indivisibility: Strengthening the impact of civil society and community led networks in the HIV response through the Robert Carr Fund

The Robert Car civil society Networks Fund (RCNF) is the first international pooled funding mechanism that specifically aims to strengthen global and regional HIV civil society and community networks across the world. This focus is in recognition of networks’ critical value and contribution to better health, inclusion and social wellbeing of inadequately served populations (ISPs), given their unique reach into and impact at community level.

Effectiveness of Community Dialogue in Changing Gender and Sexual Norms for HIV Prevention: Evaluation of the Tchova Tchova Program in Mozambique (Journal of Health Communication, 21:5, 554-563, 2016)

September 9, 2018

Abstract: Structural HIV prevention interventions have gained prominence as ways to address underlying social and cultural factors that fuel the HIV epidemic. Identifying theories that explain how structural interventions are expected to change such factors can substantially increase their success. The Tchova Tchova community dialogue program, a theory-based intervention implemented in 2009–2010 in the provinces of Zambezia and Sofala, Mozambique, aimed to change gender and sexual norms for HIV prevention. Through facilitated sessions, the program sparked critical thinking and open dialogue among participants. This article measures the program’s effectiveness based on a sample of 462 participants and 453 nonparticipants. The results show that the program was successful in producing changes in three of the underlying structural factors of HIV: gender attitudes, gender roles, and HIV stigma. The program was also successful in changing other factors associated with HIV infection, including HIV prevention knowledge, discussion of HIV between sex partners, and having multiple sex partners.

Click here for full paper.

Radio as a Tool for Health Education: What Makes for an Effective HIV/AIDS Radio Campaign in Sub-Saharan Africa? (Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology, and Society, Vol 9 No 3, 2016)

September 9, 2018

Abstract: From the bustling cities of Zambia to the most rural parts of Lesotho, HIV/AIDS is a raging epidemic that affects over 15% of the adult population in many regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Public health interventions often take the form of media campaigns, which utilize television, radio, and print advertisements to spread awareness and inform the population of risk factors, prevention methods, and treatment options. This paper will focus on HIV/AIDS radio programs in Malawi, Zambia, and other countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. It will analyze these programs’ air times, audience, presentation style, and content, and identify how these factors influenced behavioral changes in the audiences. Additionally, this paper proposes promising techniques to ensure the success of future campaigns based on previous findings. Given these reviews of broadcasts of the past and their strengths and weaknesses, radio stations can better understand the reasons behind the programs’ respective impacts on the target populations. Further, this methodology can be applied when considering new radio programs for health education for HIV/AIDS and beyond.

Click here for full paper.