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The Global Fund Round-2 Project: Prevention of HIV/AIDS among Young People in Bangladesh
Funded by GFATM
Global Fund Round-2: Agreement signing between Secretary,
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Country Director,
Save the Children- USA,in presence of Health Minister on 21 March, 2004 Project Period: 2004-2009 Total Fund: 19.7 million USD Goal:
To prevent HIV infections in Young People, ages 10-24, and thereby help avert a generalized HIV epidemic in Bangladesh Objectives: - To provide HIV prevention information, skills and services to young people
- To collect data necessary for informing the development of national policy and programs for the prevention
of HIV/AIDS among young People aged 10-24. - To strengthen capacity of partners for effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project.
Strategies: - Behavioral Change Communication (BCC) activities through mass and print media, for awareness
and sensitization on HIV and safe sexual behavior among young people and encourage more openness
for seeking counseling and treatment - Improvement of health services to render them more youth friendly for counseling and treatment of STIs
- Incorporation of HIV/AIDS related information into the national curriculum for secondary and higher secondary education
- Advocacy with gatekeepers to create an enabling environment for youth to adopt safe behavior
- Conduct research to generate evidence base data/information to give a strategic direction for intervention
regarding community dynamics, sexual practices and attitudes of young people
Targets by 2009:
By the end of the 5-year period, all the activities will aim at yielding the following results for youth and adolescents: - <80% will have knowledge about HIV/AIDS and how to protect themselves from HIV infection
- 60% will be able to get access to STI services
- 50% will be able to access condom as and when needed
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Some key achievements: |
Save the Children USA supports National HIV/AIDS Response in Bangladesh
Save the Children USA has been supporting leadership efforts at all levels in Bangladesh to both prevent the spread of HIV and support those who need access to care, treatment and support. Whether through a nationwide mass media campaign aiming to reach 38 million young people or through the one-on-one training of peer educators, Save the Children in Bangladesh, in cooperation with its partners, provides strong, responsive, culturally appropriate leadership that spans national, organizational, and programmatic levels. | National leadership - supporting the Government of Bangladesh
Along with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Save the Children jointly manages "Prevention of HIV/AIDS among young people in Bangladesh" and the "HIV Prevention and Control among his risk populations and young people in Bangladesh", two related five-year programs funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS. TB, and Malaria (GFTAM). Through its management role, Save the Children works with implementing partners to provide services across rural and urban areas and promote prevention, care and support strategies to young people and those most affected by HIV/AIDS. Save the Children also works with key groups such as policymakers, parents, and religions leaders. |  | | Logo from Save-US HIV Prevention campaign in Bangladesh. |
| Organizational leadership- Promoting effective and sustainable collaboration
As the lead managing entity for these projects, Save the Children supports organizational capacity building through its implementation partners. Save the Children leads five key organizations along with 12 other associated organizations- from a wide range of NGO, private sector and research organizations. All of these agencies work in collaboration with other technical partners such as the government, UN agencies and development partners in the implementation of their project. |  | | Peer Educator facilitating Life Skills Education session at the community. |
| Programmatic leadership -
from national broadcasts to the grass roots
Save the Children supports its partners in successfully implementing program activities. Some of the more widely disseminated initiatives include the nationwide incorporation of HIV/AIDS information into secondary and higher secondary school curricula and the provision of HIV prevention information through mass media (TV spots, talk shows, dramas, radio) and creative local media (drama and traditional folk shows). | A significant success:
HIV/AIDS information incorporated into textbooks nationwide at all levels of schooling (Bangla-left, English-right) |  | An advertisement for "Heeraphul", a TV drama serial about a young women whose husband is HIV - positive, and the attitudes and stigma the encounters. It is one of the most popular drama series in Bangladesh. |  |
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