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Dear Friend,
To commemorate World AIDS Day today, this issue of Connect devotes special attention to the global response to HIV and AIDS. Below, read about important international milestones to date and highlights of EngenderHealth’s efforts to prevent and treat HIV:
- The defining issues in the global response to HIV and AIDS
- Reaching Ethiopia’s most vulnerable: A profile of Berhanu Teshome
- UNAIDS, PEPFAR report progress in prevention and treatment
- Senate considers CEDAW ratification
- New publications and resources
- Career opportunities
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Breaking Down Barriers of
Stigma and Discrimination
“A woman came to us seeking care during her pregnancy. The doctor touched her like she would touch any other patient. The thrill that the patient felt, she immediately shared with the doctor, that this is the first time a doctor had touched her after she learned she was HIV-positive.”
—Dr. Bindu Balasubramaniam,
Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement hospital in India, after hospital staff received EngenderHealth’s training on HIV and AIDS |
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Defining Issues in EngenderHealth’s Response to HIV and AIDS
While new data suggest that the HIV and AIDS epidemic is beginning to slow, lifesaving drugs are still out of reach for two-thirds of the 15 million people who need treatment in low- and middle-income countries. The imperative to prevent new infections and universalize treatment is more urgent than ever. EngenderHealth’s HIV programs will continue to focus on four key areas:
- Stigma reduction
- Combination prevention
- Male circumcision
- Comprehensive clinical care
Read more on why these four issues matter.
Reaching Ethiopia’s Most Vulnerable: A Profile of Berhanu Teshome
Berhanu Teshome, an EngenderHealth senior program officer, is a champion in his community, who is not afraid to push the boundaries of societal expectations. In fact, breaking down harmful gender norms and encouraging responsible living is precisely what Teshome dedicates his life to doing, as part of EngenderHealth’s “Most At Risk Populations” project. Read more about Teshome’s incredible story.
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UNAIDS, PEPFAR Report Progress in Response to HIV and AIDS
The United Nations Joint Programme for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) last month released a report highlighting a notable decline in the rate of new HIV infections in at least 56 countries. UNAIDS officials, however, continue to worry about a parallel slowdown in international funding for AIDS in the face of the global economic crisis. In a November 23 statement, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Eric Goosby, welcomed the report about the downturn in new HIV infections, saying it “demonstrates that success can be achieved in the battle against AIDS.” Last month, Goosby also reported “extraordinary progress” by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in preventing the spread of HIV and in expanding treatment for those who need it. PEPFAR, the flagship U.S. response to HIV and AIDS, will begin to shift from an emergency focus to a more sustained response aimed at expanding male circumcision services, preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission and better supporting maternal and child health, Goosby said.
U.S. Senate Considers Ratifying CEDAW for First Time in Eight Years
The U.S. Senate last month held a hearing on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)—the first congressional hearing on the women’s rights treaty since 2002. The United States is one of a handful of countries yet to ratify the treaty, including Somalia, Iran, Sudan, and several small Pacific island states. In a letter to Senator Dick Durbin, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote: “Ratification of CEDAW would enhance the authority of the United States to advocate on behalf of women’s rights in countries…that do not respect women’s rights to the same extent that the United States does.” Testifying in support of adoption at the hearing were Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-At-Large for Global Women’s Issues, and actress Geena Davis, a longtime advocate for women’s issues. For ratification, the treaty must get 67 votes in the Senate. Ask your senator to support ratification of CEDAW today.
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Women Deliver showcased the achievements in EngenderHealth’s ACQUIRE Tanzania Project in a November 22 blog article, “Celebrate Solutions.”
EngenderHealth's Maternal Health Task Force Director Dr. Ann Blanc published an article in Seminars in Perinatology demonstrating linkages among reproductive health, maternal health, and perinatal outcomes.
AllAfrica.com highlighted the challenges of fistula care in Nigeria and the work of the EngenderHealth-led Fistula Care Project. The Maternal Health Task Force authored two Medscape blog articles: “Too Many C-Sections in the US, Not Enough in the Developing World?” and “Mobile Technology and Maternal Health.”
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EngenderHealth’s Fistula Care project published a technical brief on involving communities in Guinea in fistula prevention and social reintegration.
To mark World AIDS Day, the following are selected EngenderHealth-developed resources and tools to support the health and rights of people living with HIV and AIDS.
Sexual and Reproductive Health for HIV-Positive Women and Girls: Manual for Trainers and Programme Managers is a guidance package for comprehensive, nonjudgmental, and quality care and support to HIV-positive women and adolescent girls. Available as a PDF. (3.3mb)
Reducing Stigma and Discrimination Related to HIV and AIDS: Training for Health Care Workers guides health workers through the root causes of stigma and discrimination while helping them to understand their own attitudes about HIV and AIDS. Available in English and French.
COPE® Handbook: A Process for Improving Quality in Health Services, Revised Edition provides updated guidance on using COPE exercises and tools. It is available in English and French. In addition, EngenderHealth has developed several supplemental COPE toolbooks on HIV-related topics, also available as PDF files:
- COPE® for Services to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV
English (441kb) and French (926kb)
- COPE® for HIV Care and Treatment Services
English (476kb)
- COPE® for HIV Counseling and Testing Services
English (616kb)
- COPE® for Male Circumcision Services
Coming soon.
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Join EngenderHealth today! With a minimum tax-deductible donation of $40, you can become a member of EngenderHealth.
Choose EngenderHealth at work! EngenderHealth participates in the Combined Federal Campaigns, as well as many other workplace giving campaigns. When donating at work, look for us! CFC #10091
Learn about career opportunities at EngenderHealth.
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