HIV-sensitive social protection for unemployed and out-of-school young women in Botswana: An exploratory study of barriers and solutions.

Promotive social protection programs aim to increase income and capabilities and could help address structural drivers of HIV-vulnerability like poverty, lack of education and gender inequality. Unemployed and out-of-school young women bear the brunt of HIV infection in Botswana, but rarely benefit from such economic empowerment programs. Using a qualitative exploratory study design and a participatory research approach, we explored factors affecting perceived program benefit and potential solutions to barriers.

Acceptability and challenges of introducing an educational audio-drama about gender violence and HIV prevention into schools in Botswana: an implementation review.

Structural interventions for HIV prevention are typically complex and evaluation should include measurement of implementation. In a trial of a structural intervention for HIV prevention in Botswana we trained teachers to use an audio-drama about gender violence and HIV (BVV). We measured the use of BVV by the trained teachers, and the factors related.

Reaching marginalized young women for HIV prevention in Botswana: a pilot social network analysis.

Almost one-fifth of Botswana's population is infected with HIV. The Inter-Ministerial National Structural Intervention Trial is a trial to test the impact on HIV rates of a structural intervention that refocuses government structural support programs in favor of young women. Ensuring that the intervention reaches all vulnerable young women in any given community is a challenge.

Can social network analysis help to include marginalised young women in structural support programmes in Botswana? A mixed methods study.

Background: In Botswana, one fifth of the adult population is infected with HIV, with young women most at risk. Structural factors such as poverty, poor education, strong gender inequalities and gender violence render many young women unable to act on choices to protect themselves from HIV. A national trial is testing an intervention to assist young women to access government programs for returning to education, and improving livelihoods.

The Inter-ministerial National Structural Intervention trial (INSTRUCT): protocol for a parallel group cluster randomised controlled trial of a structural intervention to reduce HIV infection among young women in Botswana.

Background: Wide recognition that structural factors are important in the HIV epidemic has not generated much evidence of impact of structural interventions. Few randomised controlled trials of structural interventions for HIV prevention have an HIV endpoint, and most of those did not show a significant impact. It has proved difficult to prevent new HIV infections in Botswana, especially among young women, many of whom are unable to act on HIV preventive choices.

A role for traditional doctors in health promotion: experience from a trial of HIV prevention in Botswana.

Traditional doctors have been largely ignored in HIV prevention, particularly primary prevention. As part of a structural intervention programme to reduce HIV risk among young women in Botswana, we trained 147 traditional doctors in four districts as well as government health education assistants (HEAs) and teachers to run discussion groups in the community and schools, using an evidence-based eight-episode audio-drama, covering gender roles, gender violence, and how these are related to HIV risk. One year later, we contacted 43 of the 87 trained traditional doctors in two districts.

Access of choice-disabled young women in Botswana to government structural support programmes: a cross-sectional study.

Structural factors like poverty, poor education, gender inequality, and gender violence are important in the HIV epidemic in southern Africa. Such factors constrain many people from making choices to protect themselves against HIV. The INSTRUCT cluster randomised controlled trial of a structural intervention for HIV prevention includes workshops for young women which link them with existing government structural support programmes.

Afri-Can Forum 2 : Johannesburg, South Africa. 16-18 February 2015.

A1 Introduction to the 2nd synchronicity forum of GHRI/CHVI-funded Canadian and African HIV prevention and vaccine teams O1 Voluntary medical male circumcision for prevention of heterosexual transmission of HIV in adult males in Soweto: What do indicators and incidence rate show? Hillary Mukudu, Neil Martinson, Benn Sartorius O2 Developing a peer-led community mobilization program for sex workers in Soweto: HIV risk and demographics Jenny Coetzee, Janan Dietrich, Kgaugelo Mokgatswana, Rachel Jewkes, Glenda E. Gray O3 Salient beliefs about adherence: A qualitative survey conducted as part of the demonstration study on "treatment as prevention" (TasP) and "pre-exposure prophylaxis" (PrEP) among female sex workers (FSWS) in Cotonou, Benin Marylène Dugas, Luc Béhanzin, Fernand A. Guédou, Marie-Pierre Gagnon, Michel Alary O4 Relative perception of risk as a driver of unsafe sexual practices among key populations: Cases of fisherfolk and women and their partners involved in multiple sexual partnerships in Uganda Rwamahe Rutakumwa, Martin Mbonye, Thadeus Kiwanuka, Sarah Nakamanya, Richard Muhumuza, Winfred Nalukenge, Janet Seeley O5 Exploring the acceptability of new biomedical HIV prevention technologies among MSM, adolescents and heterosexual adults in South Africa Millicent Atujuna, Melissa Wallace, Ben Brown, Linda Gail Bekker, Peter A.

Community views of inter-generational sex: findings from focus groups in Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland.

Inter-generational sex is an important driver of the AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa, contributing to the high incidence of HIV among young women. We conducted 12 focus group discussions with women aged 15-24 years and 11 with men aged 40-55 years in urban and rural locations in Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland. There was consensus that inter-generational sex is commonplace.