REGAINING THE HOPE FOR A SAFER AND SECURE RELATIONSHIPS AND MARRIAGES.
Discordant relationships and marriages where one of the partners is HIV positive and the other is HIV negative still remains a major challenge in HIV prevention and care. The positive partner being on ART MUT maintain viral load (VL) suppression LDL while the negative partner is expected to be on PrEP with frequent screening and consistent well informed protected sexual practices.
GOBCOM is implementing a peek module with a number of interventions such as EBAN-K which h reached a total of 120 (60M, 60F) individuals in 6 CCC facilities in Alego – Usonga Sub County with a focus on enhancing communication, creating a safer space for them, and improving security on the love life amongst the couples and privacy in regards to issues of accidental disclosure and stigma surrounding discordancy. The intervention is also geared towards psychosocial support for the positive partner and preventive services for the negative partner.
The DC peer model program line listing 488 discordant individuals, testing 82 for HIV and enrolling 21 on preventive PrEP, focusing on peer approach has been a great deal in the service provision and psychosocial support amongst the cohorts. With trained 15 peer educators spread around 10 facilities we have cushioned them and given safer space for cross sharing and learning to ensure zero new infections and adherence among our cohort peers.
HUMAN RIGHTS PROMOTION AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE INTERVENTIONS
Government bears the primary responsibility of protecting and promoting human rights, however, GLOBCOM has trained and engaged paralegals to facilitate identification, monitoring, and support to human rights violation cases from the community to seek and receive legal redress. This is part of GLOBCOM’s broader Community systems and safety net strengthening gen to leverage on the Government efforts in serving justice to all.
To contribute to Government systems strengthening and capacity enhancement, the organization profiled and trained seven officers from different departments in Bondo Sub-County on violence prevention and response. The seven continue to play a key role in cascading the same information in their departments and facilitate meaningful and well informed response to violence at work places and community settings.
Within this reporting period, seven paralegals documented and reported 20 cases who were offered legal support and currently being handled in court of law. To strengthen meaningful partnership and involvement in the human rights and protection agenda drive, the organization held a county stakeholders’ review meeting at Siaya Red cross Hall bringing together key actors in Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
In addition, GLOBCOM conducted free legal aids clinic in Obambo in March. A number of paralegals and an advocate of the high court were brought on board to foster professional advocacy and community awareness to enhance information reach on human rights and the law. Integration of know your rights sensitization sessions which reached 180 (134M, 46F) in organization activities heightened dissemination of information on human rights and law.
Everyone in a position of authority and particularly leaders need to recognize the severity and systemic nature of violence against women and girls. This means tackling its root causes, including poverty and marginalization, and making justice systems more responsive to the needs and rights of women is our collective responsibility.
