Sexual violence is a primary public health concern and has
implications for reproductive health and HIV/AIDS in Africa. WHO (2002)
has recognised the need for evidence based programming as an essential
function for responding to sexual violence. Increasingly African
countries are responding by implementing initiatives, policies and
programmes to address sexual violence as an important factor in the
fight against HIV/AIDS.
Despite the growth in responses, there is insufficient information
exchange, learning lessons and interactions between countries. HIV/AIDS
interventions have provided a platform for engagement with sexual
violence as a public health concern. However, there are limited
linkages between HIV/AIDS interventions and Reproductive Health
Programmes that form the basis for comprehensive care following sexual
violence.
The first conference on strengthening linkages between sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS services
utilized Sexual Violence as a nexus for interrogating and strengthening
existing responses and the inter-linkages between HIV/AIDS and
Reproductive Health...
