The 1st conference on STRENGTHENING LINKAGES BETWEEN SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND HIV/AIDS SERVICES: THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE NEXUS

Theme: Taking the Lead: Challenges and Emerging Opportunities in Responding to Sexual Violence in East, Central and Southern Africa:’

Venue – Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya   Dates:  29th September 1st October 2008

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.  Liverpool VCT, Care & Treatment (www.liverpoolvct.org ) is concerned with strengthening the continuum for HIV prevention, care and treatment.  Strengthening linkages to reproductive health services is fundamental to improved quality of life. 

This conference aims to utilize Sexual Violence as a nexus for interrogating and strengthening existing response and the inter-linkages between HIV/AIDS and reproductive Health.  It aims to facilitate the development of synergistic relationships between policy makers, researchers, activists and practitioners from Government, academia and civil society in the East, Central and Southern African region through facilitating information exchange, sharing experiences and innovative approaches, developing consensus on current gaps and research needs while strengthening practice/service delivery strategies.  As reflected in the conference theme, we aim to facilitate participants in taking leadership in identifying challenges and utilizing emerging opportunities for strengthening responses to sexual violence in Africa. 

The driving principles of responding to violence against women informed the organization of this conference. 

1. Strengthening prevention of violence by responding to and addressing the root causes of gender inequality
2. Ensuring access to non-judgemental and supportive comprehensive services
3. Providing on-going psycho-social and community based support and rehabilitation services 

Additional reflections on emerging concerns for sexual violence in Africa such as Children and civil unrest were considered.  Support services that would be required for sustained responses are considerations of which a platform is provided in this conference.   Thus, four main tracks that focus on the linkages between reproductive health and HIV/AIDS and the sexual violence nexus will form the basis of engagement at the conference.  These tracks are cognizant of this broad spectrum of responses and the interface between policy and practice for responding to sexual violence and include; prevention of sexual violence, care and services strengthening, rehabilitation and support, cross-cutting concerns and support services.    

The Ministry of Health/Division of Reproductive Health of Kenya and the National AIDS Control Council are committed to strengthening RH/HIV AIDS linkages.  With sexual violence as a nexus, this commitment is reflected in Kenya’s response to sexual violence in the development of a policy framework, national service delivery guidelines, standardized training, a national sexual violence service delivery scale up plan, M & E indicators on the Division of Reproductive Health Business Plan and the Kenya National HIV/AIDS Strategic plan.  In the spirit of this commitment, this conference will be co-chaired by:

Prof. Alloys Orago,                   & nbsp;                          & nbsp;                 Dr. Josephine Kibaru,
Director, National HIV/AIDS Council                   & nbsp;            Head, Division of Reproductive Health

Dr. Nduku Kilonzo,
Director, Liverpool VCT, Care & Treatment

ORGANIZATION OF THE CONFERENCE

Track 1: Prevention of sexual violence

1. Advocacy strategies
2. Legislation
3. Community Interventions
4. Special needs and vulnerable groups

Track 2: Care and Services strengthening

1. Sexual and Reproductive Health Services
2. STI/HIV prevention, care & treatment
3. Medico-legal linkages
4. Counselling services

Track 3: Rehabilitation

1. Long-term psycho-social care
2. Reproductive health care
3. Sexuality and sexual well-being
4. Justice: formal & informal
5. Stigma & social support

Track 4: Cross-cutting concerns and Support services

1. Sexual violence against children
2. Referral systems
3. Integration of services
4. M & E
5. Policy frameworks