Case study No. 3. Sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescents living with HIV
Abstract
The International HIV/AIDS Alliance have carried out a literature review of the sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescents living with HIV. The study found that adolescents living with HIV have largely been left out of the national responses to HIV/AIDS in low-income settings. Their needs differ from those of adults living with HIV and they face many challenges, including serious service access barriers that require greater attention and advocacy. In most low-income countries health systems have not been designed and do not have the capacity to meet their specific needs. Also, there is limited guidance on working with them. The evidence generated from this study contributes to strengthening the global evidence base on this population group. The findings and recommendations for policy makers, researchers and programmers have been made available to the international HIV/AIDS community in the form of a poster that was presented at the International HIV/ AIDS Conference 2010 in Vienna. The data will further be used to complement the data from a comparative qualitative study on 'Adolescents growing up with HIV in Southern Africa: Needs, Challenges and Opportunities' in Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, where it will help to guide new policies for Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV-related services in the Southern Africa region. Within the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, which is leading on this study, an interest group has been established that is mapping the work of the Alliance with this group and will produce and disseminate a report to guide the Alliance’s programming and advocacy efforts in this area. Also, it is planned to start a community of practice on the topic.
Citation
Evidence For Action Case Study No. 03 July 2010, 2 pp.
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