'Report Card' - a FPAM Initiative

Several factors increase girls' and young womens' vulnerability to HIV and Aids. This includes a lack of knowledge about prevention methods, early marriages, lack of economic opportunities, multiple and concurrent partnerships and socio-cultural norms.

Nearly half of the countries' population is under 15 years old and statistics show that the prevalence rate among females aged 15-24 is about four times that of males. The situation puts the lives of girls and young women at risk of contracting the virus and becoming infected.

With this in mind Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) through their umbrella body the International Parenthood Federation (IPPF) recently launched a 'report card' to help fight some of the ills facing girls and young women throughout the country.

FPAM Program Coordinator Mathews Chatuluka defines the report card as an advocacy tool to increase and improve the programmatic, policy and funding actions taken on HIV prevention for girls and young women in the country.

He explained that the report card is the basis of extensive research carried out during 2006 by IPPF, involving both desk research on published data and reports and in-country research in Malawi that aims at providing more qualitative information.

"The report card summarizes the current situation of HIV prevention strategies and services for girls and young women ages 15-24 years in Malawi. Its key audiences are national, regional and international policy and decision-makers, and service providers.

"It builds on global policy commitments, particularly those outlined in the political declaration on HIV/Aids from the June 2006 high level meeting, to follow up on the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Aids (UNGASS)," he said.

Among other things, explained Chatuluka, the report card would more aggressively promote a positive model of voluntary counselling and testing - one that emphasises the benefits of knowing your HIV status, guaranteeing confidentiality and helping girls and young women cope with the aftermath of being affected.

He said the report card would also strengthen the links between HIV prevention and legal services, "so that, if for example, a woman taking an HIV test reports being raped, she can be referred to a group that can provide appropriate and sensitive legal support."

"The report card would also help in designing programmes that are specifically tailored to young and older men and address their role in supporting HIV prevention for girls and young women," added the programmes coordinator.

"And more aggressively, promote the involvement of men in sexual and reproductive health programmes and facilitate the participation of girls and young women particularly those living with HIV in national planning and programming relating to HIV and Aids including through programmes to build their capacity in areas such as decision-making and public speaking."

UNFPA HIV Coordinator Robert Ngaiyaye said the report card has come at a right time when girls and young women are lacking adequate knowledge about the prevention of the disease.

He said girls and young women lack economic opportunities that are contributing to them becoming involved in sex work at an early age.

"To date despite the high knowledge levels of HIV pandemic in this country only 57.3% state that condoms can help prevent HIV. Teenage pregnancy is also very high to the extent that about 60% of girls get pregnant or have a baby at the age of 19," Ngaiyaye said.

He called on stakeholders to regard the report card as a critical tool to addressing the issues affecting girls and young women.

Ngaiyaye said the report card has come at a time when young girls and women need it the most.

"We need to join hands to address the issues affecting young people. There is a need to intensify prevention efforts," he said.

Minister of Youth Development and Sports Khumbo Kachale emphasised the need for stakeholders in the fight against HIV/Aids to promote educating messages.

The minister also advised youths in the country to put to practice everything they learn about the disease and strive to become role models.

"Let us promote educating messages about the disease and not the threatening ones because if you promote that a lot of youth lose their focus and they stop participating and to the youth out there, take what you learn and apply it to your daily lives. When you do so you become role models in your respective areas," said Kachale.