[Youthsurvival-network] NUS's support for stigmatized HIV + Women and girls of Bangladesh

[NUS <afrojnus@xxxxxxxxxx>]

NUS has been running HIV Prevention and STI Treatment program since 1993
in Bangladesh and at present providing services for 150,000 families.
Recently we have started human rights and other supports for the
stigmatized and poor HIV + Women and girls of Bangladesh. 

If there is such women  and girls in vulnerable situation, Please
contact 

Nari Unnayan Shakti (NUS) 
(Women's Power for Development) 
823/A, Khilgaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh 
Phone: 880 2 7216270 
Fax: 880 2 7217033 
Email: NUS <afrojnus@xxxxxxxxxx>

NUS's support for stigmatized HIV + Women and girls of Bangladesh


Brief of NUS?s HIV/AIDS Program

Nari Unnayan Shakti (Women?s Power for Development) is a women?s
organization has been playing effective role in HIV/AIDS prevention
programs of Bangladesh since 1992.   HIV/AIDS such a disease
that considered a stigma in the cultural and  social system of the
country. Realizing Bangladeshi women?s vulnerability towards HIV/AIDS as
they are illiterate, ignorant, ill health, poor and oppressed, NUS is
pioneer women lead organizational efforts for fighting against HIV/AIDS
as well as balancing women?s rights in this newly introduced development
sector. 

  

The Executive Director of NUS has got her education on Gender
Policy and Planning from The University of London, UK, where her research
field was AIDS as well as obtained the training on women in Management
from CEDPA, USA. A group of NUS?s staff  received aining from
different national and international organizations. At present 122 staffs
are working under NUS?s HIV/AIDS Prevention Program. 


NUS has contributed in National AIDS Policy, National AIDS strategy,
National Population Policy in Bangladesh and Reduction Strategy Paper
(PRSP). It has conducted an action research on ?Advocacy work to
mainstream gender issue in the AIDS Sector at the policy level? supported
by World Bank and they are continuing the project. Many articles on AIDS
and Women published in different national and international news papers
and books. The Executive Director and the board members and presented
papers in different international and national conferences on HIV/AIDS.
NUS is one of the founder members of the National STI/AIDS Network
Bangladesh and worked there 9 years as the Executive Member and Focal
Point Women and AIDS. 


At present NUS is supporting 147,000 families in Bangladesh through
awareness raising, STI care services and referral service for VCT. NUS
integrated gender relation development and malaria prevention as well as
TB Referral programs in the urban community as well as social
rehabilitation of commercial sex workers. 

Over the years NUS expanded it?s program according to community's need,
it is now a multi faceted organization with over 350 staffs, 217
volunteer?s peer Educator?s 26 youth ambassadors, working through 115
centers under 9 Districts in Bangladesh. NUS?s Focus is on AIDS
prevention, income generation support for women, trafficking and sexual
abuse/Exploitation prevention.


Since the inception of the Country Coordination Mechanism Bangladesh of
Global Fund for AIDS, TB and malaria, the Executive Director has been
nominated as the member in the category of Gender Expert and from the
beginning NUS has been contributing in GFATM Bangladesh Project Proposal
development of HIV and Malaria. NUS is regularly and actively
participating at the CCM Meeting and contributing in policy
decisions.  


Mr. Fazlur Rahman, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare has given his
speech at Youth Ambassador Training Program on AIDS Prevention and
appreciated NUS?s program. He has also visited NUS?s AIDS Prevention
Program Office

Dr. Nafis Sadik, UN Special Envoy, HIV/AIDS,  Former ED, UNFPA 
and    Ms. Sunita Mukharzee, UNFPA Representative 
have appreciated NUS?s HIV/AIDS program while visiting NUS? Project
office at Kuril, Dhaka

Mr Obidul Quader, State Minister, Ministry of Youth and Sports has given
his speech at NUS?s Program has given award to the best Peer Educators of
NUS  

Mr Aman Ullah Aman, State Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
has given his speech at NUS?s Program as well as given award to the best
Peer Educator of NUS  


Track Record on HIV/AIDS

·       

HIV/AIDS
Prevention Project (HAPP) for the Street Based Sex Workers with effect
from August 2004 to June 2005 with the support of the Ministry of Health
& Family Welfare, GOB and monitored by UNICEF in DORP consortium at
Chittagong and Barisal Division.

·       

HIV/AIDS
Prevention Project (HAPP) for the Internal Migrants with effect from
August 2004 to June 2005 with the support of the Ministry of Health &
Family Welfare, GOB and monitored by UNICEF in BRAC consortium at
Chittaging Division.

·       

Leadership
Development Training for the Young people with financial assistance of
World Bank from July- Dec, 2004

·       

STD/AIDS
prevention program for the Rickshaw- pullars and their family from 1999
till 2002 with the support of UNOPS/NASP at Khilgaon thana. The program
evaluated by UNAIDS and the report published as one of the best practice
program for Border People  in Bangladesh

·       

It
has conducted a rapid assessment on Knowledge, Attitude and Needs (KAN)
on AIDS among the Rickshaw pullers with the support of UNOPS/NASP at
Khilgaon

·       

A
Qualitative Research has been conducted to find out the vulnerability of
the urban community People towards AIDS and Needs in assistance with
HASAB at Khilgaon thana in 1996.

·       

STD/AIDS
prevention intervention for the Rickshaw - pullars and their family from
1997 till 1999 with the support of HASAB at ward no. 26 of Khilgaon
thana.

·       

Conducted
several activities for Commercial Sex Workers on HIV/AIDS
prevention  & STD Care in Kandupotty brothel at English Road,
Dhaka old town since 1995-1997 with the financial assistance with
Canadian CIDA.

·       

NUS
have been conducting STD/AIDS prevention program for the University and
college? students from 1993 with the support of FCHD. NUS developed a
total of 177 Peer Educators and 26 Youth Ambassadors under Commonwealth
Youth Program till to date.

·       

STD/AIDS
prevention program for the Rickshaw pullars and their families in 1999 at
ward 25 Khilgaon thana of Dhaka city piloting HIV/AIDS program with the
support of Bangladesh AIDS Prevention and Control Project BGO
(BAPCP).

·       

NUS
conducted Poster Art Competition on HIV/AIDS awareness for the student of
Fine Arts of Dhaka University.

·       

NUS
Produced audiocassette, T-Shirts, Posters, Stickers, Key Rings, Peer
Educator training Module, brochure as BCC Materials of AIDS
Prevention.

·       

NUS
organized and Staged 301 Cultural Shows (Drama and Songs presentation on
AIDS Prevention) and Public Gathering.

·       

Runs
general and STD treatments for commercial sex workers at Badda since
2000. It also maintains a clinical service from 1995-97 in Kandupatti
Brothel and "Slum Based Multi-Purpose Service Center for Women and
Children" with the support of DFID from 1995-97.

·       

NUS
conducted out-door health care service with the financial support from
CIDA till the end of 1999. A health clinic runs at Khilgaon Chowrasta in
support of UNOPS from 1999-2002.