What Works for Women and Girls

ical validity of the findings that “Staying Alive” promoted interpersonal communicationand influenced young people’s beliefs about HIV prevention in a positive way, evidencefor the potential of a global media campaign to have an impact on social norms (Gearyet al., 2007). (Gray IV) (adolescents, mass media, communication, Nepal, Brazil, Senegal)Straight Talk (ST) mass media communication programs, which have been implementedin Uganda since 1993, comprise three main materials: multilingual StraightTalk Radio Shows, multilingual Straight Talk newspapers, and an English languageYoung Talk newspaper. Straight Talk also implemented a wide array of school-basedactivities to engender a youth-friendly school environment. The evaluation concludesthat many Ugandan adolescents have benefited from ST activities, and that greater exposurewas associated with greater benefits. Among both males and females, exposure toST activities is associated with greater knowledge about sexual and reproductive health,more balanced attitudes toward condoms, and more communication with parents aboutsexual and reproductive health issues. The results also show that for girls, exposure toST materials is further associated with greater self-assuredness, greater sense of genderequity, and the likelihood of having a boyfriend but not having a sexual relationship.Among males, ST exposure is associated with lower likelihood of sexual activity, greaterlikelihood of resuming abstinence, and a greater likelihood of taking relationships withgirls seriously. Adolescents exposed to ST were more likely to have been tested for HIVthan those never exposed (Adamchack et al., 2007). (Gray V) (adolescents, mass media,condoms, communication, abstinence, Uganda)A pilot education campaign using posters and take away cards in numerous venues inRussia increased condom use by 18% in one area and 21% in another among tertiarystudents ages 15 to 23 (Alekseeva et al., 2008b). (Abstract) (mass media, condoms, adolescents,Russia)4. Communication between adults and young people about reproductive health informationcan increase protective behaviors.A study of 750 women and 870 young people in rural Limpopo Province, South Africaevaluated whether an intervention that paired a microfinance program with participatoryHIV/AIDS and gender empowerment education for women in the poorest half ofhouseholds could impact communication about sexuality between the women participantsand adolescents in their households. During mandatory bi-weekly meetings, theIntervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equality (IMAGE) used threepathways to encourage loan holders to engage with young people in their householdsabout sexuality issues: 1) by teaching the women participants about HIV, 2) by allowingthe women to recognize their responsibility in protecting young people from HIV, and3) by giving the women participants guidance in changing social taboos and norms.Initially, many women were “hostile to receiving what they considered to be irrelevantinformation.” A focus discussion group participant indicated “each time the facilitator128 CHAPTER 5 PREVENTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE