SRH and HIV/AIDS Linkages at Policies, Programmes and Service ...

BANGLADESHCAMBODIANEPALPHILIPPINESBangladesh) and Masjid Council forCommunity Advancement (MACCA)The programme has the supportof 18 implementing agencies andnumerous collaborating partners. TheBAP focused on providing preventionservices among MARPs. As a followup to the BAP, Modhumita, (a newcooperative agreement with USAID)started in October 2009 with aboutUS$13 million and will continue till2013. The programme’s overarchingobjective is to support an effective HIVprevention strategy through improvedprevention, care, and treatment servicesfor MARPs, and a strengthenednational response.c. Global Fund to FightAIDS, Tuberculosis andMalaria (GFATM) supportedprogrammes:There are three programmes fundedby GFATM Round 2 (March2004-November 2009). Round 2is a grant project for prevention ofHIV among youth and adolescentsamounting to US$19.7 million,managed by Save the Children USA.Round 6 of the GFATM grant (US$40million) aims to limit the spread andimpact of HIV in the country byproviding prevention services amongMARPs, and improving the capacityto deliver high quality interventions.The government of Bangladesh is theprincipal recipient for both the grants.1.4 National Policy andGuidelines for SRHR andHIV/AIDS LinkagesThere is only one national policydeveloped for adolescent sexualreproductive health and rights.However, no policy has been developedfor SRHR in general. The SRH strategyplan has not been revised since it wasdeveloped.All RH issues are broadly highlightedin the National Health Policy, HNASPand also in the Population Policy. RHprogrammes include safe motherhood,family planning, maternal nutrition,unsafe abortion, neonatal care,emergency obstetric care, adolescenthealth care, infertility, and preventionand control of RTIs / STDs, and HIV.The programmes are directly managedby the DGFP, in cooperation withnational and international NGOs.In Bangladesh women require specialattention in HIV interventions dueto their social, economic and politicalstatus. Women are four times more likelyto contract HIV than men. Howeverwomen’s lower social and culturalstatus causes them to have less access toeducation, employment opportunitiesand health care, including opportunitiesfor HIV tests, counselling and medicalcare. Women are often subjected to earlymarriage, sexual abuse and violence inintimate and marital relationships. Anincreasing number of women are forcedto sell their bodies as the only way tosurvive and provide for their children.Men who buy sex from women areoften reluctant to use condoms.Women have little negotiating power.Even within their marriages, they mayhave unprotected sex with their spouseswho might be engaging in one or morehigh-risk behaviours, and be exposed toHIV.12