Implementing Multiple Gender Strategies to Improve HIV and ... - ICRW

Partner
Organizations
Implementation partners:
• Association des Veuves du Génocide (AVEGA – Agahozo)
• IBUKA – Mémoire et Justice
• Solace Ministries
• Survivors Fund
Evaluation partners:
• Association des Veuves du Génocide (AVEGA – Agahozo)
• IBUKA – Mémoire et Justice
• Solace Ministries
• Survivors Fund
• UK Department for International Development (DFID)
IMPLEMENTATION AND RESULTS
Start-up and
Implementation
Process
The Polyclinic of Hope, established in 1995, is a center for women victims
of rape and other violent crimes suffered during the 1994 genocide as well
as other vulnerable groups, including women living with HIV. The center
reaches more than 655 women and their families. In total PoH reaches
more than 2,508 people. RWN implemented the Care and Treatment
project at the Polyclinic of Hope after extended advocacy efforts called
upon various stakeholders to support women who became HIV-positive due
to the mass rape committed during the 1994 genocide. For its intervention
sites, CTP selected locations where high rates of mass rape occurred
during the genocide.
Local Involvement/
Ownership
PoH CTP helps transform women from being victims of violence to being
agents of change. Victims seeking services in turn become project
volunteers to help other women. Overall, program activities are led and
driven by women who participate in and benefit from program activities. For
example:
• Women become volunteers to help other women go through the same
project in their homes, neighborhoods and communities.
• The women talk freely about what happened in the genocide and call
for it to never happen again.
• The women are willing to facilitate the judicial system by giving
information and evidence about what happened.
• The women are willing to forgive when asked for forgiveness by
perpetrators.
District authorities are supportive of the program, referring clients to the
center, donating land for women’s housing and donating medical supplies.
Evaluation
Methodology
• Monitoring data: Data are collected each time a client at the PoH
receives a service. When a client first comes to the clinic, a file is
opened detailing information about her background, what she
encountered during the genocide, her needs, etc. The social worker
regularly updates this file. A separate medical file is opened and
updated every time the client seeks medical care at PoH.
• Community monitoring: Community user groups were set up to monitor
quality of services provided at clinics.
110