Zimbabwean stories of "Best Practice" - SAfAIDS

The welfare of various interest groups is catered for through a system that ensures that issues adopted foradvocacy, educational workshops and discussion forums come from the community and the groups themselves.As was pointed out:"We don't come into the community with our own ideas but allow discussions to produce them.In other words, our programs are community driven."- WAG Programme OfficerIn order to ensure equitable distribution of services, WAG operates within, or targets, grassroots communities.It is at this level that the majority of people who would benefit most from WAG's services are found. Again,it is at this level that programming aims to bring about positive behaviour change in preventing the spreadof HIV.More importantly, WAG attaches great importance to human rights, with specific emphasis on women'sright, and always endeavours to promote them. The organisation thus employs a rights-based approachin its interventions. At operational level, WAG peer educators are approached by many people wantingto share confidential issues about their health, marriages, deceased estate matters or other rights relatedissues WAG staff all ensure individuals of total confidentiality when engaging in any one-to-one counsellingsessions, when counselling couples or victims of gender based violence for example. The story on the nextpage about sacrificing marriage for one's rights gives an idea of the kinds of issues and pressures thatwomen in Zimbabwe face.RelevanceAll HIV interventions need to take cognisance of the specific context in which they are taking place, notingcultural, religious and other norms, as well as political systems and the socio-economic environment, in sofar as they affect vulnerability, risk behaviour, or the successful implementation of responses.The gender concerns expressed during the 1995 Beijing Conference are reflected in WAG's interventionsas the organisation endeavours to mainstream gender considerations in its contribution to the fight againstthe spread of HIV. The Conference, officially known as 'The Fourth World Conference on Women: Actionfor Equality, Development and Peace', enshrined principles pertaining to the advancement and empowermentof women in relation to their human rights, decision-making capabilities, and the eradication of violenceagainst women. At this same conference, an agenda for women's empowerment was adopted and is widelyknown as the Beijing Platform for Action. In all its programmes WAG promotes the Platform's agenda ofgender equity and has adopted a strategy for empowering women and girls to exercise their sexual andreproductive health rights.39