Gender & HIV/AIDS Programme

Overview

The Gender and HIV/AIDS programme is one of the three programmes under the Human development in Caritas. The other two being Training and Formation and Food Security/ Livelihoods Programmes.

Goal

The main objective of the Gender and HIV/AIDS programme is to lead and coordinate all gender and HIV/AIDS related programmes in Caritas. It contributes to ensuring that there is improved orientation towards mainstreaming Gender and HIV/AIDS in all programmes from the planning stage to implementation at Caritas and the Dioceses.

Strategic Focus

2

Activities

-Providing of guidance in orientation with regard to gender and HIV/AIDS issues. Focusing attention on ensuring that both staff and the dioceses understand gender concepts and issues.
-Providing technical support to dioceses in the implementation of gender and HIV/AIDS related issues. For example Mansa Diocese had requested for the technical support in developing a gender workplace policy, this was done and the policy has been produced.
-Monitoring and evaluating of the implementation of gender and HIV/AIDS activities at Caritas and diocesan level.
-Developing advocacy strategies for women empowerment at national and diocesan levels
-Caritas Gender workplace policy has been developed and the document has been sent to the printers save for the dioceses.
-Conducting research in Gender and HIV/AIDS issues. Last year we conducted research on Anti- Retroviral Therapy in Lusaka. The report has been printed and distributed.
-Review of Literacy material- syllabus and reading and writing learners and Tutors books have been reviewed. In 2007, 91 women and men graduated at the Lusaka Archdiocese after three years intensive literacy classes.
-We have conducted a survey on Gender participation and Decision Making in three dioceses namely Mpika, Kasama and Mansa.