Preventing HIV/AIDS Among Adolescents Through Integrated Communication Programming

Preventing HIV/AIDS among adolescents is a challenging task that touches upon several controversial policy and cultural issues. Nevertheless, it is an absolutely crucial task, as more and more young people are being infected with the deadly virus each day. As several countries have shown, effective prevention programming includes integrating advocacy, behaviour change communication and educational strategies with other policy and service components. This manual focuses on HIV prevention through integrated communication programming that blends advocacy, behaviour change communication and education interventions. It is designed to assist national UNFPA officers in planning, designing, implementing and evaluating communication interventions for HIV prevention among adolescents that integrate advocacy, behaviour change communication and education with other policy and service components. The manual provides a series of check-lists to guide the programme or project officer in addressing key questions related to evidenced-based communication programming for HIV prevention among adolescents. The checklists follow a stepwise decision-making process and serve as menus of options to conduct thorough needs assessments, analyse programmatic responses, and handle strategic programming decisions. The first chapter sets the tone in relation to UNFPA’s support at the county level. It describes the three main communication approaches, HIV prevention, adolescent reproductive health, and explains how they relate to the UNFPA programming cycle. The second and third chapters review the situation of HIV among adolescents from the viewpoint of their priority needs and government policies and intended response. Beneficiary needs and state policies become the set of priority issues that communication will need to address. The fourth chapter assesses the ability of organizations involved in HIV prevention among youths to identify needs for capacity development and to help UNFPA determine its role vis-à-vis implementing partners. The fifth chapter compiles a set of desirable programme results in advocacy, behaviour change communication and education that focus on HIV prevention among young people. It also provides tips for selecting among them. The sixth chapter provides information and suggestions for selecting the communication strategy that will be most effective, based on assessed adolescent communication and health needs. The seventh chapter reviews issues to strengthen partnerships, management and coordination in programme implementation. Chapter eight provides tips and tools for monitoring and evaluating processes and outcomes.