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Saying No to Forced Early Retirement from Sex: Time to broaden the scope of HIV prevention in Kenya

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Abstract

HIV prevention messages have an impact on people's sexualities in ways that are unimaginable. In Kenya, consultations with HIV positive people under the Maanisha programme reveal that HIV prevention messages work to regulate and stigmatize sexual expressions among people already infected with HIV. Regrettably, these stereotypical strategies are promoted by health experts and HIV/AIDS service providers. Interventions must break with stereotypes and create spaces for behaviour change strategies that begin with positive peoples lived experiences, acknowledging their complexities and working with them in a more equitable and mutually respectful interaction.

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Notes

  1. Maanisha: Community Initiatives to Control HIV and AIDS in Kenya is a programme of the AMREF in Kenya with funding and technical support from the Swedish International Development Agency and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development.

  2. Consultations around HIV prevention and BCC strategies and messages were organized by AMREF Maanisha programme implementation team in collaboration with the National Empowerment Network of People living with HIV in Kenya.

  3. Alice Welbourn used this expression during the Sexuality and Development Workshop at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Brighton, UK, April 2008.

  4. The Kenya National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCOP) has responded to the growing needs of HIV prevention and BCC among people living with HIV and has established a Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Prevention with Positives (PwPs) to come up with a framework and guidelines on how to design and implement HIV prevention among people already infected with HIV.

References

  • Cairns, Gus (2005) Positive Prevention by Positive Men: Developing positive-led HIV prevention programmes for gay men with HIV, London: UK Coalition of People Living with HIV and AIDS.

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  • International HIV/AIDS Alliance (2003) ‘Positive Prevention: Prevention strategies for people with HIV/AIDS’, Draft Background Paper available at http://www.aidsalliance.org/sw9438.asp, July.

  • Moody, Kevin (2003) ‘Positive Prevention: Opportunity or threat’, Global Network of People living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+).

  • National AIDS Control Council (NACC) (2008) Kenya National HIV and AIDS Communication Strategy for Youth 2008, Nairobi: Government Printer.

  • Philpott, Anne and Wendy Knerr (2008) ‘Collecting Best Practices for Sex-Positive, Pleasure-Focused Work on Safer Sex and HIV Prevention’, paper presented at the Sexuality and Development Industry Workshop, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.

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Shows how interventions must break with stereotypes and create spaces for behaviour change strategies that begin with positive peoples lived experiences

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Otwoma, N., Opiyo, N. & Kojwang, C. Saying No to Forced Early Retirement from Sex: Time to broaden the scope of HIV prevention in Kenya. Development 52, 105–108 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1057/dev.2008.78

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/dev.2008.78

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