Programme Associate (Gender, HIV, Community Development)

Details

Mission and objectives

UNAIDS TJK organization mission TBD

Context

The number of new HIV infections in Tajikistan has risen by over 20% in the past decade, with no signs of a decrease. As of January 1, 2023, there were 15,333 registered HIV-positive individuals in the country, 63.7% of whom were men and 36.3% women, including 1,532 children and adolescents. Gender-based violence significantly affects women's access to health services, including HIV services. Despite political recognition of the issue and the adoption of laws and programs to combat domestic violence, violence against women and girls remains widespread. Early and often forced marriages are common and pose a significant HIV risk, especially for young women and girls. In 2022, 1,037 new HIV cases were reported, with a concerning increase in cases among women. Factors contributing to women's higher vulnerability to HIV include biological characteristics, economic conditions, societal and family roles, gender stereotypes, violence, stigma, and discrimination. Women living with HIV face multiple forms of discrimination and are particularly vulnerable to domestic and social violence. Despite the right to free healthcare services, including antiretroviral treatment, barriers to access persist. The increasing trend of HIV infections, especially among women, calls for a gender-sensitive and women-focused approach to prevention and treatment services. Over 86% of women living with HIV in Tajikistan experience high levels of stigma and discrimination, including contempt, threats, and physical violence, according to a 2021 UN Women report. Fear of disclosing their status often prevents these women from seeking protection from law enforcement. The 2020 Stigma Index study found that women living with HIV (95%) are more likely to experience stigma than men (82%). The 2021 Independent evaluation of the UN Joint Programme on AIDS suggested enhancing the integration of VAWG into existing HIV programmes and vice versa, requiring more attention to gender dimensions and the critical role of civil society in advocacy and service delivery. In 2021-2022, UNAIDS and UN Women introduced the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) concept, training 20 women living with HIV and advocating for CLM's inclusion in the National HIV Programme's Monitoring and Evaluation Plan. Additionally, UNAIDS efforts focused on transformational leadership of women living with HIV, CLM, and advocacy through Tajikistan Network of WLWH. Tajikistan is a part of a new process of developing the HIV Response Sustainability Roadmaps which started on global level recently. The HIV Response Sustainability Roadmap is a first step to the sustaining HIV response gains beyond 2030 and aimed at transformational approach for the long-term sustainability of HIV efforts towards ending AIDS as a public health threat.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Country Director, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: 1. As a part of the team, the youth volunteer will assist in implementation and expansion of the Country Office portfolio with a focus on gender integration in HIV programming and developing gender-sensitive interventions. 2. As a part of the team, the youth volunteer will assist developing and implementing communication strategies to raise awareness about HIV and gender issues. This could involve an involvement in creating educational materials, organizing events, or managing social media pages and campaigns, including for the World AIDS Day. 3. As a part of the team, the youth volunteer will assist in capacity building of CSO/community-based partners: contribute to training sessions and workshops to build the capacity of staff and stakeholders in understanding and addressing gender and HIV-related issues. 4. As a part of the team, the youth volunteer will assist in monitoring and evaluation: participate and contribute to the regular monitoring the implementation of UNAIDS programs and initiatives. Assists CSOs in developing monitoring and evaluation plans and creating gender-sensitive indicators. 6. Networking and partnership building - As a part of the team, the youth volunteer will work closely with members of various HIV and gender networks, stakeholders, and the community to inform UNAIDS plans and strategies aligned with institutional goals of the partners. 7. As a part of the team, the youth volunteer will assist in developing the HIV Sustainability Roadmap in Tajikistan by conducting mini research/data collection/review of materials on relevant topics and prepare reports and presentations to share findings with team members, stakeholders, and the wider community. 8. As a part of the team, the youth volunteer will assist in conducting various events, drafting minutes, news clips, press-releases, other materials.