Ashar Prodeep (AP), a women-led organization of HIV-positive women, implemented the Crea-FON Project with a focus on advocacy, organizational strengthening, and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention. The project enhanced AP’s visibility, credibility, and capacity to mobilize resources. Key interventions included:
1 Organizational Development & Policy Frameworks
- Reviewed and developed safeguarding, gender, and operational policies.
- Strengthened institutional accountability through updated governance tools.
2 Capacity Building & Leadership Development
- Conducted staff training and professional development sessions to improve program delivery.
- Built the capacity of HIV-positive women to engage in advocacy and peer support.
3 Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Materials
- Developed IEC and BCC tools focusing on HIV, GBV prevention, stigma reduction, and women’s rights.
- Produced case studies and a documentary to amplify voices of women living with HIV.
4 Digital Presence and Visibility
- Developed and launched AP’s official website.
- Enhanced digital visibility to improve outreach, credibility, and fundraising opportunities.
5 Advisory and Advocacy Structures
- Established an Advisory Committee comprising HIV-positive women, legal experts, and gender rights activists.
- Facilitated dialogues and advocacy initiatives with stakeholders to challenge stigma, discrimination, and GBV.
These activities, supported by FON, helped AP strengthen its foundation as a credible, women-led organization. While these steps enhanced visibility, sustainability remains a challenge without income-generating activities (IGAs) to ensure long-term impact.
Challanges
One significant challenge during our FON-supported work was the deep-rooted stigma and societal discrimination against women living with HIV, which often intersects with gender-based violence.
Fundraising is a major challenge for the organization due to the absence of a capable core staff; all staff are project-based.
Organizational sustainability is another challenge because the organization has no income-generating projects.
Most HIV-positive individuals are fearful and live in different areas, making it difficult to gather them together due to funding constraints. However, such gatherings are crucial for their empowerment and for reducing violence against women.
Lessons Learned
Strong policies build trust and credibility
– Developing safeguarding, gender, and governance policies increased AP’s accountability and improved confidence among community members and external partners.
Visibility enhances credibility
– The website, IEC/BCC tools, case studies, and a documentary increased AP’s visibility, which positioned the organization as a reliable and professional voice of HIV-positive women.
Advisory structures strengthen linkages
– Establishing an Advisory Committee brought in legal, gender, and community expertise, which helped AP connect women with referral services and strengthened external collaborations.
Community-led advocacy creates safe spaces
– HIV-positive women felt empowered to speak about GBV and stigma, showing that community-driven initiatives are more effective in gaining trust.
Sustainability requires financial independence
– Organizational strengthening alone is not enough; without Income Generating Activities (IGAs) and core funding, continuity of GBV prevention and advocacy remains fragile.
Holistic empowerment is key
– Linking organizational systems (policies, structures, tools) with economic empowerment (IGAs) is essential for long-term resilience of HIV-positive women and their leadership.
