Adolescent girls and young women are among the groups most affected by HIV. Half of all new HIV cases in East and Southern Africa occur among girls and women ages 15–24.
Power imbalances and inequitable social norms based on gender and age help drive young women’s susceptibility to HIV.
To support adolescent girls and young women who face multiple intersecting vulnerabilities to HIV, FHI 360 conducts a range of gender- and youth-focused HIV prevention, care and treatment programs, as well as research. This includes implementing or providing technical assistance for all core intervention areas in the PEPFAR-funded DREAMS program.
Throughout, we center the needs, perspectives and choices of adolescent girls and young women and align with a positive youth development approach.
2015
Year FHI 360 began executing DREAMS programming, the same year it launched
7
Countries where FHI 360 has implemented or provided technical assistance across all DREAMS intervention areas
30+
Programs developed with the support of adolescent girls and young women through the MOSAIC project
Our expertise and approaches
We have decades of experience conducting HIV programming and research that supports adolescent girls and young women. To ensure their needs are met and their perspectives are considered, we use the following approaches.
Meaningful participation and action
Adolescent girls and young women are experts in their own lives. Their meaningful engagement in the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of programs and research is an asset to the HIV response. We engage young people and youth-led organizations to make decisions, express opinions and take actions that affect them and their communities.
Skills building and experiential learning
FHI 360 provides adolescent girls and young women with opportunities to develop and practice foundational knowledge and specialized skills through age- and context-appropriate experiential learning.
Youth-responsive systems
FHI 360 expands access to youth-responsive and age-appropriate HIV prevention, care and treatment services and resources. We do this through research on HIV prevention choice, development of guidance and tools, health care provider trainings, and norm change activities in communities and health facilities.
Safe and supportive relationships
FHI 360 supports adolescent girls and young women to develop safe and supportive relationships, which contribute to better HIV outcomes. We do this through peer support, individual and group mentoring, family strengthening, male engagement and community engagement.
Finding a job when unemployment is over 30%
Projects
Current projects
- Maximizing Options to Advance Informed Choice for HIV Prevention (MOSAIC)
- Expanding Malawi HIV/AIDS Prevention with Local Organizations Working for an Effective Epidemic Response (EMPOWER)
- Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC)
- IMPAACT Network
- USAID Caring for Vulnerable Children (CVC) activity
Stories and resources
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Story
Ethiopian girls stand strong against violence
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Story
To help prevent HIV, young people must be meaningfully engaged
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Resource
Locally Led HIV Programming: The Story of Zimbabwe Health Interventions
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Resource
Building Pathways to Thriving Futures: FHI 360 Youth Development Framework
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Resource
Capacity Development and Support: A Decade of Impacting Lives
Other resources
Access resources created by the MOSAIC project via PrEPWatch, the online clearinghouse for resources and information related to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
