Empowering 500 Rwandan women living with HIV/AIDS

Women living with HIV/AIDS, in particular, have been positioned as a latent source of infection, and have captivated culpability and blame leading to a highly stigmatised and discriminated life.

Life for HIV infected women is never easy; they manifest profound physical and psychological consequences. Women bear a ‘triple jeopardy’ impact of HIV/AIDS: as person infected with HIV, as mothers of child, and as carers of partners, parents or orphans with AIDS.

It is against such background that Human Rights First Rwanda Association through its community trained health volunteers continued to offer home based counselling of pregnant women and and families  to promote HIV screening, antenatal care, safe delivery and breastfeeding; 

Our Interventions help to close the gaps that cause mothers and infants to be lost to health services and employ a holistic approach that includes:

1. Prevention of mother to child transmission(PMTCT) which includes the concept of combining prevention and treatment for both mother and child, and incorporates improving reproductive health, antenatal care, safe delivery, and new-born and child health in a continuum of care.

2. Mobilising community members, local leaders and faith based leaders for a supportive environment; 

Human Rights First Rwanda Association and its network partners has also embarked on local and national advocacy to promote system strengthening to ensure that  women living with HIV have access to comprehensive PMTCT services and antiretroviral therapy (ART) for themselves in a stigma free environment;