HIV prevention program for young urban women in post-conflict Liberia

Background

Young women account for an increasing prevalence of HIV/STDs in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Liberia. Despite being a vulnerable population, there is a significant need for women in post-conflict settings, like Liberia, to be used as stakeholders for gender-based program development in the mitigation of HIV/AIDS.

Methods

Thirty-nine (39) women aged 18-29 years and ten (10) recognized female key informants, recruited from the local community and international organizations, were interviewed by qualitative methods to ascertain their HIV risk behaviors and perceptions regarding the development and implementation of a gender-based HIV prevention program for young women in post-conflict Liberia. The qualitative interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed for common themes.

Results

Young women in post-conflict settings, like Liberia, are highly susceptible to HIV/STDs from domestic and gender-based violence, psychosocial inequality, household protection, economic and gender-based inequity, and the lack of gender-focused empowerment programs.

Conclusion

Gender-based HIV/STD-related programs, like Sisters Informing Sisters About Topics on AIDS (SISTA), can be culturally adapted to empower young women, as well as mitigate the spread of HIV/STDs in post-conflict settings, like Liberia.