This is a new activity intended to provide national leadership and coordination among PEPFAR partners with regards to specific gender issues, and to link to care, treatment, PMTCT, AB and OP activities in Sofala and Zambezia provinces. It will also specifically link to the Communication Activities and PAO/Peace Corps supported activities, AB (9112, 8645,9045,8503,8502,8505), C&OP (8648, 9150, 9151), PMTCT (9162, 9141), OPSS(8646,8505) Specific areas to be addressed include:

1. Increasing gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs: specifically, a) mitigating the burden of care on women and girls by linking care programs with community efforts that provide resources such as food/school expenses, household help, farm labor and child care; b)partnering with women's organizations in the design and implementation of programs and policies.

2. Male norms and behaviors: supporting counseling, peer education and comunity interventions with messages that challenge norms about masculinity, multiple sexual partners for boys and men and cross-generational sex.

3. Reducing violence and coercion: a) mobilizing communities to address norms/behaviors related to cross-generational sex; b)supporting workplace and school-based programs for the prevention of violence; c)training health care providers, especially in PMTCT and CT settings and peer educators to identify, counsel and refer victims of sexual abuse and violence; d)supporting women and men to mitigate potential violence or other negative outcomes of disclosure while addressing community norms that permit violent responses to disclosure; e)supporting activities and policies to strengthen sanctions against sexual and physical violence.

It is anticipated that this implementing partner will be based in Maputo, but focus initial implementation in Zambezia and Sofala Provinces. This IP will have the role of coordinating other USG partners in effectively addressing the three components identified above. The partner will need to work effectively with the communication partner, FDC,care, PMTCT and other prevention and treatment partners as well as with the MOH, MINEDUC, MMAS and CNCS at provincial level to effectively address the identified gender issues. The military and the police are important partners in many aspects: as enforcers of sanctions; as providers of treatment; as largely male populations sharing gender norms current in the broader culture. Stakeholders including the military and police need to be involved from the beginning of the project. Piloting of activities, materials, approaches should take place in consultation with appropriate partners at provincial level. Community mobilization and participation has been selected as the main strategy for addressing the areas of increasing gender equity in HIV/AIDS programs, changing male norms and behaviors and reducing violence and coercion. This activity also will apply a gender filter to policy and guidelines, clinic services and training as a way to address the three main areas listed above.

It is hard to estimate targets before the activity has been designed. Of the three program areas, the second one relating to male norms and behaviors best fits within the AB indicators. Hence, modest targets of 4000 individuals reached through community outreach with AB messages, and 80 individuals trained to promote AB are appropriate starting points, to be revised once the project is operational. The 50 individuals trained would most likely be community leaders and stakeholders who are part of the community mobilization efforts. No targets have been set for reducing violence and coercion because the AB indicators do not apply; however, the partner is expected to track indicators related to education related to coercion and violence, and mitigation of violence.

Further, EngenderHealth is requested to work with partners in Zambezia and/or Sofala Province to conduct activities aimed at increasing educational and economic opportunities for girls as alternatives to material gains from transactional and cross-generational sex.