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Paraguay
In 2022, the Joint Team’s support in Paraguay focused on scaling up HIV and sexual and reproductive health services and addressing gender-based violence and discrimination.
A communication campaign on the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis, syphilis and chagas (EMTCT Plus) promoted innovative approaches, including male engagement, to further advance EMTCT in Paraguay. Healthcare providers improved their capacity to deliver prevention of vertical transmission services and information through technical and financial support by the Joint Team (UNFPA, WHO).
In Caaguazu, 549 406 adolescents aged 15-19 years received comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in schools through a South-South cooperation initiative with the Latin American School of Social Sciences in Argentina (UNFPA). Advocacy and engagement with 54 national universities resulted 12 universities committing to incorporate CSE into their curriculum (UNDP). In collaboration with civil society organizations, methodological material on CSE was further adapted to the rural context and 50 young people from rural areas received CSE and training on leadership (UNFPA). A national youth discussion forum, Gramo Juventud y VIH, and related engagement on social media empowered young people to assert their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and address HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and gender inequality (UNDP, UNFPA, WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat). In addition, more than 8.3 million people were sensitized on various topics including unintended and early pregnancy as well as HIV through the Ñañangareko Campaign (UNFPA).
To scale up government-led sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence services among migrants and refugees from Venezuela, 102 migrant women, including adolescent girls were sensitized on violence against women and received dignity kits while 300 people in host communities of three selected cities improved their knowledge of violence and discrimination through community outreach initiatives (UNFPA).
The Stigma Index study 2.0 was carried out with participation of 1000 people living with HIV, and preliminary results were shared during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (UNFPA). Under the World AIDS Day ‘Equalize’ campaign, 160 young students from the national police academy were capacitated to address stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV and key populations.