Abstract
IntroductionThe Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership aimed to influence psychosocial processes that promote empowerment among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and reduce HIV incidence. We...
Highlights
The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership aimed to influence psychosocial processes that promote empowerment among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and reduce HIV incidence
Research settings The research was carried out in three diverse settings, each capitalising on long-standing demographic surveillance platforms: in Kenya, the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), established in 2002 in two informal settlements, and the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HDSS, established in 2001 in Gem, rural Siaya County; in South Africa, the Africa Health Research Institute HDSS, established in 1998 in rural, KwaZulu- Natal.[37–39]
AGYW identified as vulnerable were invited to participate in DREAMS by implementing partners through door-to- door home visits followed by enrolment interviews
Summary
The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership aimed to influence psychosocial processes that promote empowerment among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and reduce HIV incidence. Despite significant advances in HIV prevention, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15–24 years are at considerably greater risk of HIV than their male peers throughout sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for one in four of all new HIV infections in the region in 2019.1 This is due, in part, to social and structural factors[1 2] that perpetuate gender inequities and stifle the health and empowerment of young women. Life choices include years of schooling, marriage, number of children, livelihoods, friends and networks, as well as choice around HIV prevention options including safer sex practices (eg, condom use, refusal of unwanted sex, pre-exposure prophylaxis).[4–6] In this conceptual framing of empowerment, there are three dimensions and changes in one can lead to changes in others.[4 7]. The third dimension is achievements, which are the outcomes of people’s choices and their efforts.[4 7]
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