А training on combating GBV for women living with HIV and women who use drugs was conducted in Armenia.


Training course for women living with HIV and women who use drugs on how to combat GBV towards women living with HIV and PWUDs

From July 17-22, 2022 a training course was held for women living with HIV and women who use drugs in Tsakhadzor. The training was organized within the framework of the project “Combating GBV towards women living with HIV and PWUDs” supported by UNAIDS. 58 women from all the regions of Armenia and Yerevan participated in the training. Two of women living with HIV were 18-20 ages. Two of them had mobility problems and moved with walkers. Their special needs were taken into consideration and taken care of during the whole period of training and transportation.

Some of the women participating in the meeting were with their young children, as they did not have the option of a babysitter. During the trainings the conditions for children's entertainment and rest were fully ensured by the staff of the organization, so that mothers can fully participate in the training.

1. What kind activities have been organized?

The following topic were presented to the participates of the training:

● Women living with HIV and women who use drugs in the context of violence

● PreP and PEP

● Violence, gender-based violence

● Violence in the family

● Sexual violence

● Mechanisms of support for women who face violence

● Human women fundamental rights

● Personal data protection.

2. What are the outcomes of the training?

During the training women were presented the reasons of the vulnerability to violence of women living with HIV and women who use drugs, types of violence that face women living with HIV face when revealing their HIV positive status. Comprehensive knowledge on PreP and PEP, knowledge on the concept of gender and the characteristics of gender-based violence, types of violence, how to combat violence was provided to participants of the training. Information on crisis centers, shelters and support to women who face violence was shared with them. Topics on human women fundamental rights, personal data protection, the importance of maintaining medical confidentiality, legal regulations and mechanisms for responding to violations of rights were also presented to them.

The training was organized interactively. Women had opportunity to express their emotions, experiences, insights.

The trainers of the training were experts working in the field for a long period.

At the end of the second day women initiated a self-help groups.

3. Self-care, yoga, healthy lifestyle and auto-training

A self-care component was also planned during the training days. In addition to learning physical exercises of yoga, their meaning, importance, benefits to the body were also discussed. Special attention was paid to specific exercises related to women's reproductive health. At the same time, exercises aimed at familiarization, inclusion of participants, overcoming resistance and activation of emotional connection were carried out. The right approaches to eating, healthy food were discussed, as well as how to revise the food intake regime. The purpose of the activities mentioned above was to regulate women's inner harmony and restore female physical energy.

As a result, all the participants expressed their desire to have materials related to the exercises of the course, printed and electronic, in order to have the opportunity to exercise independently and maintain their feminine health and inner harmony. After the training all the participants gave a feedback that they need such knowledge because they often feel a lack of energy.

4. Difficulties

● Mobilization of women

● Care for children

5․ Strengths and achievements

● Women who participated in the training ask and offer to conduct the training with the same content for their daughters

● Women suggest to make such trainings and meeting continuous

● Participants of the training were actively involved in all sessions

● Women said that participating in the training gave them the opportunity to get to know each other better and be more aware of their rights and the possibilities of their right protection.

● Women initiated a massager group as a platform for later communication just during the training

● The environment of the training was created in a way that every woman could be involved in the process and no one left behind