HIV/STI Prevention among Uniformed Services in Ukraine
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PROJECT’S BACKGROUND:
After independence Ukraine has faced a severe socioeconomic deterioration that has had a negative consequence for all sectors of public life, and specifically, has lead to worsening of almost all demographic and health indicators. The associations between high unemployment, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, drug abuse, increased migration, early-age sexual activity and frequent change of sexual partners have resulted in a sharp increase of HIV/STI.
Thus, the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ukraine is the most severe in Europe and it continues to grow in scope and complexity at an alarming pace. According to data from the Ukrainian AIDS Centre, as of the mid of 2007, 113,715 cases of HIV were registered since the beginning of the epidemic, including 20,257 people who were diagnosed with AIDS, and over 11,210 people who died of AIDS. These figures represent only a portion of the 377,600 people estimated to be currently living with HIV-infection in Ukraine, or 1.46% adult prevalence.
HIV infection affected all categories of population, including people in the uniform (Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Internal Affairs (Police and Internal Forces) and State Border Guard Service of Ukraine).
Behavioural studies conducted over 2000-2002 among the Armed Forces and Police personnel, showed that almost 51% of military cadets, 28% of officers, and 29% of soldiers had multiple sex-partners but only 23% of them used condoms during sexual intercourse. Safe behaviour (consistent condom use, sex without prior drug and/or alcohol consumption, and one faithful partner) was practiced by 9% of military cadets, 10% of officers and 27% of soldiers. Among women soldiers this percentage was even higher: 43.5% of them do not practice safe sex.
The study also found that the level of awareness of HIV/AIDS/STI and knowledge of prevention methods were low: 55% of soldiers misunderstood what HIV/AIDS and STI is, and only 19% (among them 10% of military cadets, 21% of officers, and 9% of soldiers) knew the symptoms. Around 35% of soldiers were familiar with prevention techniques for HIV/AIDS and STI infection. Those who were adequately informed on these issues did not practice safe behaviour in everyday life. The soldiers did not have a firm belief in safe and responsible behaviour.
Uniformed services should be paid a special attention due to specifics of their behaviour and contacts. Premises of all uniformed services are restricted areas where specific working rules are to be followed without any deviation. Also, there is no access to VCT, counselling services or specific support for personnel, especially for women in uniform.
The positive results achieved by previous interventions on HIV/STI prevention in the uniformed services in Ukraine (structures of the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of the Internal Affairs of Ukraine) created the momentum and commitment of the involved stakeholders in Ukraine to continue and expand HIV/STI prevention activities and safe behaviour promotion for the uniformed personnel in Ukraine.
Therefore the project “HIV/STI Prevention among Uniformed Services in Ukraine” was developed. It is implemented jointly by UNDP and UNFPA and financed by the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine.
OUR MISSION:
The overall objective of the project is to support the development of effective mechanisms for comprehensive HIV/STI prevention measures in the uniformed services in Ukraine.
The purpose of the project is to significantly reduce incidences of HIV/STI and other health risks, such as drug abuse and sexually transmitted infections among uniformed personnel.
Objective 1.
To establish and implement comprehensive educational programs for uniformed personnel on HIV/STI prevention, safe behavior and healthy lifestyle promotion and link to social and healthcare services.
Objective 2.
To improve and promote HIV/STI diagnostics and treatment, including Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT), in uniformed services
Objective 3.
To increase capacities of sectoral leaders for effective partnerships between all relevant services of the uniformed services and non-governmental organizations to provide effective outreach to young recruits, uniformed personnel and their families.
HOW IS THE PROJECT CARRIED OUT?
The activities conducted in the framework of the project are categorized in accordance with the outputs they are designed to achieve respective objectives:
- Establishment and implementation of comprehensive educational programs for uniformed personnel on HIV/STI prevention, safe behaviour and healthy lifestyle promotion and linking them to the social and healthcare services (UNFPA execution);
- Improvement and promotion of HIV/STI diagnostics and treatment, including Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT), in uniformed services (UNFPA execution);
- Establishment of effective cooperation between structures within each ministry (UNDP execution);
- Establishment of effective cooperation between ministries within the sector (UNDP execution);
- Modeling ministries activities' aimed to outreach to military personnel and their families (UNDP execution);
- Introduction and implementation of a system for effective outreach to contractual recruits and families (UNDP execution).
The project creates favourable conditions to utilize and learn from national, European and international experience and provides possibility of spreading unique accumulated expertise regarding HIV/STI prevention through the entire training system of personnel of Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Internal Affairs, and State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
OUR TARGET GROUPS ARE:
- Armed Forces (soldiers, officers, cadets)
- Internal Forces (soldiers, officers, cadets)
- Police personnel (soldiers, officers, cadets)
- Border Guards (soldiers, officers, cadets)
- Families of military personnel (military settlements)
OUR IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS:
Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
Ministry of the Internal Affairs of Ukraine
Internal Forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
Inter-agency Working Group
Chaiman: Colonel Malakhov Anatoliy- Deputy Head of the Press Service - Head of Information Department of Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
Secretary: Colonel Lytvynenko Eduard - Head of the Moral and Psychological Provision Dept - Deputy Head of Social-Psychological Department of the Main Depatment of on pedagogical and socio-psychological work of the Armed forces of Ukraine
Donors
Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine. The project’s overall budget is USD 2,900,000. It is financed by the European Union.
More information about our activities could be found here: http://zdorovavarta.org.ua/default.php
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