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Active Projects – Dominican Republic

Improving sexual and reproductive health in the department of San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic

Partner Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana (MUDE)

Location San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic

Facts about Location: Dominican Republic

  • 70.4% of San Juan de la Maguana lives in poverty.
  • Condom use in the area is among the lowest in the D.R.
  • HIV/AIDS rates are among the highest in the Caribbean.
  • Only 65% of the adult population has ever used some form of birth control.
  • Little to no sexual education has been made available in schools.
  • Health services are often not accessed due to the distances involved and the lack of reliable attention.

Purposes:

To promote the capacity of women and adolescent/young girls in San Juan de la Maguana to manage their own sexual and reproductive health through training and access to products and services

Highlights to Date: Dominican Republic

  • The project aims to improve sexual and reproductive health through a threefold approach: training, access and awareness.
  • Training sessions are being provided to thousands of female microcredit clients.
  • At the same time, in order to address problems like domestic violence and the spread of HIV/AIDS, men are also receiving training through associations, sports teams, etc.
  • The third target group is youth; specifically students in grades 6, 7 and 8 are being educated about sexual and reproductive health in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
  • To ensure that the training is put into practice, the project will also facilitate improved access by providing training and supplies (contraceptives) to community Health Promoters. Health Promoters serve as a community resource and access point, and are encouraged to be social entrepreneurs.
  • A march for Breast and Cervical Cancer awareness in Santo Domingo, along with the development of a web forum discussing sexual and reproductive health issues, will serve to reinforce both the training and health promotion components of the project.

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This project is being undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency.