7. Overall conclusions

1. Programmes serving HIV-vulnerable women should relate to them with respect and should support social, economic and legal measures that may improve their status and position.

2. Women should participate fully in the design and development of community programmes.

3. Community peer education programmes that develop skills for problem diagnosis and resolution and institutionalize the process of self-assessment, can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their service to women.

4. The success of community peer education programmes for women depends on several factors, including the building of peer educators’ self-respect, confidence and professionalism; the creation of mutual respect, solidarity, and cohesion in peer education groups; and the development of peer educators’ responsibility and leadership.

5. Considerable evidence from several health, social and economic areas indicates that the empowerment and improved status of women is the key to providing a supportive environment for effective and sustained behaviour change. Social norms and traditional structures must be redefined bearing this in mind.

6. Programmes and policies should take maximum advantage of existing social networks within different communities of women and must build upon existing solidarity, or in the absence of solidarity, attempt to create it, among the women targeted by the policy or programme.

7. Motivating male involvement and ensuring male cooperation when and where necessary, plays an important role in facilitating broad social changes and safer individual practices. Men should be encouraged to understand and support the objectives of a given policy or programme.