WINGS

Alliance India piloted WINGS, an intervention model for addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) against women using drugs (WUDs), in 2017 with support from Frontline AIDS. As a successful model, Alliance India is currently implementing the third phase of WINGS intervention from June to December 2019 in partnership with Sahara Aalhad in Pune, Ganga Social Foundation in Delhi and Nirvana Foundation in Manipur.

WINGS is an evidence-based screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment service tool designed to identify the intimate partner violence and gender-based violence for women who use drugs. The intervention enables participating women to develop safety planning strategies and strengthen their social support networks. WINGS can be delivered in one to two sessions and has been integrated with HIV counselling and testing and linkage to HIV treatment interventions. 

Project Highlights

  • The project successfully engaged with 200 women who use drugs across three project sites with the aim to reduce GBV and minimize the risk of HIV among them. Building on the lessons from the pilot, the project in its second and third phase prioritised strengthening evidence generation for expanding harm reduction service package.
  • To reduce stigma and discrimination of WUDs, the project sensitised health care providers, social support providers and facilitated community-led advocacy for the creation of laws to protect against police harassment and other forms of human rights violation.

Project Results (April 2018 to March 2019)

  • 100 women received safety goal and plan to reduce/minimize violence
  • 122 women received treatment for opportunistic infections
  • 164 women were referred for HIV testing, 11 were found positive and linked to treatment
  • 26 women were referred for TB testing, 2 were tested positive
  • 25 women were referred for HCV testing, 16 were found positive and linked to treatment
  • 28 women were initiated on Opioid Substitution Therapy and 32 were referred for detox
  • 37 women were provided legal aid counselling services and linked with government welfare schemes

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Alliance India