Duration

December 2024 – July 2025

Country

Uzbekistan

Introduction and Overview

This project aims to develop a comprehensive, cross-sectoral national referral framework to ensure children and adolescents living with or at risk of HIV (C/ALHIV) — especially adolescent girls and young women — have improved, equitable access to coordinated, user-friendly, and gender-sensitive services across the health, child protection, social protection, and education sectors in Uzbekistan. The framework will build on existing systems and promote collaborative decision-making among stakeholders though the following objectives:

• Objective 1: Assessing procedures, practices, and referral mechanisms, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), at both institutional and community levels that are in place.
• Objective 2: Developing and validating intersectoral regulations to improve access to services tailored to the needs of adolescents and young people living with or at risk of HIV.
• Objective 3: Developing directory of services and communication tools to inform adolescents, young people, and their families about where, when, and how to access relevant support services.
• Objective 4: Designing referral pathway job aides to support healthcare providers, social workers, and the target population in navigating and accessing cross-sectoral services effectively.

Organizations Involved

The project is funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) office in Uzbekistan

The Project will be implemented by Curatio International Foundation (CIF).

Project Outcome

The project will establish a user-centric, multi-sectoral, and gender-sensitive referral pathway that enables adolescents and young people (AYP), including those at risk of or living with HIV, to effectively seek and access a range of services tailored to their individual needs.