Since 2001 CGSO Trefpunt (associate member of IPPF working on sexual and reproductive health and rights, SRHR) and Sensoa an AIDS organisation have been exploring ways to cooperate more closely. This followed a call from the Belgian Ministry of Public Health to put forward an integrated approach to HIV and SRHR.
There were a number of obstacles to be overcome:
different target groups,
different stages of organisational development,
competition concerning grants,
and greater attention on HIV/AIDS to the detriment of overall reproductive health.
The two NGOs chose to focus on areas of common agreement such as a legal framework guaranteeing individual sexual rights, provision of sexual education and tackling risk behaviour.
The new merged Sensoa has opted for sexual health as the main theme, with HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and sexual violence as the main elements to be addressed and a holistic approach to prevention as a key priority.
For further information, you can read and download the article "Benefits and pitfalls of the integration process" in the 2004 issue of the IPPF Choice annual report.
