Programs

 

The overarching HIV program supports people living with HIV(PLHIV) and key populations (Kps) by focusing on prevention, protection, and advocacy. FOCCEC pursues prevention intervention by training outreach workers from the affected communities across Jordan. The five-day training will increase the trainee's knowledge of HIV and STIs prevention, enhance their outreach skills, and familiarize them with the outreach principles and ethics. Then the trained outreach workers will be qualified to hold awareness sessions and spread information education communication materials for target communities in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, and Mafraq. The outreach workers also promote HIV prevention counseling services provided by FOCCEC counselors. By employing the aforementioned strategies, FOCCEC aims to make HIV prevention knowledge resources and services more accessible to PLHIV and Kps. To better address protection for the affected communities, FOCCEC collaborates with the private healthcare sector and the Ministry of Health (MoH) to conduct tests not available at FOCCEC, HIV medications, and medical consultations to the beneficiaries. If any beneficiary gets tested positive for HIV at FOCCEC, it will refer the person to the MoH for HIV medications and to physicians for medical counseling. In addition to that, the NGO will help beneficiaries seek medical interventions for STIs as needed. FOCCEC covers all the costs of HIV tests, medical consultation, and STI treatment for the clients. In addition, to advocate for destigmatizing PLHIV and Kps, FOCCEC launches annual media campaigns that counter HIV-related stigma and discrimination and holds educational workshops about how to properly cope with prevalent HIV phobia for civil society organizations partners and community influencers such as religious leaders and media officers. In short, FOCCEC defends the sexual and reproductive health and rights of PLHIV and Kps through the comprehensive HIV program that concentrates on prevention, protection, and advocacy. 

      

 

The inclusive gender-based violence (GBV) program supports GBV survivors and disadvantaged communities who are at high risk of GBV in Jordan by focusing on prevention, protection, and empowerment. Under the prevention component, FOCCEC raises the public’s awareness of GBV and promotes its GBV-related services. To protect GBV survivors, case managers at FOCCEC assess the client's mental status and needs to determine their eligibility for cash assistance and other services such as psychological counseling. To emotionally empower people who suffered GBV, FOCCEC allows them to attend an emotional support group that consists of other GBV survivors. Additionally, If critical services that GBV survivors demand are not available at FOCCEC, then it will refer the beneficiaries to another organization or agency for further assistance. 

 

 

FOCCEC works in the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) field in four ways: outreach, advocacy, empowerment, and integration of services. The SRHR program at FOCCEC is a youth-led program. FOCCEC conducts outreach programs in various cities in Jordan through youth outreach workers who are diverse in gender, age, location, nationality, and background. This program raises community awareness about SRHR issues and promotes FOCCEC’s services for SRHR. FOCCEC has developed comprehensive sexual education materials that will be the first of its kind in Jordan. These education materials are aligned with the Jordanian context and community principles. Through our work, FOCCEC gains advocates of school psychologists, religious leaders, parents of adolescents, and more for SRHR issues because they are considered community influencers who can contribute to enhancing the status of SRHR on the national level. FOCCEC is also working to integrate HIV services within SRHR service packages and in public and civil society health facilities.  FOCCEC plans to have a SRHR clinic to provide SRHR services to meet the needs of our affected communities and others in Jordan.

 

 

Everything we do here at FOCCEC is linked to human rights; we take a human rights-based approach with all of our services, programs, and work. We are always advocating for equality and equal access to resources, so our human rights program works to document any human rights violations faced by our affected communities by using REAct. FOCCEC, as a member of national human rights coalitions, provides a report about human rights status related to HIV and our affected communities in Jordan to be included in the Jordanian consolidated reports submitted to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Furthermore, FOCCEC works to support the affected individual or community and also advocates for changes in governmental policies and regulations. FOCCEC also hosts workshops and provides awareness-raising campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination and enhance community understanding of human rights.

 

 

The Drug Use Program supports drug users by focusing on protection and rehabilitation, harm reduction, and advocacy. FOCCEC provides free psycho-social support services for drug users. Moreover, FOCCEC may refer any drug-addicted beneficiaries to two state-sponsored rehabilitation centers and those who have critical conditions to private psychiatrists for further treatment. FOCCEC provides aftercare services such as home visits after the beneficiaries are discharged from the rehabilitation centers. Furthermore, to carry out the harm-reduction strategies, FOCCEC provides tests for hepatitis B and C and organizes emotional support groups for ex-drug users. The Amman-based NGO was providing new syringes to the beneficiaries from the year 2014- 2017 to reduce HIV  and STI transmission, but the service was discontinued due to a lack of funds. In addition, FOCCEC is an active advocate for admitting underage patients to both rehabilitation centers and canceling the 100-dinar penalty at one of the rehabilitation centers for anyone who discharges early and seeks readmission. FOCCEC advocates for the broad adoption of harm-reduction strategies in Jordan as well.