Annual Report 2021

Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV (AYPLHIV) (10-24 years) are not the faces of this pandemic, however, they risk being among its greatest casualties. While they have fortunately been saved from many of the immediate impacts of COVID-19, the emergency still profoundly affects their mental and physical wellbeing.

The economic impact of COVID-19 is increased stress and tension in households and led to an increase in the frequency and severity of intimate partner and domestic violence, which disproportionately affected women and girls.

Loss of income among households posed an alarming financial challenge and potentially affected the current and future livelihoods of vulnerable households, especially female-headed households, as well as persons with disability. This disruption pushed the affected population, especially women, back into extreme poverty.

ANAYD received the UNAIDS Social Aid Fund from the Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (Y+), to provide support to adolescents and young people (AYPs) in their diversities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic across in 11 states across the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

The situation analysis, which was conducted from December 2020 to January 2021, gathered responses from AYPLHIV including the Young Key population living with HIV in 6 states covering the 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria - Kaduna, Benue, Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, and Taraba states. The states were selected based on the COVID-19 cases, HIV prevalence amongst AYPs, availability of HIV youth networks, and key population-led organizations.

The project reached 91 AYPLHIV and young key populations in 11 states. Beneficiaries received social aid support in form of:

• Food items
• COVID-19 PPE
• SRHR commodities
• Moderate cash support for business
• Transport to health facility for ART drugs collection, viral load and CD4
• School fees

The COVID-19 pandemic amplified deeply entrenched gender inequalities that put women and girls at higher risk of the pandemic's social and economic impact.

The economic impact of COVID-19 is increased stress and tension in households and led to an increase in the frequency and severity of intimate partner and domestic violence, which disproportionately affected women and girls.

Loss of income among households posed an alarming financial challenge and potentially affected the current and future livelihoods of vulnerable households, especially female-headed households, as well as persons with disability. This disruption pushed the affected population, especially women, back into extreme poverty.

In response to these, EVA (with funding from UNFPA) supported ANAYD to implement sensitization and capacity building activities in 10 communities in Chikun and Kaduna North LGAs of Kaduna state. The intervention bridged the COVID-19 knowledge gap among community members in Kaduna North and Chikun LGAs of Kaduna state, and increased awareness on Sexual Gender-based Violence (SGBV). These efforts reduced the burdens of COVID-19 and SGBV on the state, and Nigeria as a country.