Project WINGS – 2017 – 2020

Addressing gender-based violence and reducing the risk of HIV transmission among women who use drugs  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 implemented the third phase of WINGS intervention 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.   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.