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Topical microbicides are products designed to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV and other disease pathogens. Potentially, they can be applied vaginally to prevent both male-to-female and female-to-male transmission. They may also offer back-up protection in the event that condoms fail. In addition, they may be used by HIV-discordant couples who wish to bear children. Currently, approximately 20 products have been assessed in Phase I clinical studies, and five prod­ucts are being evaluated in large-scale safety and effectiveness studies. The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a new site for microbicide clinical trials in Mombasa District, Kenya, by conducting a cohort study among women with high risk behaviour for HIV-1 infection. Previous planning efforts have indicated that microbicide effectiveness studies will require the participation of several thousand women at high risk for HIV infection. In addition to accruing large numbers of participants, research centers conducting microbicide effectiveness studies must retain participants for extended periods of follow-up in order to preserve the validity, as well as the statistical power, of the study. Also, to provide evidence that rates of new HIV infection among target populations for future microbicide studies will support the requirements for effec­tiveness trials, one step in site development is the conduct of a cohort study.  

A photo exhibition on teenage pregnancies in Kinshasa aimed at sensitizing Belgian parlementarians and the general public on problems related to sexual and reproductive health and visualises the consequences of a lack of the implementation of sexual and reproductive rights.

This project aimed at disseminated results of former Daphne projects on female genital mutilation, in order to strengthen the existing European Network for the Prevention of FGM.

This project aimed at formulating recommendations for a policy concerning involvement of men to prevent violence against women in developing countries.

Education and training can play a vital role in the fight against HIV/AIDS. They can inform and empower children and youth and thereby have a direct impact on the evolution of the epidemic. Education and training can as well have an impact on society, by changing social norms, fighting stigma and discrimination or triggering economic development and thereby have an indirect impact on the evolution of HIV/AIDS. At the same time, the already under resourced and overcharged education systems in sub-Saharan Africa are also affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.