Lao People's Democratic Republic

Key Results

Government introduced pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) enrolling 455 men who have sex with men and transgender women.
165 946 young people accessed sexual and reproductive health services via hotlines, community outreach, and health facilities.
Comprehensive sexuality education was integrated into national 5th grade curriculum and delivered to 730 000 pupils.
More than 2.2 million people improved their knowledge of gender-based violence prevention during the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence.

Joint Programme Results

Expansion of HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health services and education, especially among adolescents, young people, and key populations was the focus of the Joint Team’s efforts in Lao PDR. In 2022, the Government introduced pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) enrolling 455 men who have sex with men and transgender women, thanks to the technical and procurement support from the Joint Team (WHO).

In two provinces, 140 healthcare providers were trained to improve the quality and access to adolescent- and youth-friendly as well as counselling services. As a result, 301 976 young people accessed sexual and reproductive health services via community outreach, and health facilities. A total of 806 500 primary, lower and upper school pupils, technical and vocational training students and trainee teachers received integrated comprehensive sexuality education. In addition, 28 peer educators delivered comprehensive sexuality education to 80 out of school youth along Lao China Railway Station while 8103 young people accessed the same education via an online platform (UNFPA).

In two provinces, 2281 adolescent girls and 1200 boys received essential life skills education from 250 trained female mentors and 126 male peer educators respectively, through the Nang-Noi Girls’ Groups project. Over 9100 parents and community members were also sensitized on sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescent girls (UNFPA).

As part of the Me, My Body, My Planet, My Future initiative, more than one million adolescents and young people were sensitized on HIV prevention, gender equality and the protection of vulnerable populations, including girls, thanks to the active participation of 5500 adolescents and young people and technical support from the Joint Team (UNFPA). Further, more than 2000 community members from three districts improved their knowledge on HIV prevention and testing, harm reduction and treatment services through a partnership with Centre for HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (CHAS), Narcotic Control and Supervision Bureau as well as local health and law enforcement partners (UNODC).

Mental health and psychosocial services improved thanks to the newly developed Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) manual, training of 35 counsellors on service delivery and orientation of 347 youth volunteers on MHPSS. In 2022, more than 14 000 callers at helplines received accurate information and counselling on various issues, including MHPSS, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence while 9200 young people accessed this information on the Noi Yakhoo mobile application. Other crucial contributions to prevention and management of gender-based violence included capacity building of gender-based violence coordinators from the health, social and justice sectors to provide integrated services for violence survivors as well as the rollout of the revised male engagement manual in one province and orientation of 1544 people on gender, power relations and women’s rights using the revised manual (UNFPA).

In commemoration of World AIDS Day and through virtual and in person campaigns, 737 189 people were sensitized on various forms of inequality, such as gender inequalities and stigma against key population that continue to slow down the progress in ending the AIDS epidemic, thanks to the financial and technical support to the Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (APL+) (UNAIDS Secretariat). More than 2.2 million people also improved their knowledge of gender-based violence prevention through radio, loudspeakers, social media platforms, and text messages during the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence (UNFPA).