ABSTRACT
The Families Matter! Program (FMP) is an evidence-based intervention for parents and caregivers of (9-12) years old in sub-Saharan Africa that promotes positive parenting practices and effective parent-child communication about sex-related issues and sexual risk reduction. Ongoing program enhancements and monitoring and evaluation help ensures FMP remains responsive to evolving needs and optimally effective. Recent enhancements to the program address the difficult issues of child sexual abuse (CSA) and gender-based violence (GBV) through culturally acceptable content, highlighting the key role parents can play in protecting their children from CSA and GBV. CSA is globally pervasive, difficult to discuss, and associated with increased sexual risk-taking among youth. GBV focuses on unequal power relations between genders and on physical and sexual violence, usually against women, which increases vulnerability to HIV and other STI's. Community needs assessment, facilitator training and certification, and capacity strengthening of implementing partners allows FMP to operate successfully at scale while maintaining high levels of quality and community acceptance.
