HIV/AIDS and Work-place Interventions

Project Title

Primary Prevention of HIV & Risk Reduction through Work-place Interventions in Garment Factories (GFATM package# 912 of Round-6)

Location

Chittagong Division of Bangladesh

Duration

January 2008 April 2009 as Piloting Phase

Situation

HIV prevalence in Bangladesh is still very low but there are a large number of medium and high risk groups that can promote the spread of the disease. To this end a number of packages have been set as part of the sixth round of tenders for the GFATM program targeted at these groups. Package 912 is aimed at reducing the risk of HIV spreading amongst garment workers. This group has been targeted as a medium-high risk group because they are a young predominantly female workforce, often having migrated away from home, many live in shared accommodation and dormitories and there is a high risk of exploitation. It is believed that a high level of risky behavior occurs amongst this group including pre-marital sex, drug use and that some workers supplement their earnings through sex work. Package number 912 for the 'Primary prevention of HIV and risk reduction through work place intervention in the Garments industry' for Chittagong was awarded to a consortium lead by YPSA in association with HASAB and SKUS in January 2008 under the project titled "HIV Prevention and Control among High Risk Populations and Vulnerable Young People in Bangladesh" of GFATM Round-6, a collaborative project between Ministry of Health & family welfare of Bangladesh Government and Save the Children-USA, funded by GFATM.

The Readymade Garment (RMG) Industry is the large export sector of the Bangladesh, which earning majority portion of the foreign currency compare to other export items and employs 40% of the country's industrial workers. More than 650,000 people work at about 684 garment factories in Chittagong division. The vast majority of the work forces are women (nearly 80%), and mostly aged between 18 and 30 years. The rapidly expanding garment industry in Bangladesh has been the driving factor behind a large migration of young rural females to the city area like Chittagong .

The project focuses on prevention of HIV through workplace education in the garment factory and in the community. The activities include-endorsement of a workplace policy, Life Skill Education, peer education, video show and BCC materials. The activities are being implemented both at workplace, and at residential setting of garment workers and their neighbors.

Goal

To limit the spread and impact of HIV in the country through preventing HIV/AIDS/STIs and reducing risks among the garment workers

Purpose

To empower most vulnerable young people working in garment factory through work-place interventions, including the promotion and practice of life skill education.

Justification

Need assessment survey is conducted among the garment worker under this project. It is revealed from the survey that about major female reproductive diseases 44% workers could not say anything. It has been found that almost all supervisors and workers do not have any thought about their reproductive organs. Most of the workers and supervisors said that there are adequate light and separate toilet facilities in their factory. Most of the workers feel they need training to prevent RTI/STI/AIDS/HIV in their factory. Regarding the suitable time for training, the workers mentioned weekend, night-time, lunch hour and after 4.30 at garments.

Among 20% who has knowledge on safe sex, 58% answered that sex between husband and wife is the safe sex. 83% of respondents told that condom prevented only pregnancy, 31% told that it prevent HIV/AIDS and 12% told about STD prevention. 76% workers heard about HIV/AIDS, 35% told that use of contaminated needle is the main route of transmission of HIV/AIDS. Out of 759, around 50% said that HIV/AIDS is not curable.

Almost all garment workers and supervisors know about family planning methods and they are using. Most common family planning methods used by workers is oral contraceptive pill. Some of workers do extramarital sex and few of them are involved in doing sex for money. Most of the garment workers said that they have no STIs treatment facilities in their factories. Usually seek treatment to doctors and pharmacy. Among 1000 workers around 70% workers watch TV and their choice of programs are movie, drama and news.

The workers are very young, have very poor knowledge about personal hygiene, sexual and reproductive health and safer sex practices , STI and HIV/AIDS, limited access to reproductive health care and access to condoms. Besides, due to long working hours and the confined situation of their workplace, they often do not have the time to go outside for treatment or they are not exposed to any kind of life skills education (LSE). Although there have been some workplace intervention programs for the garment workers, however, health policies and programs largely ignored these populations with specific knowledge on STIs and HIV/AIDS and access to condoms.

Major Activities of piloting project with achievement

Major Activities	Total Target	Achievement as of Dec'08
Organize National level workshop with national garment export institutions & owners	15	13
Meetings to endorse a workplace policy on life skills followed by supportive supervision and facilitation of life skills education for workers and supervisors using garment factory financial support	1	0
Needs assessment for the garment workers	1	1
Develop and produce flip chart on life skill education for the prevention of HIV for peer workers including condom demonstration session	700	700
Develop and produce one-page take-home communication material	600,000	600,000
Training of master trainers on life skill education for the prevention of HIV	40	40
Training of peer educators on life skill education for the prevention of HIV	200	200
Conduction of 5-day sessions on HIV prevention in the workplace	66,000	64,500
Video presentation and discussion at the homes of garment workers for the prevention of HIV	132,000	116,619

BGMEA Involvement

BGMEA is the main counterpart of this project. As Readymade Garment (RMG) is the largest export sector of the Bangladesh, which earning majority portion of the foreign currency compare to other export items and BGMEA is the formal body of this sector so this body has direct involvement with all the project activities. BGMEA, realizing the fact, has been expanding their all possible support to success this project.

Project Implementation Approach

YPSA Consortium (YPSA, HASAB, SKUS) implementing this project focusing on Peer Approach and promoting public private partnership. 20 local and regional NGOs working with this consortium as Strategic Partner (SP) and 40 Master Trainers from these SPs are selected. YPSA Consortium has provided TOT on Life Skill Education (LSE) to the Master Trainer. Under the close supervision and monitoring of Master Trainer, 200 Peer Educators has been providing LSE to the garment workers of the selected 100 Garments Factories. Strategic Partners organizations have been implementing activities at the garments factory and community level. Project monitoring and evaluation including the feedback mechanism is followed according to the project M&E framework.

Strategic Partners

• Nirmol Foundation

• NOWZUWAN

• Banaful Social Welfare Organization

• Jugantar Samaj Unnayan Sangstha

• PUSPITA Counseling & Development Society

• AGRAJATRA

• Association for Women Empowerment and Child rights (AWAC)

• Bangladesh Integrated Social Advancement Program (BISAP)

• Step To Alleviate Poverty (STAP)

• SAJAN SOCIAL SERVICE SOCIETY

• Mamata

• Nishriti

• Ghashful

• Image

• Badhan

• ANNESHA

• UNITE Theatre for Social Action (UTSA)

• DRISTY

• Bright Bangladesh Forum

• Nonggar Samaj Unnayan Sangstha

Supporting Organizations

It is a collaborative project between the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of Bangladesh Government and Save the Children-USA, Supported by Global fund.