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ABSTRACT Rickshaw pullers (RPs) are marginalized urban poor with limited access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services. 80 percent of RPs are married migrants from rural areas and visit their families every few months. 79 percent of RPs visit commercial sex workers, and only 1 percent use condoms. The FRONTIERS program of the Population Council and the NGO Service Delivery Programme jointly conducted a study to expand RPs' access to SRH services. The objectives were to impart life skills to RPs; improve their SRH knowledge, attitudes, and behavior; and increase their access to and use of condoms. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention measurement was used. Six NGO clinics were selected and randomly allocated to two experimental groups and one control group. Two strategies were introduced in four experimental clinics: two groups received SRH education and improved access to condoms, and the other two received only SRH education. The study period was from October 2004 to June 2006. A total of 5,494 RPs received SRH education, and 7,262 condoms were sold to RPs. The number of RPs who received family planning and STI services from NGO clinics in the experimental sites increased 1.5 times compared to the pre-intervention level. No change was observed in the control sites. Knowledge of the dual protection properties of condoms increased significantly in the experimental sites (60 percent points) compared to the control site (10 percent points). Knowledge of consistent and correct use of condoms and knowledge about sexual transmission and prevention of HIV also increased significantly in the experimental sites. Track 1—Expanding and Empowering the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Movement
Theme 1.4—The Role of Vulnerable Populations as Agents of Change This page updated |
