|
Development in Women's
Health Status |
Maternal Mortality Ratio (UNICEF-WHO-UNFPA)
|
Bangladesh |
1990 |
1995 |
2000 |
| |
850 |
600 |
380 |
|
|
Childbearing and Women's
Survival: New Evidence from Rural
Bangladesh
Jane Menken
Linda Duffy
Randall Kuhn
INSTITUTE OF BEHAVIORAL
SCIENCE
POPULATION AGING CENTER
University of Colorado at Boulder
Boulder CO 80309-0483
WORKING PAPER PAC2002-0003
Effects of childbearing on
women’s mortality, and the implications of family planning programs in
reducing these effects are examined in a 20-year prospective study of 2,441
women in Matlab, Bangladesh. Maternal mortality is defined as occurring in
the six weeks after a birth. Additional hypotheses are investigated related
to 1) cumulative exposure to childbearing, 2) fertility timing, and 3)
old-age support from children, and 4) extended maternal mortality. The
results offer no support to cumulative exposure hypotheses, showing no link
between parity or rapidity of childbearing and mortality risk. We identify a
period of heightened mortality risk associated with each birth that extends
to the year of the birth and the two subsequent years as well. Family
planning programs, by reducing number of children and therefore a woman’s
exposure to extended maternal risk, potentially increase survival. Research
and programs are needed to identify and address the specific causes of
extended maternal mortality. more...
|
|
|
International
Council on Management of Population Programmes:
Successful HIV/AIDS Peer Education
Project in Garment Factories - Bangladesh
OBJECTIVE
To implement a peer education programme we through the encouragement of
workers to seek information and services on HIV/AIDS.
BACKGROUND
The HIV/AIDS peer education project in garment factories in Dhaka was funded
by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the
HIV/STDs Activities in Bangladesh (HASAB) which is linked to the
International AIDS Alliance.
The baseline study for the
project revealed that women had poor knowledge about HIV/AIDS risks. The
women also suffered untreated STDs and did not like using condoms. There was
widespread practice of pre-marital and extra-marital relationships and the
women also faced sexual coercion in the workplace as well as poor hygiene
and sanitation. Thus, there is a need for a peer education programmeme to
encourage these workers to seek information and services on HIV/AIDS.
SCOPE
The programmeme is being piloted in one of the biggest factories in the
capital city of Dhaka with 7,000 workers. Five factories and 100 peer
educators from different educational backgrounds were trained. They attended
various seminars regarding HIV/AIDS and continuously attended World AIDS
rallies all year together with other workers.
MAIN ACTIVITIES
Within the workplace, the project implemented a peer education programme
with the support of the employer. As an incentive to sustain the interest of
peer educators, they were given certificates for attending training, badges
for recognition, picnics for recreation, and study tours to enable them to
observe the programmes of other factories.
EVALUATION FINDINGS
The project found peer educators to be effective in disseminating
information in the workplace. They were able to increase the level of
knowledge and awareness about HIV and STDs among workers. The project also
succeeded in improving health-seeking behaviour as seen from the number of
women going to the PSKP clinic. Moreover, the project has been able to
generate the support of the employers, thereby providing some sort of
guarantee that the project’s goals and activities will continue to be
pursued.
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy
-
Build a good relationship
with the owners and the workers to improve the quality of RH within the
workplace
-
Develop peer educators
for continuous dissemination of information on HIV/AIDS with a view to
develop a HIV/AIDS programme which is long-term and sustainable
-
Convince factory
authorities to provide a supportive environment for their employees in
order to conduct health education sessions
Capacity Building
In the year of 2000-2001,
PSKP conducted a 3-day training for 10 core group workers focusing on sexual
health, safer sexual behaviors and other issues on RH and the project also
arranged refresher training for them. There was also an advocacy programme
with the owners of the factories.
After the training, the
female factory workers were able to identify the present problems they faced
at the workplace and steps were taken to solve these issues with the help of
the authorities.
Mobilising Resources
Plan the development of an appropriate peer education module
Develop a peer educators network of different organizations
Encourage the formation of
a peer educators forum has led to the development of innovative programmes
by the peer educators at their respective workplaces.
Managerial Leadership
PSKP has taken the leading
role in implementing this HIV/AIDS peer education programme within the
garment factories which was very difficult to implement. With the financial
and technical support from HASAB and in collaboration with the owners, the
programme was successfully implemented .
Community volunteers from
the surrounding communities of the factories will be involved in this
programme for back-up support and other health services will be incorporated
phase by phase in the near future for the betterment of the factory workers
and productivity.
|