The Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme HIV/AIDS Education & Prevention Campaign for Seafarers Transport Against HIV/AIDS: Continuing the Mainstreaming.

The Philippine Seafarers Assistance The Philippine Seafarers Assistance ProgrammeProgramme

HIV/AIDS Education & Prevention HIV/AIDS Education & Prevention Campaign Campaign

for Seafarersfor Seafarers

Transport Against HIV/AIDS: Continuing the Mainstreaming Transport Against HIV/AIDS: Continuing the Mainstreaming EffortEffort

World Bank Headquarters, Washington, DC, USAWorld Bank Headquarters, Washington, DC, USA28 November 200728 November 2007

About PSAPAbout PSAP

• A 26-year old grant-maintained charitable A 26-year old grant-maintained charitable foundation (foundation (stichting)stichting) registered in Rotterdam registered in Rotterdam

Historical funding support from: the ITF Seafarers Trust , AIDS Historical funding support from: the ITF Seafarers Trust , AIDS Fonds as well as international development cooperation Fonds as well as international development cooperation organizations like Oxfam-Novib, Cordaid, Bilance, and Misereororganizations like Oxfam-Novib, Cordaid, Bilance, and Misereor

• Port-based activities include direct person-to-person Port-based activities include direct person-to-person assistance services to Filipino seafarers especially in assistance services to Filipino seafarers especially in RotterdamRotterdam

• Education, networking, and empowerment initiatives Education, networking, and empowerment initiatives for the benefit of Filipino seafarers and their familiesfor the benefit of Filipino seafarers and their families

• Advocacy campaigns to promote seafarers’ rights Advocacy campaigns to promote seafarers’ rights and seafarers’ welfare and seafarers’ welfare

SHIP VISITINGSHIP VISITING

COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

Information dissemination via ship Information dissemination via ship visitingvisiting


Ship visiting as a community Ship visiting as a community serviceservice


About Filipino seafarersAbout Filipino seafarers

• The biggest nationality group in the The biggest nationality group in the global maritime workforce (up to global maritime workforce (up to 30% or +260,000 seafarers in 2006)30% or +260,000 seafarers in 2006)

• Contributed at least $2 billion in Contributed at least $2 billion in migrant workers remittances to migrant workers remittances to Philippine economy in 2006Philippine economy in 2006

• Seafarers account for the biggest Seafarers account for the biggest number of sero-positive persons number of sero-positive persons among overseas Filipino workers among overseas Filipino workers suffering from HIV (35-40%).suffering from HIV (35-40%).

““Seafarers’ market” in Seafarers’ market” in ManilaManila


About the Port of RotterdamAbout the Port of Rotterdam

• Biggest sea port in Europe Biggest sea port in Europe (30,000 ships/year; 378m MT)(30,000 ships/year; 378m MT)

• Some 500 Filipino seafarers Some 500 Filipino seafarers are in transit on any given dayare in transit on any given day

Dry dock in RotterdamDry dock in Rotterdam


Education & Prevention Education & Prevention CampaignCampaign

• 1996-19991996-1999

• 2000-present2000-present

Early 1990s: the beginningsEarly 1990s: the beginnings

• Concerns and questions about HIV/AIDS Concerns and questions about HIV/AIDS heard from Filipino seafarersheard from Filipino seafarers

• PSAP ship visitors worry about their PSAP ship visitors worry about their incapacity to share proper information incapacity to share proper information on HIV/AIDSon HIV/AIDS

• Need for an education & awareness-Need for an education & awareness-raising programme for seafarers raising programme for seafarers recognizedrecognized

Challenge: How can a small Challenge: How can a small community- and port-based NGO community- and port-based NGO pursue a meaningful education pursue a meaningful education campaign on HIV/AIDS?campaign on HIV/AIDS?

• Limited guidance from national Limited guidance from national and international networks and international networks about “HIV/AIDS and Seafarers”about “HIV/AIDS and Seafarers”

• Highly mobile populationHighly mobile population

• Taboo and other cultural Taboo and other cultural peculiarities surrounding peculiarities surrounding

sex/sexualitysex/sexuality

1996-1999:1996-1999:ITF Seafarers Trust Project ITF Seafarers Trust Project OutputsOutputs • 8 HIV/AIDS educators completed training 8 HIV/AIDS educators completed training

administered by the municipal health department administered by the municipal health department (GGD) in Rotterdam(GGD) in Rotterdam

• Quarterly informal “peer group” social gatherings Quarterly informal “peer group” social gatherings with Filipino seafarerswith Filipino seafarers

• Annual mini-expo events for seafarers of all Annual mini-expo events for seafarers of all nationalities in Rotterdamnationalities in Rotterdam

• ““Singing Mate” – a biographical best-seller on a Singing Mate” – a biographical best-seller on a Filipino Seafarer with HIV/AIDSFilipino Seafarer with HIV/AIDS

• ““Play Safe” slogan & logo launched via sport Play Safe” slogan & logo launched via sport activities for seafarers; poem-postersactivities for seafarers; poem-posters

• Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in bi-monthly Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in bi-monthly ParolaParola (global (global circulation 10,000)circulation 10,000)

HIV/AIDS expo for seafarersHIV/AIDS expo for seafarers


HIV/AIDS preventionfor seafarers asexemplified and

personified in thelives of seafarers

HIV/AIDSLOGO

designed by a

seafarer,1998

Safe sex poster Safe sex poster campaigncampaign

OutcomesOutcomes

• Regular dissemination of HIV/AIDS information Regular dissemination of HIV/AIDS information materials by ship visitors, including one-to-one materials by ship visitors, including one-to-one counseling, using “be direct by being indirect" counseling, using “be direct by being indirect" communication techniquescommunication techniques

• ““Home away from home” strategies to discourage Home away from home” strategies to discourage risk-taking by seafarers on shore leave; resident risk-taking by seafarers on shore leave; resident community involvement as a form of interventioncommunity involvement as a form of intervention

• Consciousness-raising for PSAP, PSAP partners and Consciousness-raising for PSAP, PSAP partners and networksnetworks

• Commendations for PSAP’s port-based education Commendations for PSAP’s port-based education approach approach

Seafarer-beneficiaries, yr. 2000 On Board Education

(by PSAP ship visitors) Estimated number of

seafarers accessed Level I - Minimum education:

passing of leaflets & materials/introductory discussion

5500

Level II - Average discussion: + input on STI’s, HIV transmission, & safe sex methods

2000

Level III - Maximum discussion & exchange: + demo of condom use and counseling

1000

Shore-based Education (by PSAP and partners)

Level I (by PSAP and community) 1500

Level II (by PSAP) 3800 Level III (by PSAP and GGD) 400

Total (local Rotterdam education campaign) 14200

•Field research findingsField research findings

pre-departure orientation seminars for pre-departure orientation seminars for seafarers not effective in imparting seafarers not effective in imparting informationinformation

sexuality and sexual practices of sexuality and sexual practices of seafarersseafarers

identification of work-related factors that identification of work-related factors that increase risk-taking behaviourincrease risk-taking behaviour

A Filipino seafarer’s trinity: Mother Mary, Wife, Wonder Woman

2000-present:2000-present:Sustaining PSAP’s activities and Sustaining PSAP’s activities and interventionsinterventions

• Continuing distribution of education & prevention campaign Continuing distribution of education & prevention campaign materials, e.g., “Singing Mate”; HIV/AIDS features in Parola; materials, e.g., “Singing Mate”; HIV/AIDS features in Parola; GGD Rotterdam and SOA AIDS NL materialsGGD Rotterdam and SOA AIDS NL materials

• Integration of “peer gatherings on HIV/AIDS” to “Port-able Integration of “peer gatherings on HIV/AIDS” to “Port-able seafarers’ club” activitiesseafarers’ club” activities

• Training of Indonesian and African HIV/AIDS educatorsTraining of Indonesian and African HIV/AIDS educators

• Related health information campaigns for seafarers' wives & Related health information campaigns for seafarers' wives & families organizations in the Philippinesfamilies organizations in the Philippines

• Continuing linking-and-learning via international conferencesContinuing linking-and-learning via international conferences

• Motivating and assisting the graduate-level research work of Motivating and assisting the graduate-level research work of a Filipino medical doctor in the field of “Seafarers and a Filipino medical doctor in the field of “Seafarers and HIV/AIDS” HIV/AIDS”

Continuing education Continuing education campaigncampaign


Training for HIV/AIDS Training for HIV/AIDS EducatorsEducators


Working with seafarers families in the Working with seafarers families in the PhilippinesPhilippines


SOME LESSONS LEARNEDSOME LESSONS LEARNED

Q: Does a port-basedQ: Does a port-based

education & education & preventionprevention

strategy work?strategy work?

A: YES, but …….A: YES, but …….

• A port-based strategy, while A port-based strategy, while insufficient, must be regarded as a insufficient, must be regarded as a necessary component of a wider necessary component of a wider and continuing transnational and continuing transnational programme on HIV/AIDS education programme on HIV/AIDS education & prevention for seafarers& prevention for seafarers

• Ship visiting is the vital foundation Ship visiting is the vital foundation of a port-based strategy on of a port-based strategy on HIV/AIDS preventionHIV/AIDS prevention

… limitations and opportunities

A seafarer’s voyage from A seafarer’s voyage from AWARENESSAWARENESS to to PREVENTIONPREVENTIONis possible because there isis possible because there is

TRUSTTRUST













Philippine Seafarers Assistance Philippine Seafarers Assistance ProgammeProgamme

Rotterdam, The NetherlandsRotterdam, The NetherlandsServing Filipino seafarers since 1981Serving Filipino seafarers since 1981

www.psap-parola.orgwww.psap-parola.org

Peter B. Payoyo, LL.M., Ph.D.Peter B. Payoyo, LL.M., Ph.D.

Programme ManagerProgramme ManagerTHANK YOU

28 November 2007

The Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme HIV/AIDS Education & Prevention Campaign for Seafarers Transport Against HIV/AIDS: Continuing the Mainstreaming.

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