Stakeholder Consultation on HIV AIDS In Maharashtra With PATHFINDER

Stakeholder Consultation on HIV/AIDS In Maharashtra With PATHFINDER and Partners Towards Action Plan on Media Advocacy Centre for Advocacy and Research Maharashtra, 2005

1. Scope of Interactions

RNA Objective Media Scan Objectives 1. Track Media discourse – Development 2. 3. 4. Identify Spaces Identify Spokesperson, representation Locate Gaps, opportunities Official Response (State and District level), to mobilise community, partner with NGO, sensitise stakeholders. Understanding IP and CSO challenges Experiences, comfort level, expectations of KP Feedback – Priorities for advocacy, Assessment of media as a tool

2. Media Scan

Media Monitoring Sample Tracking the Media Discourse – Sample of Publications

Issue breakup – English and Marathi newspapers 353 290 173 106 96 87 39

News Coverage – Pune editions

News flow June- Nov. 05 in English (E) and Marathi (M) dailies

HIV/AIDS coverage break up

English Violence against Women Marathi

KP coverage across districts & language editions

Stakeholder break up – KP news

HIV/AIDS – What does the media scan indicate?

Marathi newspapers (Pune) n There is a significant presence of the issue in the newspapers that we monitored. Right from surveillance to response to stigma, various dimensions of HIV/AIDS find mention. n The scanning (65 items) shows a significant reporting on the response (57). n There appears to be no significant hierarchy or priority in reporting as international news items (Kobe: WHO responsible for the treatment of PLHAs, Maharashtra Times, 5 July 2005) and specific local news items (Rally for AIDS awareness, Maharashtra Times, 29 June 2005) both find equal importance. n Stakeholder representation ranges from international (Bill Gates, Loksatta, 27 th September) to national, state and local (Anna Hazare: Rehabilitation of PLHAs, Lokasatta, 1 st July 2005; Kapil Sibal: Law protecting human rights of PLHAs, Sakal, 12 th June; Mohan Agashe: Saheli’s Drop-in Centre, Loksatta, 8 th Aug. ).

Marathi Press (Pune) n Local NGOs (Saheli, Manavya, Aapulki, Snehalaya, Save the Children, etc. ) and their initiatives are also projected. Similarly, official stakeholders like MSACS (SALSEP), MDACS (ART centres) and agencies like the Army (Prevention and Research) have got spaces. n The Life Skill Education Programme (SALSEP) has got a consistent coverage (6 news items) across all newspapers with each news item reporting a different activity (Exhibition, Street Play, Workshop, etc). n In the process, diverse messages are put out demanding that we recognize the needs of young people and enable them to express themselves, ensure skill development for women living with HIV-AIDS, better the quality of health services in rural areas. n Strategies like facilitating journalists’ visits to project sites (Heroes Project) such as an intervention with highway based sex workers, resulted in more informed and positive reporting on sex workers commitment to HIV prevention and condom promotion (Loksatta, 26 -27 Sept. ).

English Press n Both Mumbai and Pune editions of the newspapers were monitored to assess the quality of coverage on HIV/AIDS. n Of the 22 news items, surveillance (8), stigma and discrimination (2) and varied responses (11) formed the body of coverage. n In Pune, we find that the focus is on ART delivery, Vaccine Trials and NGO initiatives while in Mumbai the coverage highlighted the problem of stigma and discrimination faced by PLHA and the founding of new ART centres in hospitals. n Major breakthroughs (Vaccine Trial: Indian Express, 25 th August), which was reported in the local Pune press also found resonance in the national media. n The news coverage has fair amount of continuity with around 8 reporters of major newspapers doing specialized on going reporting on the issue.

Opportunities: n We observe a fair amount of continuity in reporting with many journalists doing fairly specialized and in-depth writing and reporting on different aspects of the issue. n With almost 80% of the coverage focusing on the response, the media seems to be interested in reporting on the interventions being spearheaded by different stakeholders. n Since the issue-centered developments in different parts of the country, especially related to stigma and discrimination is also reported in the Maharashtra press, it provides a valuable opportunity to get local spokespersons to condemn such discriminatory practices and share experiences of the role that key populations have played in HIV prevention in a stigma-free environment.

Opportunities: n Whenever it comes to reporting on clinical trials and sub trials, we find that given the presence of premier research institutions in Pune, often news of national and international significance emanates from Pune (Indian Express, 25 Aug, 18 Sept. ). n National debates such as the declining standards of the rural health systems, growing incidence of violence against women and girl-child, inter-generational gap also get reflected in the state and district media, often providing opportunities to draw attention to its relationship with HIV-AIDS. (Maharashtra Times, 2 nd Sept).

Violence Against Women What does the media scan indicate?

n On this issue, we find that reporters from different beats such as crime, women and legal report on the issue. Hence, it influences the volume of coverage. n The highest reporting on Violence against Women comprises of area specific violations, especially on minor girls ranging from rape to incest and trafficking n While reporting on trafficking, the dominant spokespersons are from the police, occasionally supported by representatives from women’s organization, especially on the issue of trafficking of minors. n On the issue of trafficking, we find that media is constantly reinforcing the fact that girls from West Bengal are being trafficked to brothels in Pune. n Equally pervasive are reports in the Marathi press on domestic and partner violence, caused by dowry demand, bigamy and under the influence of alcohol using life-threatening forms of violence on petty grounds. n It is clear that all this concerted reporting on crimes against minors has induced the courts to respond, with many fast-track courts convicting the offender and pronouncing summary judgments n The only aspect and issue that got a development focus was the issue of sex determination to eliminate the female fetus. Development and human rights activists are shaping the coverage on the issue especially with the PNDT Act strictly excluding the police.

Challenges: n The reporting is mostly routine reporting by beat reporters with no bylines. n Even though the reports area specific, the nature of crime and framing brings out the commonality. n We also get the occasional high-profile expose (Shalini Palace Raids) with contentious versions by the police and other affected spokespersons. n With crimes against minors being constantly highlighted by the media, it has led to fast track courts passing decisive judgments and strengthening specific enforcement mechanisms, such as special cell within CID to prevent minor trafficking. n What is more revealing is that most rapes on minors and other offences highlight the proximity of the perpetrators (teacher, father, neighbours etc)

Challenges: n With much of the reporting on the issue focusing on the perspective of enforcement, breakdown/degradation of moral values, anti-social practices, there is very little attention given to perspectives related to marginalization and gender discrimination. n There is very little information about law, rights and in the process linkages with inequitable development. n Consequently violence being the single most dominant factor for increased vulnerability of women, specifically sex workers to HIV gets obscured

Key Population – What does the media scan indicate?

Media Scan - Findings on Representation of Key Populations n For our analysis we took a sample of representative news clippings excluding items repeated in other newspapers. n On key population, we find that English press (111 news items) is virtually keeping pace with Marathi press (120) n A significant part of the sample (69) comprised of news about bar girls. In this, raids on bar girls dominated (37), followed by Tarannum (32). n Thus there seems to be a biased representation on the issue. This is partly evident from the messaging that emerges for and against the key population (bar girls).

MESSAGING – ANTI - BAR GIRLS n “Bar girls are desecraters and its not right to support them”- Pushpa Bhave n “Ladies Bar is the main cause behind increasing no. of HIV+ ‘patients’ and crime rate in the city. ”- Action Committee Against Ladies Bars, Aurangabad n “She enjoys traveling, good hangouts, hotels and lodges to stay. ”- News Report n “Dance Bar is a means of pandering to the sexual urge of men. ”- Justice P. B. Sawant n “Dance Bar has created havoc. ”- Pramod Navalkar n “It is more dignified to commit suicide than dance in bars. ”- MLA n “My son stole ornaments to shower money on bar girls. ” -Diamond Merchant n “Why government should rehabilitate bar girls, its bar owners responsibility. ” Ms. Mrinal Gore

MESSAGING - PRO - BAR GIRLS n “We believe it is women’s fundamental right to dress as she likes, do as she likes for her livelihood. ” n “Provide us employment otherwise pay monthly maintenance. ” n “When film stars dance in minimum clothing that is acceptable, but we are not allowed to dance in bars. We don’t do it by choice, its our necessity. ” n “Reality is completely different. All are not Tarannum. We can’t even afford to pay rent. ”

MEDIA MESSAGING FOR BAR GIRLS Two studies (SNDT+FAOW, PRAYAS+TISS) on Bar Girls reveal: * No indication of trafficking * 90% of the bar girls are migrants from different parts of the country. * Most are above 18, average group is 21 -25 * More than 1/3 rd earning Rs 1, 000 -1, 500 p. m * 50% have no education, 25% till primary, 17% to class VIII * Each of them support nine dependents on an average. Large part of the income is spent on rent, family expenses and work related expenses * Most are married and deserted by husbands * 92% of them are willing to avail government schemes * Most of them are in extremely vulnerable position.

Messages - Influence on public discourse 1. The discourse on Bar Girls was ‘heightened’. It unified different segments politicians, representatives of Statutory Bodies, police, social activists, a section of the civil society and the community. So strong was the partnership that it did not even get deflected in the wake of pressing issues like Power Shortage Mumbai Floods, etc. 2. This group projected the entire issue as anti-exploitation of women, ‘social reform’ movement. 3. Neither this section nor the media raised any concern about HIV-AIDS. Whatever little concern was raised it was more as a warning against the dangers of “bar girls’ transmitting virus to “susceptible youth” 4. Harped more on messages like the elite youth getting corrupt and that the bars are spawning an unholy growth of anti-social elements, changing the middle class character of the city.

Messages - Influence on public discourse 5. The voices that opposed [which includes the community (bar girls) supported by Traders, Owners, Union activists and the outer fringe, intellectuals, academicians, feminists, Bollywood, etc. in comparison were less ‘righteous’ and emotionally “forceful” 6. What they tried to do was to disabuse misconceptions about bar girls (some supported by studies and evidences) - not driven by greed, luxury, money, etc, created a new reality check on poverty, lack of livelihood, etc. 7. Found themselves, on most occasions, reacting to the anti-bar girls stakeholders (‘specific directives’, allegations’, ‘viewpoints’).

3. Plan of Action

Recommendations on Improving Discourse on HIV/AIDS n Response centered stories are opportunities upon which media advocacy interventions can be built. These could be highlighted in the different spaces- news reports, features and editorial page. n Media coverage on NGO events could be better coordinated so that more meaningful messages are conveyed and a fair amount of coverage is ensured across major publications. n Spaces dedicated to health, lifestyles, women and youth could be explored to discuss various aspects of HIV/AIDS. n Opinion pieces from influential spokespersons (activists, lawyers, media personalities) and informed spokespersons (NARI, AFMC, NGOs) can also be generated for more qualitative discourse.

Spaces that can be used n BODY MANTRA - a daily health page in Maharashtra Herald. This space could be explored to discuss issues of AIDS prevention. It also has a Q&A section which can be used. n Family Doctor - a weekly supplement published every Friday in Marathi daily Sakal. It has spaces like Health Facts, Health news, Q&A. n Madhura – a weekly magazine of Sakal focused on women and children published every Wednesday. Issues like Women and AIDS, STD, features on Children of PLHAs, etc can be discussed. n Sakhi – a women’s supplement in Marathi daily, Lokmat, published every Thursday. n To. I and Indian Express do not have dedicated columns on health issues. However, they do have some spaces for lifestyle (BODY and MIND which comes every Wednesday in I. E) which could be used. n As for the radio, Akashwani Pune has a programme on RCH by the Women and Child Department which could be explored. It is aired every Sunday at 7: 30 pm. n Private FM Channel, Radio Mirchi is yet another potential space which can be explored. It does not have any dedicated time slot for health or related aspect, but any issue can be discussed by way of a ‘personality interview’ or an announcement.

Recommendations to Improve Content and Messaging on Violence Against Women n n To frame the entire discourse on violence as contributing in a decisive manner to women’s vulnerability to HIV-AIDS and decide what kinds of safeguards could be created. In collaboration with CSOs at the ground level, build evidence on this factor of vulnerability Shift the discourse from the domain of crime to a more development oriented framework; focusing on the impact that violence will have in escalating discrimination, inequality, human rights violation, marginalization, etc. Identify local opinion-makers and strengthen their presence on this issue. (like Vibhuti Patel, Lawyers Collective).

Recommendations – To Address the Biased Representation on Key Population n To be able to do this effectively, we need to develop partnerships with NGO doing targeted intervention with key population. Interventions that have matured could be documented and projected as models for a more inclusive HIV prevention approach to KP. n To strengthen the women’s rights and development approach, we also need to project other stakeholders’ obligations to key population. Catalyze media discourse on key population’s entitlement to official programmes and interventions aimed at reducing violence against women, facilitating access to reproductive health services, forming self-help groups to better women’s negotiation with difficult circumstances and relationships, providing adolescents with space to explore their needs.

Recommendations – To Address the Biased Representation on Key Population n Given the fact that much of this coverage is actively driven by different agencies and spokespersons from different standpoints (courts, police, women’s rights) it is essential that we sensitize and reach out to journalists covering the same issue from the perspective of different beats. n At this stage, at the level of coverage it is important to deal with the strong biases and stereotypes that are influencing popular perceptions about key populations. We should work with local opinion makers to ensure that the biases are “challenged” as they are preventing a logical engagement with the issue and more importantly discourage us from recognize the basic needs of KP n Hence, to some extent, we need to deal with the morality-related perceptions and contradictions. With the former strongly shaping public perceptions, it is essential that we avoid an either/or approach, do not be party to any polarized discourse that the media tends to create. In fact, use different spaces, voices and experiences to meaningfully engage with these concerns. Ensure that we are consistent in terms of messages, standpoints and experiences.

4. Stakeholder Interactions

Stakeholder Representation RNA KP Implementers Health Other SH Govt/Media PUNE PC, Consultant, Saheli Peer Educators Head, Medicine Department, Sasoon. Asst. MO, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). PRO, PMC, PSACS, Dy. Director, NARI KOHLAPUR Program Manager, MO, Field Officers, Counselors - Muslim Samaj Prabodhan Va Shikshan Sanstha Civil Surgeon, STD officer, CPR Hospital Peer Educators, Community – Sex workers, MSM - Ichalkaranji Chief Reporter, Lokmat; Editor, B Channel; Information Officer Masum Director, ‘Samvedna’; AIDS Counselor, C. P. R. Hospital; Secretary, Positive Network PARBHANI Director, Field Workers, SEDT LATUR Director, PO, Sahyog Nirmitee Trust Tamasha Community, Brothel – sex workers, Dhaba, Jintoor BEED Director, PO, Grameen Viakas Mandal Tamasha Community, DHO, Zila Parishad; District Surgeon AHMEDNAGAR PO, staff Snehalaya District reporter, Sakal, Lokmat Times RAIPUR PO, staff , John Paul Slum Development Project

MAHARASHTRA NEED ASSESSMENT FOR IMPLEMENTING MEDIA ADVOCACY PROGRAMME FOR THE AVAHAN PROJECT Phase I Programme scope and implementing partners Districts visited: all PATHFINDER districts Phase II : Assessing needs, capacities and opportunities for advocacy using media as a tool Multi stakeholder interaction/feedback Districts: Kolhapur, Pune and Parbhani

Objectives (Operational): • Assess partners (IPs) challenge from organizational to structural and its potential influence on media advocacy • based on this define our scope as a cross cutting partner (to ensure value addition) Methodology: (Qualitative) • Multistakeholder feedback to understandpoints and experiences. • assess to what extent is this reflected on, divorced from and influenced by the media. Limitations: • nascent programme • not all feedback was in the context of the issue as well as programmes • even within the programme, environmental challenges were perceived differently- at different degrees, intensity and forms.

First Phase key finding: • IPs were striving to lay the foundation for CLSI, specifically a more inclusion approach to KP or CLSI. This implied • recognizing the complex scenario, evolving the outreach strategy, shaped and driven by the community. • Strengthen the peer based model • Increase the negotiating capacity of the KP-DIC, Condoms, access to health care, form collectives, and secure other entitlements. From the advocacy perspective it was clear that the strength of the intervention lay in sustainable, community centred approach.

For CFAR the major challenge was: • How to scale up the broader discourse on HIV/AIDS • Highlight process oriented breakthrough, results and outcomes being achieved by AVAHAN and other like minded programmes. • do evidence based advocacy. • As far as possible create an active engagement with the solution centric processes- collectivization • prevent media violation and social backlash, ensure confidentiality.

Phase 2: JUNE-JULY 2005 Major Concerns related to implementing media advocacy initiative under AVAHAN: • Issue based media advocacy – no predominant sense of “urgency” on HIV/AIDS (particularly evident in relation to extent of presence of the issue on media) • Constituency (KP) centered advocacy-Presently negative/problematic engagement with the lives of KP, very strongly reflected on the media • Programme centered advocacy – AVAHAN and likeminded interventions: highly sporadic, NGO driven, selective projection of issues and KP related initiatives verging on testing the waters. Given these concerns, we needed to understand the following challenges: Programme: Organisational/Programmatic Key population: Environmental/Structural

What did the feedback tell us? ORGANISATIONAL /PROGRAMMATIC 1. IP- Deal with the “thrill” and the “risk” of being ‘innovative’ and ‘first ever programme’ of this scale. Create a team of properly oriented project implementers (orientation on issue, KP, sensitivities, implementing strategies). “We are probably one of the first CSO to work with key population in our specific area. Forceful HIV testing happened sometime ago. Hence sex workers are scared. The only other NGO, SETU, has worked for 13 years on RCH projects and specifically on HIV does intervention with KP in a limited area. ” -PARBHANI 2. Develop an effective/sustainable outreach strategy which captures “hidden” KP, and responds to changing dynamics of KP “We need to reach out to as many as three thousand non-brothel sex workers, who, go to lodges or stand on streets for business. ” - PUNE

What did the feedback tell us? ORGANISATIONAL /PROGRAMMATIC 3. Cope with problems of recruitment of effective peer educators specially amongst street based sex workers to prevent turnover and ineffective targeting. “Selection of peer educators among street based sex workers is more difficult since street based sex workers are floating populations and move from one area to another while soliciting. ” KOLHAPUR 4. Convincing the street based/non-brothel based sex workers (who are in a partial denial mode) of the benefits and goals of the interventions, reduce the feeling of personal interference, inconvenience, increasing risk perceptions and health seeking behaviour.

What did the feedback tell us? ORGANISATIONAL /PROGRAMMATIC 5. Develop their capacities and necessary support to realistically deal with all the day to day impediments and hindrances (debt, alcoholism, poverty, DV) that many sections of the KP faces to prevent burn outs “Many of sex workers are not interested in being consistently associated with the intervention. We have to deal with problems such as alcoholism, high risk behaviour and any effort to persuade them does not work and instead we are showered with abuses. ” KOLHAPUR “We need a lot of patience in this work. Before talking about HIV and condoms we need to gauge the sex workers’ moods, be empathetic to their situation. ” KOLHAPUR 6. Strengthening and enhancing motivation levels and ownerships of PHEs and ORWs to go beyond project allegiance to community and issue commitment.

What did the feedback tell us? ORGANISATIONAL /PROGRAMMATIC 7. Encourage them to seek health services, evoke trust and confidence and integrate them into the intervention. “The girls in Kala Kendras deny that they are into sex work. They are also not interested in availing of free condoms and other facilities we are trying to provide them. This denial makes it quite difficult to deal with them. ” AHMEDNAGAR 8. Ensure that even brothel based sex workers use condoms with regular partners

What did the feedback tell us? ENVIRONMENTAL/STRUCTURAL 1. Reduce existing harm and oppression on KP– police, goondas, hostile community, media, etc. “Police is the main problem. Police even harass peer educators. They even arrest women after 7 pm” PUNE “Most sex workers are illiterates. They don’t understand why police behaves this way. The police files false charges on us like theft, abusive language, illicit behaviour, etc. ” PUNE “When we were identifying the KP, we worked through auto drivers and pimps and met some of the brothel owners. A week later they were raided. This has undermined the communities’ confidence in us. ” KOLHAPUR.

What did the feedback tell us? ENVIRONMENTAL/STRUCTURAL “The biggest problem is harassment by the police. Moreover, they don’t help us with goondas. In many instances, when the police and goondas demand sex, the sex workers are so afraid of them that they don’t use condoms. ”- NANDURBAR. “MEDIA publishes reports such as ‘bad effects of prostitution on society’. They do not think about the sex workers condition, instead portray us in negative way. ” PUNE “One very senior representatives of a newspaper wrongly advocated that there should be mandatory HIV testing of all sex workers. ” PUNE “In the community also there is no change in their hostile attitude to us. It is very easy for women to sit at home and criticize us, condemn us. ” PUNE

What did the feedback tell us? ENVIRONMENTAL/STRUCTURAL 2. Ensure essential integration, delivery of basic entitlements to KP – ration card, healthcare, widow pension. “We are not only denied health care but there is not even basic sanitation in our locality. The municipality workers does not even come to our galli. We clean our streets ourselves. ” NANDURBAR. “The healthcare workers and doctors may go for training but they have not been sensitized to the issue. If a HIV positive person comes in the outlook of the staff changes. A capital R for red is put on the case file and everyone down to the ayah and ward boy knows what that means. ”- KOLHAPUR “We cannot access health services due to irregular work timings. ” RAIGAD. “Due to discrimination by doctors, they prefer to go to quacks. ” KOLHAPUR

What did the feedback tell us? ENVIRONMENTAL/STRUCTURAL 3. Broaden day-to-day interface with the external stakeholders (community, police, media) to prevent disruption. “Like in Karnataka, devdasis have received houses and land. Government should do something for us too. ” PUNE “In Kolhapur two interactions have been held on the issue of ration cards and increasing police raids. Since the raids were justified on the grounds that the police mediated in a fight between two sex workers, it was resolved in a meeting that they would fight alcoholism not support even their peers who solicited under the influence of alcohol. ” KOLHAPUR

What did the feedback tell us? ENVIRONMENTAL/STRUCTURAL 4. Guarantee recognition of KP to be an agent of change and transformation – through collectivization. “Initially people used to criticize us. They did not have any value for us. Now they have changed. ” PUNE “Earlier there was a feeling that sex workers are responsible for HIV now people understand that it is not just because of sex workers that there is an increase in HIV. Other people are equally responsible. ” PUNE “Basic thrust is to sustain all the activities initiated under this Programme. Even if the NGO is not there the interventions such as condom distribution will continue. ” PUNE “Women have started thinking that to ensure that the activities are sustained, they participate in everything, from planning to evaluation. ” PUNE.

What did the feedback tell us? ENVIRONMENTAL/STRUCTURAL 5. Removal of structural barriers. “Since municipal authorities shut down the area where they living, sex workers were forced to live on the streets…women have lost their mutual support systems. ” KOLHAPUR “Many of the sex workers nearly half of the sex workers in Maharashtra are from the drought prone area. ” AHMEDNAGAR “The worst affected amongst us are women are come from outside. Mona belongs to UP she has three children. Every year she goes back to the village but no one know in the family knows what she does. ” NANDURBAR “Tribal girls are married very young. it is difficult to work with the tribal community as they have their own norms and practices” NANDURBAR.

WHAT WORKS? DROP-IN-CENTRE (DIC) “They come to the DIC because they see it as a place they can get information, feel empowered, a space where they can get some recreation and counseling, not just on health but other problems also. They are beginning to see it as a place of their own. ” NANDURBAR “The DIC is working with not just sex workers but also the madams. We train them in condom use, teach them how to deal with the district officials and the police. ” NANDURBAR “Over a period of time, they (sex workers) have developed a sense of confidence in the clinics we have opened and are no longer shy of being examined because they know it is for their own good and also because it is a free facility. ” AHMEDNAGAR. “STD reporting has increased. Women come on their own to the clinic for treatment” KOLHAPUR

WHAT WORKS? LOCAL ADVOCACY “On World AIDS Day, there is coverage because media people are very co-operative regarding social activities. ” NANDURBAR “Previously there were police raids and several cases against the Bombay Police Act. But because of our interventions, the raids on brothels and harassment of women decreased. We also agitated against the police going into brothels without policewomen. Went to the National Commission for Women and NHRC and complained. That has had a good effect. ” AHMEDNAGAR. “A school teacher lost his job when he tested positive. The school said the parents wanted him out. We supported him and said it was wrong as his fundamental right was being violated. Media gave us wide publicity. He was taken back. ” AHMEDNAGAR “Recently while inaugurating a DIC at Pune, many leading public figures were present and they pledged support to the community” PUNE “As part of creating enabling environment, 50% women have got ration cards, 10% have bank accounts and some have voter cards. ” AHMEDNAGAR.

WHAT WORKS? STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION “We also work with the larger community to reduce the stigma and discrimination. After they (PLHAs) have been with us for 15 days, when they return home on the 16 th day, they find a different environment because by then we have done advocacy with the family. ” NANDURBAR. “There was a positive women lying in front of the civil hospital. Everybody was trying to get her admitted to the Civil Hospital, but the hospital authorities were not. Marathi press did the story and everyone came to know about her plight and the responsibility of the community on the issue. ” AHMEDNAGAR. BEHAVIOUR CHANGE “With the awareness of HIV/AIDS increasing there is a distinct change as far as condom awareness is concerned. Even if we are not distributing it freely, they buy it from pan shops. Even clients carry it along with them. ” KOLHAPUR

WHAT WORKS? COLLECTIVISATION AND RAISING SELF ESTEEM: “Every Sunday we conduct meeting at the CPR hospital. We discuss the work plan, problems, etc. Experience sharing is very helpful to us. ” KOLHAPUR. “We are working for empowering HIV Positive people return with smiling face after meeting us. ” KOLHAPUR. “The programme has helped the sex worker to change her role. She is now a multilevel worker. She teaches her clients how to use condoms. She is spearheading the HIV prevention effort. ” PUNE. “We have also enhanced the confidence of the entire community. They are openly and without hesitation demanding condoms. ” PUNE. “They speak with pride of the contribution they have made during the Latur earthquake and Tsunami Relief. More recently they also joined in a public protest against compulsory helmet use. ” KOLHAPUR

IMPLEMENTING PARTNER (IP s) ASSESSMENT OF/ EXPERIENCE WITH THE MEDIA: 1. Most Implementing Partners have fairly active relations with local district media outlets. 2. In assessing the quality of partnership with the media or the coverage that emerges from specific events the response is mixed. The pendulum swings from gratitude to distrust. 3. Whenever they have personally interacted and advocated with the media they have felt supported. “They give publicity to our issues, our struggles. Occasionally we get our statements published. On one instance we issued a statement cautioning the government to curb trafficking from drought prone areas. ” NANDURBAR 4. In some instance they have also found that campaigning through the media has helped to resolve an immediate problem. “When the media carried our version about acute shortage of condoms, the authorities responded and the supply was improved. ” PUNE

IMPLEMENTING PARTNER (IP s) ASSESSMENT OF / EXPERIENCE WITH THE MEDIA: 5. They are also conscious of “opportunities” that media provides. Many local papers like Samachar, Nagar Times have started weekly columns highlighting experiences and grievances of people. “We have used these columns to address issues of PLHAS. We can strictly maintain confidentiality and in one instance even succeeded in addressing the grievance. We got a school a teacher who lost his job because of his HIV status, reinstated in his job” AHMEDNAGAR 6. Even when they are critical of the media, it is often based on concrete experience. “In one instance when an HIV + women was lying before a Municipal Hospital, Marathi press created “sympathy” for her whereas the English press “sensationalized it. ” AHMEDNAGAR

IMPLEMENTING PARTNER (IP s) ASSESSMENT OF / EXPERIENCE WITH THE MEDIA: 7. In another instance they found a senior editor and a decision maker was swayed by narrow considerations. “One editor recommended to us that all sex workers should be compulsorily tested for HIV so that we could jointly create shocking news about the number of HIV incidence in red light areas. ” 8. The same urge to break “exclusive” and “never before done” they found was common among the visual media story “On many occasions we have stopped the electronic media, in particular local channels from coming into the settlement of sex workers and shooting what is happening, like a reality show. ” 9. However KPs do not share the same sense of openness to the media. The support of the media, according to them has not been truly effective. The larger community is still hostile. This in turn instigates the police to be brutal. They also complained of media intrusion depicting them without their consent.

IMPLEMENTING PARTNER (IP s) ASSESSMENT OF/ EXPERIENCE WITH THE MEDIA: 10. The official stakeholders were again mixed in their assessment. There was recognition, that if there has been a small reduction in HIV prevalence in Kolhapur, the media has also contributed to it. 11. They have experienced a fair amount of support and co-operation from the media. All official handouts they give to the media they find get published. Every time a news item on HIV-AIDS appears, they find that the top officials in the district give it the utmost priority. 12. At the same time there was a feeling that the media does not make its own independent effort to strengthen the discourse on HIV-AIDS. They are event or news driven. They are not interested in pursuing it in a campaign style, to ensure that everyone gets properly informed and educated on the issue. 13. None of the stakeholders took exception to the negative representation Bargirls. To some extent they understood the anxiety and fears of the middleclass. of

5. Plan of Action

RECOMMENDATIONS Every stakeholder felt that there is an immediate need to sensitize media and sought collaboration and support of CFAR. They recommended sensitization at three levels: 1. Broad and general sensitization and raising awareness on the issue of HIV -AIDS for rank and file of journalists. 2. Deepening knowledge levels about HIV-AIDS, changing their perception of sex workers, understanding their daily trial and tribulations for practitioners doing specialized and in-depth reporting on HIV- AIDS. 3. Some respondents even recommended dedicated fellowships and scholarships for language journalists. 4. They sought CFAR expertise in creating modules and materials developing the methodology. and

DEVELOPING A COORDINATED RESPONSE TO ADVOCACY To reduce the persistent bias, deep seated S & D against KP 1. To create confidence in the intervention what kind of advocacy should we mount? 2. How should we advocate on the small gains/breakthroughs in relation to each of the practice that is “working”? 3. Depending on the intended outcome of this exercise, who should we advocate with? 4. Depending on the target audience, what kind of tools and what kind of messaging should we use? 5. To take this forward, what kind of preparation do we need to make?

END