The Context

Adolescents in rural areas are becoming increasingly mobile due to the need to their families. Many travel to urban areas or to Thailand to seek employment and are exposed to risky behaviour either through choice or through force. Limited knowledge of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) leaves them vulnerable to the risk of unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion and STI/HIV infections. Especially vulnerable are young women employed in bars who are often involved in casual commercial sex, or those who are actively involved in commercial sex on a regular basis. Many of these girls are highly mobile, moving from town to town around the country. Although prostitution is illegal and was severely punished before, commercial sex is now increasing and widely recognised as an emerging social problem. High alcohol consumption and increasing use of illegal drugs among youth, particularly amphetamines, are also contributing to irresponsible behaviours, which have become major causes of concern for the Government.

The Project

The project aims to increase the knowledge of vulnerable young people in Vientiane Capital on SRH, including HIV/AIDS, in collaboration with the Lao Youth Union. It is a peer education (PE) intervention specifically focusing on bar girls, commercial sex workers and out-of-school youth. It is implemented by multi-sectoral project working teams (Lao Youth Union, Lao Women's Union and the departments of education, health, and information and culture) at 132 bars and 24 night clubs in four districts of Vientiane . The project working teams train peer educators including service women and/or sex workers and some male staff. They in turn reach their peer educators through face-to-face consultation and night-time outreach activities using the PE tool kit. In each district, six outreach activities and one special advocacy campaign are organised. Links with the Vientiane Youth Centre allow for the provision of counseling and clinical services as well as outreach RH and life skills training.

The project is part of the regional Reproductive Health Initiative for Youth in Asia (RHIYA), funded by the EU. The executing agency, CARE Laos, has extensive experience in peer education targeting different vulnerable groups, including young factory workers.

Update on Achievements

• Four multi-sectoral working teams were established by District Governors in four districts in Vientiane Capital.

• Bar and nightclub owners were persuaded to support the project through advocacy activities.

• Adolescent reproductive health (ARH) information is disseminated through training courses as well as outreach activities by peer educators. Over 630 bar workers were trained in ARH and life skills.

• Ten different types of information, education and communications materials have been adapted and modified for use by peer educators with target groups.

• Links were established with the Youth Centre in terms of providing counseling and clinical services to the target groups, as well as for vocational training.

Official Facts

Site : Four districts of Vientiane Capital

Duration : October 2003 - March 2006 (30 months)

Executing agency: CARE Laos

Implementing Agency : Lao Youth Union , Vientiane Capital

Financial Facts

EU/UNFPA: US$ 200,000

CARE: US$ 20,055

Total Budget: US$ 220,055

Conditions