The Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme HIV/AIDS Education & Prevention Campaign for Seafarers Transport Against HIV/AIDS: Continuing the Mainstreaming Effort World Bank Headquarters, Washington, DC, USA 28 November 2007

About PSAP A 26-year old grant-maintained charitable foundation (stichting) registered in Rotterdam A 26-year old grant-maintained charitable foundation (stichting) registered in Rotterdam Historical funding support from: the ITF Seafarers Trust, AIDS Fonds as well as international development cooperation organizations like Oxfam-Novib, Cordaid, Bilance, and Misereor Port-based activities include direct person-to-person assistance services to Filipino seafarers especially in Rotterdam Port-based activities include direct person-to-person assistance services to Filipino seafarers especially in Rotterdam Education, networking, and empowerment initiatives for the benefit of Filipino seafarers and their families Education, networking, and empowerment initiatives for the benefit of Filipino seafarers and their families Advocacy campaigns to promote seafarers’ rights and seafarers’ welfare Advocacy campaigns to promote seafarers’ rights and seafarers’ welfare

SHIP VISITING COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

Information dissemination via ship visiting COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

Ship visiting as a community service COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

About Filipino seafarers The biggest nationality group in the global maritime workforce (up to 30% or +260,000 seafarers in 2006) The biggest nationality group in the global maritime workforce (up to 30% or +260,000 seafarers in 2006) Contributed at least $2 billion in migrant workers remittances to Philippine economy in 2006 Contributed at least $2 billion in migrant workers remittances to Philippine economy in 2006 Seafarers account for the biggest number of sero-positive persons among overseas Filipino workers suffering from HIV (35-40%). Seafarers account for the biggest number of sero-positive persons among overseas Filipino workers suffering from HIV (35-40%).

“Seafarers’ market” in Manila COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

About the Port of Rotterdam Biggest sea port in Europe (30,000 ships/year; 378m MT) Biggest sea port in Europe (30,000 ships/year; 378m MT) Some 500 Filipino seafarers are in transit on any given day Some 500 Filipino seafarers are in transit on any given day

Dry dock in Rotterdam COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

Education & Prevention Campaign present 2000-present

Early 1990s: the beginnings Concerns and questions about HIV/AIDS heard from Filipino seafarers Concerns and questions about HIV/AIDS heard from Filipino seafarers PSAP ship visitors worry about their incapacity to share proper information on HIV/AIDS PSAP ship visitors worry about their incapacity to share proper information on HIV/AIDS Need for an education & awareness-raising programme for seafarers recognized Need for an education & awareness-raising programme for seafarers recognized

Challenge: How can a small community- and port-based NGO pursue a meaningful education campaign on HIV/AIDS? Limited guidance from national and international networks about “HIV/AIDS and Seafarers” Limited guidance from national and international networks about “HIV/AIDS and Seafarers” Highly mobile population Highly mobile population Taboo and other cultural peculiarities surrounding sex/sexuality Taboo and other cultural peculiarities surrounding sex/sexuality

: ITF Seafarers Trust Project Outputs 8 HIV/AIDS educators completed training administered by the municipal health department (GGD) in Rotterdam 8 HIV/AIDS educators completed training administered by the municipal health department (GGD) in Rotterdam Quarterly informal “peer group” social gatherings with Filipino seafarers Quarterly informal “peer group” social gatherings with Filipino seafarers Annual mini-expo events for seafarers of all nationalities in Rotterdam Annual mini-expo events for seafarers of all nationalities in Rotterdam “Singing Mate” – a biographical best-seller on a Filipino Seafarer with HIV/AIDS “Singing Mate” – a biographical best-seller on a Filipino Seafarer with HIV/AIDS “Play Safe” slogan & logo launched via sport activities for seafarers; poem-posters “Play Safe” slogan & logo launched via sport activities for seafarers; poem-posters Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in bi-monthly Parola (global circulation 10,000) Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in bi-monthly Parola (global circulation 10,000)

HIV/AIDS expo for seafarers COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

HIV/AIDS prevention for seafarers as exemplified and personified in the lives of seafarers

HIV/AIDS LOGO designed by a seafarer, 1998

Safe sex poster campaign

Outcomes Regular dissemination of HIV/AIDS information materials by ship visitors, including one-to-one counseling, using “be direct by being indirect" communication techniques Regular dissemination of HIV/AIDS information materials by ship visitors, including one-to-one counseling, using “be direct by being indirect" communication techniques “Home away from home” strategies to discourage risk- taking by seafarers on shore leave; resident community involvement as a form of intervention “Home away from home” strategies to discourage risk- taking by seafarers on shore leave; resident community involvement as a form of intervention Consciousness-raising for PSAP, PSAP partners and networks Consciousness-raising for PSAP, PSAP partners and networks Commendations for PSAP’s port-based education approach Commendations for PSAP’s port-based education approach

Seafarer-beneficiaries, yr. 2000

Field research findings Field research findings  pre-departure orientation seminars for seafarers not effective in imparting information  sexuality and sexual practices of seafarers  identification of work-related factors that increase risk-taking behaviour

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

2000-present: Sustaining PSAP’s activities and interventions Continuing distribution of education & prevention campaign materials, e.g., “Singing Mate”; HIV/AIDS features in Parola; GGD Rotterdam and SOA AIDS NL materials Continuing distribution of education & prevention campaign materials, e.g., “Singing Mate”; HIV/AIDS features in Parola; GGD Rotterdam and SOA AIDS NL materials Integration of “peer gatherings on HIV/AIDS” to “Port-able seafarers’ club” activities Integration of “peer gatherings on HIV/AIDS” to “Port-able seafarers’ club” activities Training of Indonesian and African HIV/AIDS educators Training of Indonesian and African HIV/AIDS educators Related health information campaigns for seafarers' wives & families organizations in the Philippines Related health information campaigns for seafarers' wives & families organizations in the Philippines Continuing linking-and-learning via international conferences Continuing linking-and-learning via international conferences Motivating and assisting the graduate-level research work of a Filipino medical doctor in the field of “Seafarers and HIV/AIDS” Motivating and assisting the graduate-level research work of a Filipino medical doctor in the field of “Seafarers and HIV/AIDS”

Continuing education campaign COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

Training for HIV/AIDS Educators COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

Working with seafarers families in the Philippines COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

SOME LESSONS LEARNED Q: Does a port-based education & prevention education & prevention strategy work? strategy work? A: YES, but …….

A port-based strategy, while insufficient, must be regarded as a necessary component of a wider and continuing transnational programme on HIV/AIDS education & prevention for seafarers A port-based strategy, while insufficient, must be regarded as a necessary component of a wider and continuing transnational programme on HIV/AIDS education & prevention for seafarers Ship visiting is the vital foundation of a port-based strategy on HIV/AIDS prevention Ship visiting is the vital foundation of a port-based strategy on HIV/AIDS prevention … limitations and opportunities

A seafarer’s voyage from AWARENESS to PREVENTION is possible because there is TRUST

COPYRIGHT Philippine Seafarers Assistance Programme

Philippine Seafarers Assistance Progamme Rotterdam, The Netherlands Serving Filipino seafarers since Peter B. Payoyo, LL.M., Ph.D. Programme Manager THANK YOU 28 November 2007