| 1 Room 518 | Sexuality and Health Friday, July 15, 2005 Time: 8:30 AM-10:30 AM |
Empowering community and increasing awareness on SRHR issues among more than 150000 Afghan refugees.
Ghatrifi, Rouhollah*,1, Ghatrifi, Davood*,2, Eivazkhani, Shahrzad*,3, 1 International research development Pars Institute, Tehran, Tehran, Iran2 Dvood Ghatrifi, Teharan, Tehran, Iran3 Shahrzad Eivazkhani, Tehran, Tehran, Iran
ABSTRACT- IRAN has been hosting about 2.5 million Afghan refugees. A long term war has been caused refugees to seek for an asylum in large countries such as Iran. Disaster creates several irregularities in life style which would be added to the previous problems. Women and children are main victims in crisis. In this situation, organizations should pay attention to SRHR needs especially in above mentioned groups. Unfortunately, this will not be considered in most times. The qualitative- participatory surveys on Afghan refugees in IRAN indicated necessity of intervention project for improving undesired SRHR status. This project implemented in marginalized area of Tehran. Intervention methods: We have initiated a one year integrated community development program. Some of activities are as follows: 1-Performing participatory rural appraisal exercises (PRA) in six rural areas which continued to the whole of the project for M&E. 2- Developing and strengthening community networks, facilitating women's participation, encouraging volunteers and selecting communicators. 3-Holding public sessions for grass root people. 4- Holding counseling meetings with community &key persons. 5- Preparing and printing pamphlets and educational materials. 6 -Establishing IEC centers 7-Holding workshops for staff of health centers who are offering SRHR services to the refugees. 8-Coordination with health center (GO) for conducting referral system. 9- Holding TOT workshops. 10-Holding peer training course. Maine body: The main beneficiaries were more than 150000 of Afghan refugees who lived in many cities such as Peyshva, Varamine, Gharchak, Share rey, Hasanabad, Eslamshahr, Sabashare, Tehran and more than 60 villages. Despite of the results of surveys which showed resistance to IEC of SRHR in Afghan refugees, we could remove the resistance with effective advocacy and recognition of key persons, religion believes, and social values. Acceptance of such project in spite of lack of access to services and information was well and not only helped to the improvement of SRHR status but also had positive effects on life's satisfaction. Conclusion: In crisis, societies are faced with many problems such as SRHR problems. So, for prevention of destruction of human rights and improving quality of life, on time intervention is necessary .This project is an appropriate pattern for such intervention
Key words: Afghan refugees, Based-community project, PRA, Empowering community-Disaster, Networks of marginalized