<p>Imams can be more effective than NGOs in spreading awareness on sexually transmitted diseases and gender issues. <br /><br /></p>.<p>So found a six-year study conducted on low-income urban married women in a Muslim-dominated slum.<br /><br />The messages from the imams of about 50 mosques in a Mumbai slum with a population of about 6,00,000, particularly targeted men of the community. They talked of marital relations, women’s health, gender equality and domestic violence.<br /><br />Effective technique<br /><br />“The mosque, where men gather to listen to the taqrir (lecture delivered by imams), provided a good opportunity to share these messages through religious leaders. It was very effective technique to change community norms,” said Rajendra Singh, project coordinator of International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW).<br /><br />The ICRW, along with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and some other organisations, began a project six years ago to reduce sexually transmitted risks among married women in lower-income groups.<br /><br />Positive changes<br /><br />The project RISHTA (Research and Intervention in Sexual Health: Theory to Action), found that in the first year of the project, interventions by both imams and NGOs showed positive changes. But in the second and third year, messages by imams showed “significantly more positive changes than NGO staff”. Eighty per cent of this slum’s population comprises of Muslims.<br /><br />As part of the project, married women were recruited for counselling and treatment at women’s health clinics set up by RISHTA at a primary health centre. They were picked up on the basis of complaints of gynaecological problems, principally vaginal discharge, popularly known as ‘safed pani’.<br /><br />They were also counselled individually and along with their husbands. The couples participated in presentations, discussions and role plays on sexual risk, violence and sexuality.<br />“Marriage is the worst risk factor for women’s vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Since married women in these societies can’t say no to their husbands, they end up receiving the diseases,” said Shubhada Maitra of TISS.<br /><br />The urban low-income group was targeted for the project also because many men in these communities prove to be the bridge population for spread of the sexually-transmitted diseases.<br /><br />Reduction in diseases<br /><br />The research findings showed that the men exposed to the message from the imams showed significant movement towards greater gender equity and a reduction in STDs. “In fact, the imams themselves began to show very positive change in gender equitable attitudes,” said Rajendra Singh.<br /></p>
<p>Imams can be more effective than NGOs in spreading awareness on sexually transmitted diseases and gender issues. <br /><br /></p>.<p>So found a six-year study conducted on low-income urban married women in a Muslim-dominated slum.<br /><br />The messages from the imams of about 50 mosques in a Mumbai slum with a population of about 6,00,000, particularly targeted men of the community. They talked of marital relations, women’s health, gender equality and domestic violence.<br /><br />Effective technique<br /><br />“The mosque, where men gather to listen to the taqrir (lecture delivered by imams), provided a good opportunity to share these messages through religious leaders. It was very effective technique to change community norms,” said Rajendra Singh, project coordinator of International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW).<br /><br />The ICRW, along with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and some other organisations, began a project six years ago to reduce sexually transmitted risks among married women in lower-income groups.<br /><br />Positive changes<br /><br />The project RISHTA (Research and Intervention in Sexual Health: Theory to Action), found that in the first year of the project, interventions by both imams and NGOs showed positive changes. But in the second and third year, messages by imams showed “significantly more positive changes than NGO staff”. Eighty per cent of this slum’s population comprises of Muslims.<br /><br />As part of the project, married women were recruited for counselling and treatment at women’s health clinics set up by RISHTA at a primary health centre. They were picked up on the basis of complaints of gynaecological problems, principally vaginal discharge, popularly known as ‘safed pani’.<br /><br />They were also counselled individually and along with their husbands. The couples participated in presentations, discussions and role plays on sexual risk, violence and sexuality.<br />“Marriage is the worst risk factor for women’s vulnerability to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Since married women in these societies can’t say no to their husbands, they end up receiving the diseases,” said Shubhada Maitra of TISS.<br /><br />The urban low-income group was targeted for the project also because many men in these communities prove to be the bridge population for spread of the sexually-transmitted diseases.<br /><br />Reduction in diseases<br /><br />The research findings showed that the men exposed to the message from the imams showed significant movement towards greater gender equity and a reduction in STDs. “In fact, the imams themselves began to show very positive change in gender equitable attitudes,” said Rajendra Singh.<br /></p>
