Participatory HIV/AIDS education in Bangladesh : a case study

Abstract

This paper discusses research in which I examine the daily difficulties of a selected group of HIV-vulnerable people in Bangladesh, the challenges posed by these difficulties to HIV prevention work, and ultimately how one NGO implemented peer education as a participatory approach to HIV prevention. The perspectives employed are inspired by postcolonial theory and Freire’s theory of participatory education. The research takes place in a predominantly Muslim cultural context where pronounced social stigma is attached to behaviours that increase the risk of HIV/AIDS. Although cultural approaches have been recognised as essential to sustainability in HIV prevention, NGOs relate to external guidelines and often fail to navigate effectively within discursive contexts. The importance of this research is that it describes how a peer education programme contributed to increasing participants’ responses to their own health situation and that of their peers within marginalized communities. On the basis of my analysis, I suggest some principles for peer education to further promote the philosophy of Freire.