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A. Background
LARAS provides sex workers, injecting drug users and increasingly clients of sex workers with outreach services, STI Check Ups and treatment, behavior change communication, HIV prevention strategies, health care information, focus group discussion, media advocacy, counseling and condom distribution in Samarinda , Bontang and Kutai Kartanegara. According to the baseline survey conducted by LARAS on January 2012, about 94% of the female sex workers in the KM.24 karaoke village, Loa Hui , and Prakla want to stop working. But most of them do not have special skills to work in the community. Which is only about 36% of female sex workers have a particular skill, then about 64% did not know what else should work as it only graduated elementary or junior high and have no skill. About 54% of the female sex workers are productive people between 18-25 years old. It means that the ability of the pimps to give the jobs is greater than the ability of government creating jobs. Thus, it is needed advocacy for local the government, particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Labor, Department of Industry and Commerce under the coordination of the Mayor/Regent. So, we expect a policy that prioritizes the expansion of economic activities with increased life skill for the productive female sex workers and non productive ages. Somehow, about 83% of the female sex workers have followed the information about the importance of condoms, but 97% female sex workers remained to serve the guests even the guests are not willing to use condoms. At Prakla and KM.24, LARAS is providing services to sex workers. There are 198 (Prakla) and 75 (KM.24) clients registered. Most of the women are driven to become sex workers because poverty. Others because of trafficking, divorced and broken family. At Loa Hui karaoke village, Samarinda, in cooperation with local government and the coordinator of the village, a former karaoke bar is transformed become clinic, and drop in centre.Condoms are distributed once in three days, but according LARAS data, only 20% of the sex workers are using condoms.

LARAS
Lembaga Advokasi dan Rehabilitasi Sosial

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B. Analysis of problems
LARAS has faced many of problems of HIV prevention program in the karaoke villages. Whether is it in Samarinda, Bontang or Kutai Kartanegara. The main problem that LARAS faced since outreached the karaoke village since 2005 is the lack of strategy of intervention in behavior change of sex workers. Lack of strategy how to face low condom use by female sex workers. Eventough LARAS has distributed daily male and female condoms, we have to admit that

sometimes the sex workers don't have any bargaining position to order the guest to use it. LARAS has indicated many factors except economic. There are gender and power factor, social cultural factor, individual factor, the political factor, service factor. The second problem is, in Prakla Bontang, the karaoke village has a different legal status.. Prakla has a unique semi legal status. The Government doesnt admit Prakla as a legal brothel. Prakla has located in the middle of the residential society. Initially, only the residential areas but over time one by one people started to open a karaoke bar, and then eventually intended for prostitution after. In 1991, Prakla was burned down, then no more karaoke bar left, even a single building. All were razed to the ground. Finally, the business was closed. Two years later, in 1993, the government and the society are planning to open a night traditional market, rather than karaoke village business. However, the last owners of this place before the fire wanted to built karaoke bar again. Most of this karaoke village consists of karaoke bars , guest house, and settled. Since September 2012, there were 27 of karaoke bars and 198 clients, most of them lived in the building map behind the karaoke bar. About 5% of them live outside the complex or boardinglodging outside the area. This place was never legalized by the city of government since it opened. By only a business permit of karaoke bars, then at any time this place can be evicted by the government. This will become a threat problem because if Prakla is shut down by the government, the number of HIV/AIDS and STI will increase significantly into the society. Thats why LARAS needs the advocacy strategies to approaches the governments policy in Prakla status. In this Visit, LARAS expects more inputs to building the strategies and methods how to overcome this problem. LARAS will need help from the Noi Binh Yen Group, who has experience in the same field.
LARAS
Lembaga Advokasi dan Rehabilitasi Sosial

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C. Objectives
1. To find the new methods of behavior change in an HIV prevention program in the karaoke village 2. To find the advocacy strategy to influence the government policies in regional regulation related to prevention and controlling of HIV/AIDS in the karaoke village. 3. To learn the methods how to build sex workers' independent community in the karaoke village and outside. 4. To learn how to build the capacity of the female sex workers in the middle of serious economic and social problems 5. To learn how to improve the female sex workers and the managers of the karaoke bar roles as the main actors in empowering the community. 6. To learn how to increase the awareness in gender issue, human rights issue, and social justice among the sex workers. 7. To find the approachment how to influence the mass media to reduce the stigma dan discrimination to the female sex workers and people living with HIV/AIDS.

D. LARAS Foundations program

LARAS started as the only organization that target these vulnerable groups in Samarinda, Bontang and Kutai Kartanegara. At present, LARAS registered 997 clients, of whom are 71% female sex workers, 14% are drug users, 14 % are prison inmates, and 1% is from society. 1. Networking and partnerships In 2005, LARAS saw that the local government did not provide services because of cultural , social and religious taboos associated with sex work and condom use. However, at the moment, LARAS has built relationship and networking with local government, hospitals, AIDS local commissions, and NGOs. LARAS and the health department have a linked program related to HIV/AIDS. The government public health with Bontang help LARAS in providing the services. They provide the doctors to LARASs clinic in Bontang and Kutai Kartanegara every week. LARAS has also established relations and routine discussions with Local Muslim Organizations, called Hizbut Tahrir and Badan Amil Zakat (Alms Granting Board). After building understanding of each others they committed to help the sex workers in spiritual and empowering program. Badan Amil Zakat cooperated with LARAS helping two young sex workers out of prostitution and
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started going to school again. They were 16 years old, and become the victim of the human trafficking from Middle Sulawesi to East Kalimantan. This relationship helps to reduce stigma and discrimination of sex workers and People Living With HIV/AIDS in the society. 2. Health care information LARAS provides information about STIs, HIV / AIDS and reproductive health every week in every karaoke bar in Prakla Bontang and Kutai KM.24 Kartanegera. The topic in each place was adapted to the needs of clients. The insight and knowledge of an adequate LARAS staffs about what the factual information need, become the deciding factor in any variation discussion. 3. STI Services The health services were implemented in the LARAS's clinic of Bontang on since 2005. Medical staff of the clinic consists of LARASs nurse and outreach staff who have been trained for STI medical check and CST. Most of the clients are ignorant and do not care about their own health. Because of the mentoring strategies of the outreach workers, until August 2012, there are many sex workers in karaoke village and massage parlors that have been access to STI services continuous. They checked their health to the doctor and nurse routinely. If there were a client is unable to attend the service, the client will be referred and accompanied by outreach workers to the nearest Public Health Center. 4. VCT Services LARAS together with City AIDS Commission and Health Department in Samarinda, Bontang and KM.24 performed STI and HIV screening every three months. LARAS cooperated with the government preparing needs HIV and STI screening. LARAS provides outreach workers who will mobilize all the clients in Prakla Bontang, provide counseling, and blood tests. While the Health Department set up logistics such as consumables and labor analysts. STI screening and VCT are given to the majority of clients in the karaoke villages and massage parlors. 5. Refer People Living With HIV to Care Support and Treatment and PMTCT At present, LARAS has assisted 21 HIV-positive clients in Bontang and KM.24. Four of them were coming from the society and the female sex workers. Assistance to the clients include CD4

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tests refer to the District Hospital of Samarinda, CST, ARV Treatment, PMTCT (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission) and treatment of opportunistic infections. 6. Initiating Peer Group for PLWH Initially, peer support groups initiated in Bontang constrained by the willingness and the consciousness of the client itself. They have a lack of awareness about the importance of strengthening the community in fighting for their rights in the middle of the double stigma and discrimination. The difficulty to set up regular meetings to discuss common obstacles to the early pioneering peer support groups. As a first step, LARAS was holding a meeting to discuss the importance of entrepreneurship and interests of each client in establishing an independent business for the future for People Living With HIV to be economically independent and high quality of life. 7. Focus group discussion in the Karaoke Village between karaoke bar managers and the local government At the meeting, the karaoke bar managers, LARAS and the government discussed the agreement draft in the pimps roles in HIV/AIDS prevention sustainable. In the draft, it contained some of points about how the pimps enforced the rules of condom usage in their places. So, their daughters will obey it and perform condom negotiation. 8. Establish a home business for Women People Living With HIV LARAS cooperated with a peer group of HIV have built the training skills for women especially those who become widows because the disease. LARAS with Social department manage the training and finding the grant for the business. For now, the peer group has two different business, beauty salon and laundry. LARAS still helps them to manage the business, and give financial support and training.

E. Outcomes
1. LARAS has the new methods of behavior change in HIV prevention program in the karaoke village

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2.

LARAS capable to influence the government policies in regional regulation related to prevention and controlling of HIV/AIDS in the karaoke village.

3.

LARAS capable to initiate the sex workers independen community in the karaoke village and outside.

4. 5.

Increasing capacity of the female sex workers in facing economic and social problems. The female sex workers and the managers of the karaoke bar aware about their roles as the main actors in empowering the community.

6.

The females sex workers aware in jender issue, human rights issue, and social justice and knowing the strategies how to demand and get their rights .

7.

The mass media helps LARAS to reduce the stigma dan discrimination to the female sex workers and people living with HIV/AIDS.

LARAS
Lembaga Advokasi dan Rehabilitasi Sosial