ISTANBUL, GAZIOSMANPASA COUNTY REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROJECT

Background Information : According to the 2000 census, within the ten year period between 1990-2000, the population of Turkey has increased at a ratio of 18.28%, the population of the Marmara Region has increased in 26.69%, the population of Istanbul in 33.1% and the population of Gaziosmanpasa in 78.77%. These numbers indicate that the population in Gaziosmanpasa has increased 4.3 times more than Turkey , 2.95 times more than Marmara Region and 2.37 times more than Istanbul .

According to the household statistics of 2000, the average household number in Turkey was 4.49, 3.85 in Istanbul and 4.22 in Gaziosmanpasa county center. Even though there are no exact data, it is known that among families that have migrated from East and Southeast regions there are men living with more than one woman in the same house. The household number may climb to 10 within these types of families. In Gaziosmanpasa there are 14.874 families with household of 7 people or above and 2.590 families with household of 10 people or above.

Project Summary : The project aimed to create an informed society in Istanbul City namely in Gaziosmanpasa County on safe motherhood, family planning, sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV/AIDS, early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancers, to widen the good applications and to increase the access to the related health services. The priority target group is; women and men whom are between the ages of 15-49, and whom lived in the shanty towns of Gaziosmanpasa where the access to health services being considerably low. The second target group is women and men of the same age group living in the urban settlement areas of Gaziosmanpasa. The project is implemented in the shanty towns of Gaziosmanpasa. The main activities of the project included training, consultancy services, social marketing and local media campaigns.

This Project has been implemented by International Blue Crescent Humanitarian Relief and Development Foundation with the partnership of Anadolu Bil High School and Gaziosmanpasa Womens; Culture and Solidatary Foundation and also being supported by the Gaziosmanpasa Municipality .

Project Goal : This project;s aims are to create an aware society in Istanbul ;s Gaziosmanpasa County on safe motherhood, family planning, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV/AIDS, early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancers, to widen the good applications and to increase the access to the related health services. The priority target group had been, women and men whom were between the ages of 15-49, and whom lived in the shanty towns of Gaziosmanpasa where the access to health services being low. The second target group had been women and men of the same age group living in the urban settlement areas of Gaziosmanpasa.

Project Beneficiaries: The priority target group is; 75.000 women and men whom are between the ages 15-49, living in the shanty towns of Gaziosmanpasa where access to health services are low. The second target group is women and men of the same age group living in the urban settlement areas of Gaziosmanpasa.

Project Activities :

• Within the scope of shanty town trainings, 7.500 women and 5000 men whom lived in 29 neighborhoods of the county center, 5 districts and 5 villages, whom were of ages between 15 and 49, had been actively reached. Beneficiaries were followed up with regular visits during the course of the project. Trainings were conducted in “reproductive health? “family planning? “safe motherhood? “sexually transmitted infections? “breast and cervical cancers? importance and how to accesses related health services for the target groups.

Shanty Town Training Zones :

1 st Zone : Habibler Malkocoglu Ismet Pasa
2 nd Zone: Cebeci Sultan Ciftligi Ugur Mumcu
3rd Zone: Esentepe Gazi Mahallesi 50.Yil
4 th Zone: Yunusemre 75.Yil Zubeyde Hanim
5 th Zone : Cumhuriyet Karadeniz Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa
6 th Zone: Karayollar Yeni Mahalle Fevzi Cakmak
7 th Zone : Kazim Karabekir Mevlana Hurriyet
8 th Zone : Semsi Pasa Merkez - Sarigol
9 th Zone : Yildiz Tabya Merkez Sarigol Settlements.

• Shanty town and personnel training modules about “reproductive Health? “family planning? “safe motherhood? “sexually transmitted infections? “breast and cervical cancers?were developed in the formats and norms of the Turkish Ministry of Health.
• With the participation of experts and specialist doctors radio programs about reproductive heath topics were aired for 45 weeks
• With the participation of academicians, specialist doctors, local authorities, Project stakeholders and beneficiaries 25 Multi Group Seminars were conducted in family planning, safe motherhood, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, breast and cervical cancers.
• SRH Consultancy Centers and Project free consultancy line 0800 211 2016 had been established to serve to the beneficiaries; demands , applications and questions about reproductive health.
• Pre-marriage Consultancy and SRH Centers were established within the County
• Project Informative Publications and Training Materials were also developed for dissemination of information.

Booklets : Booklets were published about delivery, mother and baby health, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, breast and cervical cancers.

Leaflets : Leaflets were published about project description, safe motherhood, family planning, delivery, mother and baby health, delivery and post delivery, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, breast and cervical cancers, in order to share the information in SRH.

Posters : Posters about Project description, safe motherhood, family planning, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, breast and cervical cancers were published.

•  Within the scope of the Project surveys were conducted and an effective data administration system was developed with the data obtained.