Mass Media HIV/AIDS Prevention Campaign in Mumbai's Red Light District

Because the population in Mumbai is very large and mobile, the campaign was an ongoing, sustained effort with frequent awareness-raising activities. The campaign had to take into account that the clients would reject any message that they perceived as lecturing and moralising, so the emphasis was on info/edutainment.

Cinema halls in the area were booked for popular Hindi films to be shown for free. Entertaining skits on AIDS were performed during the interval between films, and popular film stars would address the audience with safe sex messages. Given the popularity of Hindi cinema, this proved to be a significant draw for the intended audiences.

Also, a photographic mobile exhibition that traveled in red light areas, railway stations, factories, low cost housing societies and crowded markets and streets. The exhibition has been widely seen and has invited hundreds of follow up inquiries.



Another event was the "record dance": stages were put at cross roads in the red light area and professional dancers performed popular dance sequences from films to audiences exceeding 1,000. Between sequences the master of ceremonies would give AIDS messages and distribute information booklets.

An AIDS video titled "Bodyguard" made in the popular Hindi film format was played in neighbourhood bars that the men frequented before going to the brothels. The film spoke of the importance of condom use and demonstrated the correct way to use a condom. (The film won the Best Abby for best public service film 1997 at the Bombay Ad Club awards; and was judged one of the best five films in the last two years from India by the Standing Committee on Advertising). Other awareness raising activities included fun fairs with games and contests with AIDS messages and audio-tapes that are played by the street side cigarette shops.

Other media used include: street plays and tamashas ("commotions" in Hindi), posters, fliers, free samples, leaflets on AIDS, taxi stickers, flip charts and puppet and mimicry shows.

HIV/AIDS, Health.

A pre-campaign knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices (KABP) study indicated that awareness of HIV/AIDS was extremely low, and that reaching clients was critical. Also, because the population in this area was mostly illiterate, with little or no access to the media other than, occasionally, cinema, conventional media were not generally suitable.