Peer Educators Equipped with a MSM Reference Manual in Mongolian language

On 25-26 September 2010, with the financial support of UNESCO, the Youth for Health NGO of Mongolia has conducted a 2-day skills-building workshop, involving a total of 20 peer educators and outreach workers who are working with communities of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The purpose of the workshop was i) to introduce the Mongolian version of the “Peer and Outreach Education for Improving the Sexual Health of Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Reference Manual for Peer & Outreach Workers” and ii) to improve their knowledge and skills of providing STI/HIV prevention and sexual health and human rights knowledge and information to the community. The workshop participants reportedly appreciated the handy manual containing diverse and useful information written in their own language.

The English version of the Manual was produced in 2007 as a collaboration between FHI, USAID, UNESCO, International AIDS Alliance, Purple Sky Network and PSI Asia and has been translated into several languages including Chinese, Khmer, Lao, and Thai.

The Mongolian version of the manual was enriched with 2 additional chapters: one on Stigma and Discrimination around HIV & AIDS and one on Alcohol Abuse and Its Impact on Men’s Sexual Life. In addition, a “Training Modules” booklet was developed- as a supplement to the manual, to provide practical guides for peer educators and outreach workers in information dissemination and delivery of trainings among MSM.

The workshop was interactive and rich in content. It helped the participants to refresh and systematize their knowledge and to improve their training and facilitation skills. At the end of the workshop, organizers and participants expressed the need for more, longer and in-depth trainings among the community.

• Source:UNESCO Bangkok
• 20-10-2010