Truckers constitute a key group within the mobile population: they are not only mobile but are an active bridging population. Conservatively, the number of truckers and attendants (their companions or chalwas) may exceed 500,000. According to recent estimates, about 75% of truckers are married but some of them have unprotected, multiple sex partnerships with both men and women. According to a recent survey, truckers reported low condom use, with no self-perception of being at risk of HIV infection.

There are about 184,000 registered trucks in Pakistan. Most trucks have a driver, an attendant and occasionally other minors for small jobs. These men are on the move, living away from their homes for majority of their time and engage in high risk sex behaviours (FHI baseline survey of the Truckers’ project, 2006). Some have HIV infections (The National Study of Reproductive and Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2004). Their high risk behaviours brings them in frequent contact with core groups and truckers “bridge” the link between these core groups and the general population comprising of their wives etc.

The first Enhanced Programme implemented harm reduction among truckers in 9 locations. This proposal seeks to build on key lessons learnt from that experience to target these individuals for Behaviour Change Communication (defined as interventions to reduce in sex partners and increase the use of condoms during sexual intercourse), condoms provision and other HIV prevention services (voluntary counselling and testing, information about HIV and protective actions etc).