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We describe the evaluation of a participatory, garment factory-based intervention to promote gender equity. The intervention comprised four campaigns focused on gender and violence against women, alcoholism, sexual and reproductive health, and HIV/AIDS, which were implemented using information displays (standees and posters) and interactive methods (street play, one-to-one interactions, experience-sharing, and health camps). Each campaign lasted six days and the entire intervention was implemented over 10 months. We evaluated the intervention using a quasi-experimental design in which one factory served as the intervention site and a second as a delayed control. Two mobile-phone-based cross-sectional surveys were conducted at baseline and 12 months with separate systematic random samples of employees from each site. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge and attitudes related to gender equity, intimate partner violence (IPV) and alcohol use were assessed, and differences in these variables associated with the intervention were examined using difference-in-difference estimation. Analyses of data from 835 respondents revealed substantial, statistically significant improvements in attitudes related to gender equity, unacceptability of IPV, and awareness of IPV and alcohol-related support services. In conclusion, our study offers compelling evidence on the effectiveness of workplace-based interventions in advancing gender equity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Adolescents and young adults have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI) than any other age cohort in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The sub-population of young parents is at even higher risk for acquiring STIs than the general population of adolescents and young adults. The purpose of this study was to determine whether and how co-parenting relationship functioning and gender equitable attitudes were associated with condom use among adolescent and young adult parents. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 102 non-married adolescent and young adult parents in Toronto. Study participants used iPads to self-administer the co-parenting relationship scale, gender equitable men scale, and a sexual behaviour battery regarding their condom use during the last episode of sexual intercourse (including vaginal and anal). Logistic regression was used to determine whether scale scores predicted condom use at last intercourse, adjusting for age and sex. t-tests were performed to assess group mean differences in gender equitable attitudes and co-parenting relationship functioning between condom users and nonusers and between mothers and fathers. We observed that co-parenting relationship functioning was not associated with condom use behaviours. Instead, gender equitable attitudes predicted condom use in the overall sample (AOR=1.13; 95% CI 1.03, 1.25, p<0.05). Fathers who used condoms at last intercourse had higher gender equitable attitude scores than fathers who did not use condoms (M=58 vs. 53, p=0.02). Mothers' gender equitable attitude scores were not associated with condom use behaviours. Attitudes that support gender equity attitudes predict condom use among young parents, particularly among young fathers. Sexual risk reduction programs targeting young parents may benefit from incorporating components that promote gender equity norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]