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SDPI
Research and News Bulletin Vol. 10, No. 2, May - June 2003 |
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| Advocacy For Reproductive Health:
From Strategic Planning to Implementation |
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| Systematic Communication can improve health behaviors. Public Policy Advocacy is an effective tool of systematic health communication. To strengthen the existing advocacy skills of various professionals from countries working in population and Reproductive Health (RH) sector, International Center for Development Communication (ICDC), Kassetsart University Bangkok-Thailand conducted a two-week training workshop during 19-29 August 2003 on “Advocacy for Reproductive Health”. Seventeen participants, from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Manynmar, India and Philippines attended the workshop. Most of the participants were sponsored by the Leadership Development Mechanism (LDM) Program of Institute of International Education (IIE), San Francisco, USA. Six participants from Pakistan, sponsored by the LDM-Pakistan, included Shereen Rahmat Minhas and Shahid M. Minhas from Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad, Salimullah Baig from SACHET, Islamabad, Imran Arain from Marie Stopes Sociery, Karachi, Zoaib Mansoor from PAVHNA, Karachi and Ashraf J.W. Mall from Lower Sindh Rural Development Association, Nawabshah. The objectives of the workshop were the development of strategic plans for launching of advocacy campaigns, differentiation of advocacy from other communication strategies, identification and analysis of stakeholders’ interests for building successful coalitions, and development of effective messages in support of RH rights. The workshop also focused on evolving media strategies and developing effective tools for implementation of carefully designed advocacy campaigns. The course included a series of classroom discussions, presentations by eminent professionals in their specified areas of work, group-works and field visits to various related organizations. The course contents were divided in three modules. The first module dealt with the strategic planning for an advocacy campaign. The second module covered development messages and materials and the last module dealt with planning of the strategic advocacy plan for implementation including its monitoring and evaluation. Main resource persons for the workshop included Dr. Cappia Tequeban, Director ICDC, Kasetsart University, Mr. Francisco H. Roque, from UNESCO, Bangkok, Dr. Anthony Pramualratana, Executive Director, Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS and Ms. Rovilla Casino, Asst. Professor, College of Development Communication. First week’s presentations and field trips broadly dealt with advocacy campaign planning, identification of issues, vision, mission statement, situation analysis including stakeholder’s analysis, networking techniques and development of focused messages keeping in mind target audiences. |
Second week activities included sessions on media, field visits to Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS (TBCA) and Education Means Protection Of Women Engaged in Re-creation (EMPOWER). EMPOWER is the only organization working on rehabilitation of commercial sex workers (CSWs) in Thailand. Its objective is to equip CSWs with supporting life skills, education on safe sex practices and teaching of various languages to deal effectively with tourists from other countries. Presenting on “Media and Media Tools”, Ms. Kulcharee Tansubhapol, a freelance journalist highlighted various techniques used by the Thailand media including electronic and print media for effective advocacy on RH issues. Objective was to gain maximum information for effective advocacy in their respective communities. During field visit to TBCA, Mr. Surachai Pankitsuwan, General Manager, briefed on advocacy for HIV/AIDS prevention and care by the TBCA to reduce the problems of people living with HIV/AIDS in workplaces. The participants and the group of facilitators of the workshop were from five different Asian countries, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The workshop besides enhancing skills of all participants in the field of advocacy, provided a forum for rich cultural exchange, sharing of experiences from all different environments and local solutions as has been effectively employed in all these countries. The workshop also provided forum for exchange of health status of all these countries in light of various health indicators, population policies experiences and developmental issues. The group learnt that most of the health problems were Commonly shared by these countries but because of socio-cultural distinctiveness especially shared by Philippines and Myanmar local solutions have proved sustainable and effective. The workshop proved to be an effective forum to share successful strategies by various organizations at regional and local level. Group works were done on broadly four RH issues Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS, Family Planning and Male involvement in RH issues. The advocacy strategies formulated during the workshop were shared with all participants in the form of presentations. During the workshops four groups were formulated, who developed project proposals, which were presented on the last day. On behalf of Sustainable Development Policy Institute and the respective groups, Shahid Minhas and Shereen Rahmat gave their presentations on the assigned topics, “Planned Parenthood and Reproductive Health Issues” and “Advocacy for Adolescent, Youth and Sexual Health”, respectively. Overall the two-week’s workshop proved to be successful. The workshop helped not only in professional grooming but also in capacity building of all participants because of self-development exercises, which were significant part of the workshop. Formal and informal meetings among all participants from rich cultural backgrounds, from different countries were the most valuable part of the workshop.
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