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Nigeria

Healthy Choices for Family Planning and Building Partnerships and Support for Family Planning

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Activity Dates

2002-2004

Overview

HCP aimed to create a supportive social climate for reproductive health through mass media, IPC/C training, and advocacy, concentrating activities in the two states of Kano and Lagos.

Lagos is home to over 14 million residents of diverse ethnic groups and socio-cultural backgrounds. The state provides an opportunity to reach a wide range of people with family planning and reproductive health messages through its access to a wide variety of the media.  In addition, the availability of FP service delivery is higher (60.6%) in Lagos State than in any other part of the country (WHO 2007).  HCP worked collaboratively with USAID service delivery Implementing Partners (EngenderHealth, Pathfinder and CEDPA) to promote their service delivery points. HCP used the existing structure established through CEDPA’s initiative on Community Partners for Health (CPHs) in Lagos which provided a network of trained community-based distributors for the distribution of commodities and information in three Lagos market areas.  HCP also promoted FP clinic sites in addition to the community-based distributors through IPC/C workshops, radio and TV spots, market rallies, and distribution of job aids and print materials.  HCP also established linkages with the BASICS II child survival activities in nine Lagos Local Government Areas (LGAs), focusing on the role of child spacing and family planning in the reduction of infant and maternal mortality.

Kano State, with its predominantly Muslim population, is still sensitive to modern family planning messages, and low use of FP is often attributed to religious and cultural beliefs.  In preparing the ground for long-term reproductive health and child survival intervention, HCP conducted advocacy activities with religious leaders who are highly respected in the state and collaborated with the Kano State Safe Motherhood Committee (KSSMC) using safe motherhood as an entry point to promote child spacing.  HCP conducted an advocacy workshop for 30 religious leaders to gain their support for child spacing which led to the development and production of an advocacy booklet and radio program using religious text to support positive RH and child health behaviors.  Through this activity, HCP established a positive working relationship with the Council of Ulama’a who supported HCP’s RH/safe motherhood activities in Kano, despite the political situation and controversies over the polio vaccine and family planning in the state.  HCP also spearheaded the beginning stages of the development of a BCC strategy to operationalize the national RH framework.

Materials and Tools

	Title: Intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) Type of Material: Pamphlet		Title: Male sterilisation Type of Material: Pamphlet
	Title: Female sterilisation Type of Material: Pamphlet		Title: Male condom Type of Material: Pamphlet
	Title: Female condom Type of Material: Pamphlet		Title: Oral contraceptives Type of Material: Pamphlet
	Title: Injectables Type of Material: Pamphlet		Title: Natural family planning Type of Material: Pamphlet
	Title: Make your dream real : Plan your tomorrow now! : There is a right method for both of you. : Visit the nearest service provider for family planning counseling services wherever you see this logo Type of Material: Poster

• Photos of Market Rallies in Lagos State: Photo 1 and Photo 2
• English translation of Kano Advocacy booklet
• Photo of Advocacy workshop with religious leaders in Kano State

Research Reports/Publications

• Baseline Survey on FP and HIV/AIDS Indicators in Lagos State, June 2004

Audience

• Audience for Lagos was couples of reproductive age and youth.  
• Audience for Kano was religious leaders and couples of reproductive age.

Partners

Pathfinder, EngenderHealth, CEDPA, VISION, Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Kano State Ministry of Health, Council of Ulama’a, and Kano State Safe Motherhood Committee.

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Note about materials: Some of the materials and resources listed on each page are available in their full form, others are represented by image or citation only. For more information and resources, go to www.jhuccp.org