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 Men’s Participation: Together for a Happy Family Launch: May 1998
Background
- Men are usually the prime decision-makers about family size and FP use.
- Religious leaders and their teachings also play important role in decision-making about FP.
- Men are expected to take the initiative in FP matters.
- Jordanians are uncertain of methods status as forbidden or permitted according to Islam: only 27% of men respondents said that the oral pill is permitted, some 23% asserted that it is forbidden, and the remaining individuals did not know.
- Women rarely discuss FP with spouse unless introduced by husband.
- Nearly 86% of current female users have discussed FP with husband.
- Only 40% of never users report FP discussions.
- Strong relationship between spousal communication and FP use.
- Spousal communication enhances the use, satisfaction, and continuation of contraceptive use.
Objectives
- To provide men with the information on the medical, religious, and social aspects of using modern contraceptive methods.
- To encourage men to discuss family planning issues with their wives and friends as well as make an informed decision based on the provided information
Audience
- Married men 30-40 yrs old
- Men above 41 who have reached their ideal family size
- Religious leaders and other influentials at the national level
Key Messages
"Together for a happy family"
- Spousal communication;
- Equity between male and female children;
- Safety, reversibility, and effectiveness of modern contraceptive methods;
- Family planning as a factor that would enhance Quality of Life.
Campaign Highlights
- Training of triad teams (facilitators): trained to hold discussion sessions with men/community leaders
- 20 triad teams/60 facilitators
- team composed of: 1 religious leader, 1 physician and 1 social worker
- Training of community leaders:
- 3 months period
- 4 discussion sessions/message topic
- 25 community leaders/session
- focus on regions were 60% of the population lived
- Training Materials:
- Docu-dramas, facilitators guides and brochures on the 4 message topics.
- National Multimedia Campaign: 98% own TV, 95% radio, >75% read newspaper (KAP 1996)
- 4 10-minute docu-dramas shown on JTV
- 45-sec TV spots at prime time TV programming for 5 months and similar radio spots (view a television spot)
- 60 press article, columns and reports
- 1000 mini-brochures inserted in religious and political newspapers
Impact
Mass media indicators
- an estimated 1.5 Jordanians saw or heard through TV, radio broadcast, and press
- 1000 mini-brochures distributed through newspapers during July only
- 80,000 brochures to community leaders attending meeting to disseminate subsequently
KAP postest; attitude related
- increase from 61% to 69% of men discussing desired family size with spouse.
- decrease from 32% to 29% of those who want to have more children.
- decrease from 3.2 to 2.9 in perceived ideal number of male children/family.
- decrease from 52% to 44% of importance of having at least 1 male child among those who consider it important.
- decrease from 37% to 32% of importance of having at least 1 female child among those who consider it important.
- increase from 41% to 49% of those who discussed family planning issues with family and friends.
- increase from 74% to 84% of those who agree to use family planning methods to delay pregnancy.
- increase from 25% to 38% of those who intend to use family planning methods in the future.
- despite positive results, research showed that men want additional information about Islam's position on modern methods, difference between limitation and spacing.
Next Steps
- The second phase will additionally introduce the gender perspective: creating awareness and appreciation for women's roles in her family and community. A safe motherhood dimension will also be introduced through encouraging use of effective post-partum contraceptive methods that are of no harm to breastfeeding.
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