Family planning success: Innovations for community-based results that change national policy

A pilot project in three areas of rural Afghanistan engaged community leaders, including mullahs, as it delivered condoms, oral contraceptives and injectables at the household level for 3708 couples. Contraceptive prevalence rates (CPR) rapidly increased by 24-27 points over 8 months in three areas, 2005-2006. Mullahs often helped educate the community, especially men, for improving maternal and child health by spacing pregnancies and by giving correct contraceptive information. None of 37 mullahs opposed the effort. Verified CPR results from CHWs led the government and international donors to adopt project innovations for national scale-up.

The new multi-faith Faith to Action (F2A) network utilizes these community successes to advance family health and well-being based on common values. It supports family planning advocacy, demand generation and service provision at the global, national and country levels, especially in Africa and Asia. Current activities and plans will be described.