Stimulus for Change

The UHI communication strategy capitalizes on the desires and aspirations of young couples to be part of the new India and bridge the gap between their current situation and their aspirations for the future through the use of family planning. Shift in how family planning is perceived leading to adoption of a suitable method.

The barriers and enablers to contraceptive use identified through the formative research and the evaluation survey.  These barriers include: 

• · Lack of spousal communication
• · Physical and environmental constraints for couples to talk
• · Family pressure for 1^st born
• Lack of information about relevant family planning method

Enablers include:

• Nuclear families
• Increased role of men in the process of wife’s delivery and family planning choices
• Cultural expectations of male responsibility as providers
• Positive deviants – current contraceptive users
• Broad acceptance of smaller families
• Desire to be part of new India

We followed an evidence based interactive development process for the conceptualizing and production of the mass media campaign ‘Ek chota sa faisla de khusiyan Hazar’ (A small decision leads to unlimited happiness) for promotion of FP. The campaign consisted of 3 films – (1) moving women from traditional methods to a long term modern spacing method; (2) moving men with limiting need from traditional methods and inconsistent condom use to non-scalpel vasectomy and (3) accepting female sterilization immediately post-partum.