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Program Briefs: Changing Attitudes to Shift Contraceptive Demand


When it comes to voluntary family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) programming, encouraging behavior change starts by understanding what shapes consumer decisions. Because when we truly understand the core attitudes that influence – and at times, limit – how people perceive contraception, we can better design and deliver solutions that serve their needs.

Transform/PHARE (PHARE), a USAID-funded and PSI-powered social and behavior change program, worked across Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Niger to break down social barriers as an entry point to generate demand for voluntary family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) care.

A series of process and technical briefs capture PHARE’s experience – the successes and failures over the project’s five-year lifespan – presenting considerations for application in future FP/RH social behavior change (SBC) programs.

PHARE worked across Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Niger to break down social barriers as an entry point to generate demand for voluntary FP/RH services. Photo: PSI.
PHARE worked across Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Niger to break down social barriers as an entry point to generate demand for voluntary FP/RH services. Photo: PSI.

Click on the green bars below to discover the briefs.

When we understand our audiences, we can tailor programs to speak directly to their needs. How can we segment our populations – and what benefit can programs derive?

PHARE’s work in Côte d’Ivoire and Niger demonstrates how audience segmentation helps implementers to better understand the attitudes, behaviors, needs and desires of consumers beyond their demographic characteristics – including identifying those most likely to change their attitudes or behaviors around FP/RH. As the PHARE team learned: merely providing information about FP/RH does not guarantee behavior change.

What is data segmentation?

Start by reading this process brief.

Then, explore this technical brief to dive deeper into why and how teams can look beyond demographic indicators (such as age, gender, and marital status) to identify segments by using values, beliefs, and religious, economic and social backgrounds to tailor FP/RH work.

How can SBC campaigns break down the barriers between consumers and their FP/RH choices?

This technical brief provides country examples, best practices, and lessons for engaging key secondary audiences and influencing social norms.

How can we leverage existing and emerging technologies to reach young people with FP/RH information?

From applying interactive voice responses (IVR) to social media channels like Facebook, digital platforms allow programs to meet consumers exactly where they are with tailored FP/RH information.

This process brief documents the challenges and benefits of using technology in building support for FP – offering a case study of PHARE’s experience using an interactive comic book, radio services and IVR to engage young people in FP/RH conversations.

How can we break down power dynamics to drive program success?

Continuous programmatic adaptations are key to addressing gender and power dynamics that arise from design through delivery and scale.

This process brief charts how PHARE, through its Human Centered Design process unearthed and responded to the power dynamics as a first step to priming the project for success.

Questions? Drop Beth Brogaard (BBrogaard@psi.org) a note!

The Transform/PHARE project was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This blog was prepared by PSI for USAID, Contract No: AID-OAA-TO-15-0037. The contents are the sole responsibility of PSI and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

Beth Brogaard

Regional Project Director, Population Services International (PSI)

Beth Brogaard is a Regional Project Director at Population Services International (PSI) based Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. She oversees a number of regional projects in francophone West and Central Africa (FWCA) focused on developing, implementing, and sustaining quality SRH programs and services for women and girls. She is also leading the implementation of PSI's FWCA regional strategic plan focused on youth-powered comprehensive SRH care. Beth speaks French, has a BA in French and International Management, and an MBA and MPA from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.