Carole Ilunga presented an overview of how Breakthrough ACTION is using SBC to address social and gender norms and improve outcomes in its family planning and maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Carole started with a brief overview of social and gender norms that affect family planning uptake and utilization in the DRC, including pro-natalism and women’s low purchasing and decision-making power in households and how they disproportionately and negatively impact women. Carole then broke down the different critical levels of behavior change on the socio-ecological model for both men and women (individual, families/peers/households, community, health service delivery, social and structural). She noted that various forms of SBC communication approaches (e.g., mass media, social/community mobilization, and interpersonal communication) can be used to address norms that operate at different levels. Building on these examples, Carole discussed various strategies, including:
- Couples meetings.
- Health quizzes at marketplaces.
- Community debates.
- Advocacy sessions with religious leaders implemented by Breakthrough ACTION to:
- Address these norms.
- Improve communication/discussions around utilization and adoption of healthy family planning and reproductive health behaviors.
- Promote shared decision-making between couples and within households.
View the webinar.