Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Family Planning Programs For The 21st Century: Rationale And Design, John Bongaarts, John C. Cleland, John Townsend, Jane T. Bertrand, Monica Das Gupta

Reproductive Health

Family planning improves health, reduces poverty, and empowers women. Yet, today, more than 200 million women in the developing world want to avoid pregnancy but are not using a modern method of contraception. They face many obstacles, including lack of access to information and health-care services, opposition from their husbands and communities, misperceptions about side effects, and cost. Family planning programs are among the most successful development interventions of the past 50 years. They are unique in their range of potential benefits, encompassing economic development, maternal and child health, educational advances, and women’s empowerment. Research shows that with high-quality voluntary …

An Assessment Of Individual And Institutional Research Utilization By Policy-Makers And Programme Managers At State And National Levels In Nigeria, National Agency For The Control Of Aids

HIV and AIDS

This report undertakes a systematic assessment of the need for evidence by decision-makers working on HIV and AIDS funding and policymaking, and implementing organizations at the national and subnational levels in Nigeria. The assessment identifies barriers and constraints to data use, identifies best practices, and offers recommendations for the design and prioritization of strategic approaches to address barriers and constraints in data use and production. Tools to monitor the adoption of evidence in policy and practice are also offered. The need for evidence-based practice in the national response to HIV and AIDS has been widely acknowledged and incorporated into policy …

Positive Action For Hiv In Schools In Kenya, Francis Obare, Harriet Birungi, Monica Wanjiru, Sheila Bayley, John Kiunjuri, Mary Omondi, Rob Burnet, Bridget Deacon

Reproductive Health

The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of using comic books, role models, and edutainment to communicate HIV and AIDS messages to in-school young people in Kenya, with a view to improving their knowledge about the epidemic, enhancing communication about it, and promoting positive attitudes and behavior among them. The study was implemented by the Population Council in eight secondary schools in Nairobi, as part of the APHIA II Operations Research Project in collaboration with the AIDS Control Unit in the Ministry of Education, Well Told Story, and the National AIDS/STI Control Programme. The study found that …

Incentivizing Providers To Improve Maternal, Newborn And Child Health Services In Bangladesh: Pay-For-Performance Model Refinement And Advocacy (P4p Mra) Final Report, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Laila Rahman, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Riad Mahmud, Azizul Alim, Ismat Ara Hena, Farhana Akter, Anup Kumar Dey

Reproductive Health

An operations research project by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh tested the feasibility of a pay-for-performance (P4P) approach, which offered financial incentives to reward service providers for meeting and exceeding specified performance targets for maternal, newborn, and child health services. In response to the encouraging findings, the DGHS implemented a follow-up project, with technical assistance from Population Council and UNICEF, to utilize the experiences and findings of the P4P OR project. Despite it short duration, implementation of the revised P4P scheme induced improvements in service volume and …

Providers' And Key Opinion Leaders' Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In India: Final Survey Report, M.E. Khan, Deepthi S. Varma, Isha Bhatnagar, Anvita Dixit, Martha Brady

Reproductive Health

The Population Council undertook this study to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding emergency contraception (ECPs) among providers in public and private facilities and pharmacies in India. This study’s objectives were: 1) to assess providers’ knowledge of ECP’s biological mechanism; 2) to understand providers’ knowledge and attitudes about ECP’s safety, effectiveness, and availability as an over-the-counter drug; and 3) to identify providers’ definitions of “repeated use” and profiling of women who are “repeated users” of ECP. The study recommends intervention programs and advocacy strategies to increase knowledge and access to ECP.

The Africa Regional Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Network Annual Partners Meeting: June 26-27 2012, Mombasa, Kenya—Meeting Report, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council convened an annual partners meeting of its Africa Regional Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Network. Over 30 participants attended the meeting whose objectives were: 1) to facilitate South-South technical exchange and information-sharing on the changing landscape of violence among partners, donors, and other experts; and 2) to reflect on the ways in which research is translating into policy and practice. This report highlights the myriad ways in which activities conducted under this Network have influenced policy, practice, and funding considerations in the region, while detailing the progress of Network partners on their projects, built around several key …

Expanding Access To Comprehensive Reproductive Health And Hiv Information And Services For Married Adolescent Girls In Nyanza Province, Chi-Chi Undie, Harriet Birungi, Francis Obare, Ben Ochieng, Wilson Liambila, Erick Oweya, Ian Askew, Rob Burnet, Bridget Deacon, Aisha Mohamed

Reproductive Health

The objectives of this operations research study, conducted by the Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project in Kenya, were to: 1) identify and design a set of interventions that promote the uptake of comprehensive reproductive health (RH)/family planning (FP) and HIV prevention services and information among married adolescent girls; and 2) expand access to comprehensive RH/FP and HIV prevention services and information among this population. The study demonstrated that the combined use of interactive media and community health worker visitation, health information provision, and referrals, is an effective means of reinforcing RH/FP and HIV messages, and of increasing access …

Using Capture-Recapture Methodology For Enumerating Most-At-Risk Populations (Marps), Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Populations at higher risk for HIV infection are often the most difficult to reach and this is particularly true of men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users, and female sex workers in sub-Saharan Africa. These subpopulations are frequently marginalized by society because of the illicit and/or illegal activities they engage in. Estimating the size of hard-to-reach populations is important to effectively plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate HIV and AIDS prevention and care programs. “Capture-recapture” is a method of estimating the prevalence of a trait in a population or more simply it’s a method that provides a good …

Policy Brief: Designing And Implementing High-Quality Voluntary Family Planning Programs, Population Council

Reproductive Health

Voluntary high-quality family planning programs reduce poverty and improve women’s and children’s health by speeding fertility declines. They are one of the most cost-effective health and development investments available to governments. But, today, more than 200 million women worldwide lack access to modern contraception. If this unmet need for family planning could be met, 54 million unintended pregnancies, 26 million abortions, more than 79,000 maternal deaths, and 1.1 million infant deaths could be prevented each year. This policy brief states that global interest in family planning is growing as the benefits of family planning programs are becoming increasingly evident. However, …

Évaluation De Processus : Programme Filles Eveillées Pour Adolescentes Migrantes Employées De Maison Au Burkina Faso Urbain 2012, Leah Jarvis, Gisele Kaboré

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Le programme «Filles Éveillées» a été conçu pour apporter aux adolescentes migrantes employées de maison les compétences, les connaissances et le capital social qui leur permettent de réduire leurs vulnérabilités et de s’ouvrir de nouveaux débouchés. Les observations tirées de la collecte de données quantitatives et qualitatives ont révélé le succès considérable du programme: il est largement apprécié et a été bien reçu par les participantes, les mentors, les membres de la communauté et tous les autres intéressés. En sa qualité de programme pilote, les obstacles à une mise en œuvre sans incidents auraient été inévitables, mais par leur détermination …

Rape Sentencing Study: A Review Of Statutory Sentencing Provisions For Rape, Defilement, And Sexual Assault In East, Central, And Southern Africa, Jill Thompson, Felly Nkweto Simmonds

Reproductive Health

Several countries in East, Central and Southern Africa have responded to the problem of violence against women and children by amending outdated criminal laws relating to rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence. This legislative review is Part I of a two-part desk review on sentencing of sexual offences and minimum sentences in the African and international context. It should be read in conjunction with Part II of the Rape Sentencing Study. The purpose of this review is to: 1) document the sentencing reforms made in selected countries in the East, Central and Southern African region since 1998; …

Replication Of The Community Mobilization For Postabortion Care (Commpac) Model In Naivasha District, Rift Valley Province, Kenya: An Evaluation Report, Chi-Chi Undie, Francis Obare, Saumya Ramarao

Reproductive Health

The Population Council’s RESPOND project worked with districts and communities in Kenya to: strengthen service delivery points to provide postabortion care (PAC) services; conduct community mobilization to improve involvement in and knowledge of the prevention and treatment of postabortion complications; build community capacity to address needs related to PAC; and encourage involvement in community action of those most marginalized and most affected by postabortion complications. The program succeeded at increasing knowledge of critical danger signs; enabling providers to effectively offer PAC services; and raising awareness of PAC, among other goals. The intervention was less successful in increasing FP knowledge, current …

Le Consensus De Bellagio : Recommandations Pour Améliorer L'Accès Aux Méthodes De Contraception Efficaces, Réversibles À Longue Durée D'Action, Population Council

Reproductive Health

Ce communiqué et cette déclaration proposent des recommandations pour améliorer l'accès aux méthodes de contraception efficaces, réversibles à longue durée d'action (LARC) et accélérer les progrès vers la réalisation de l'Objectif du Millénaire pour le développement relatif à l'accès universel aux services de santé reproductive.

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This brief and statement offers recommendations for action to increase access to highly effective, long-acting, reversible contraception (LARCs) and accelerate progress toward meeting the Millennium Development Goal of universal access to reproductive health services.

Providers' And Key Opinion Leaders' Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In Nigeria, Babatunde A.O. Ahonsi, Salisu Mohammed Ishaku, Araoyinbo Idowu, Ayodeji Oginni

Reproductive Health

Despite significant progress in product development, procurement, and distribution in the past few decades, emergency contraception’s (EC) capacity to benefit many women in countries such as Nigeria is hampered by a number of potential barriers, that are not well understood. The Population Council, with support from the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception, documented EC-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among providers in Nigeria as well as perceptions of key opinion leaders who help shape the policy environment for EC and family planning in general. Findings suggest significant gaps in Nigeria, potentially necessitating continuous training and re-training to help dispel misperceptions and …

Repositioning Community-Based Family Planning In Ghana: A Case Study Of Community-Based Health Planning And Services (Chps), Stephen Ntsua, Placide Tapsoba, Gloria Quansah Asare, Frank K. Nyonator

Reproductive Health

The Population Council conducted a diagnostic appraisal of delivering family planning services using the community-based health planning and services (CHPS model) in Ghana. This study’s results indicate that the CHPS program is well appreciated by rural communities where it is operational. However, the study identified several developments with implications for service delivery: increased community health officer (CHO) workloads and concomitant reductions in outreach services and home visits by community health visitors (CHVs) have weakened the CHO-CHV working relationship, leaving both cadres working in isolation. CHPS has significantly improved health indices but its contribution to increasing family planning is limited and …

Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence In Public Health Care Settings In Kenya: An Assessment Of Acceptability, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Harriet Birungi, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew

Reproductive Health

Most research on intimate-partner violence (IPV) screening has been conducted in developed countries, so this study in Kenya serves as one of the first in a developing-country context to assess the acceptability of IPV screening from the perspective of providers and clients in public healthcare settings. The study conducted in Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi found that routine screening for IPV is acceptable to providers and clients at that location. However, to be effective as a routine service, the system needs to be reinforced in specific ways, including greater assurance of confidentiality, more positive provider attitudes, and higher respect for …

Defining Effective Voucher Management Information Systems: A Blueprint For Information Systems To Support Scalable Reproductive Health Voucher Programs, Based On System Evaluations With Programs In Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kenya, Uganda, And Tanzania, Mahad Ibrahim, Benjamin Bellows, Jaspal S. Sandhu

Reproductive Health

This document defines the key elements of information systems to support the development of effective, scalable voucher information systems. It is based on an engagement between the Gobee Group and the Population Council to strengthen information systems of reproductive health voucher programs in five countries in 2011–12. At the time of publication of this document, the Population Council was in the midst of a multiyear evaluation of five of the biggest reproductive health programs worldwide, an effort supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. While the work supporting this report has been focused on reproductive health voucher programs—which provide …

Population Level Impact Of Vouchers On Access In Uganda, Benjamin Bellows, Francis Obare, Reproductive Health Vouchers Evaluation Team

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Household Survey To Evaluate The Zambia-Led Prevention Initiative: Baseline Report, Zambia-Led Prevention Initiative

HIV and AIDS

With an estimated HIV prevalence of 14.3 percent among men and women age 15–49, Zambia is one of the sub-Saharan African countries most affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The Zambia-led Prevention Initiative Program (ZPI) was developed by a consortium led by FHI360, with the Population Council as the evaluation partner. This study determined baseline levels of key indicators related to HIV, gender-based violence, and reproductive health. Additionally, the baseline findings provide critical insights into key areas for interventions in Zambia and highlights variability in the populations across provinces and between males and females that provide valuable guidance for …

Belize Coverage Exercise Study: Assessing The Status To Build A Portfolio Of Targeted Interventions For Vulnerable Girls, Joint Un Programme Of Adolescent Girls

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The United Nation Children Fund, the United Nations Population Fund, and Population Council staff collaborated on a number of activities to generate evidence on the lives and experiences of adolescent girls in Belize. The goal of the collaboration was to establish targeted, evidence-based policies and programs sensitive to the unique needs of girls. The information presented in this report is of particular interest to program planners, policymakers, and decisionmakers from a wide range of institutions seeking to designate resources for programs and policies for vulnerable or marginalized subgroups of young people, particularly girls, in Belize. The report presents empirical evidence …

Réseaux Sociaux Et Les Capacités Financières Des Filles Employées De Maison À Bobo-Dioulasso, Gisele Kaboré

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Depuis plus d’une année, le Population Council assure la mise en œuvre du projet «Filles Éveillées» ciblant les travailleuses domestiques dans les zones urbaines au Burkina Faso. L’objectif de cette étude est d’avoir une meilleure connaissance des réseaux sociaux des filles—soit avec les personnes dans sa nouvelle communauté soit avec des personnes dans son village à travers la technologie—depuis leurs zones d’origine, sachant que la phase de transit n’est pas bien comprise mais que ça peut influencer le séjour de la fille en ville. Cette étude a pour objectif de cerner les capacités et les modes de gestion financières des …

De La Recherche À La Conception Programmatique Et À La Mise En Oeuvre : Programmation À L'Intention Des Filles Des Milieux Ruraux D'Éthiopie—Boîte À Outils Du Praticien, Annabel Erulkar

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Cette boîte à outils décrit comment créer ou améliorer des programmes pour les filles de l’Éthiopie rurale, en vue d'accroître le nombre de programmes organisés à leur intention et de les rendre pertinents et mieux adaptés à leur contexte. La boîte à outils décrit un processus d’élaboration programmatique fermement ancré dans les faits. Les chapitres procèdent dès lors d’un point de départ axé sur la recherche pour identifier et décrire les filles, pour se concentrer ensuite sur le développement programmatique émanant des données, et aboutir enfin sur la mise en œuvre guidée par le suivi et l’évaluation permanents.

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This …

Female Disadvantage In The Egyptian Labor Market: A Youth Perspective, Maia Sieverding

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In this brief, three aspects of female youth’s disadvantage in the labor market are analyzed: low labor force participation, high unemployment, and concentration in the public sector. These issues are closely interrelated and can be addressed through a set of policies that promote family-friendly employment conditions and the formalization of the private sector. The establishment of job search services for female youth is also critical to addressing the gender gap in unemployment.

Leadership Des Filles Et Mentoring, Karen Austrian

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

GIRLS FIRST! Perspectives de programmation centrée sur les filles est une série de cinq comptes rendus thématiques qui fournissent des instantanés de la base de connaissances sur la programmation des adolescentes. Ils abordent les cinq priorités stratégiques définies dans la Déclaration conjointe des Nations Unies de 2010, «Intensifier l’action menée pour promouvoir les droits des adolescentes» et fournissent des recommandations fondées sur des preuves. Ce bilan politique décrit meilleurs moyens de cultiver les leaders féminines.

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GIRLS FIRST! Perspectives on Girl-Centered Programming is a set of five thematic reviews that provide snapshots of the knowledge base on adolescent girls programming. …

Priorités Pour L'Éducation Des Adolescentes, Cynthia B. Lloyd

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

L’adolescence marque une période de croissance et de développement rapides sur le plan physique, affectif, et cognitif. Côté féminin, il s’agit d’une étape de la vie durant laquelle l’éducation, si elle est efficace, peut être transformatrice. Un problème majeur, dans la plupart des pays en développement, est que les systèmes d’éducation en place ne cernent et ne réalisent pas leur potentiel d’autonomisation des adolescentes en les dotant de compétences économiquement productives. L’éducation des filles durant l’adolescence peut les tenir à l’abri des risques d’une initiation sexuelle précoce, différer le mariage et la maternité et leur permettre de vivre une enfance …

La Santé Des Adolescentes Vulnérables : Un Investissement Stratégique Doublement Rentable, Jennifer Catino

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Le monde compte aujourd’hui 1,2 milliard d’adolescents âgés de 10 à 19 ans. Près de 90% d’entre eux vivent dans les pays en développement et environ 600 millions sont de sexe féminin. L’adolescence représente normalement une période de santé florissante bien que sujette à de nombreux changements socio-développementaux dont les implications affectent, tout particulièrement, la santé des filles. La plupart des centaines de millions de filles et jeunes femmes du monde en développement vivent dans des conditions et des circonstances qui les rendent vulnérables aux risques de santé et sociaux. Ces adolescentes sont souvent pauvres, déscolarisées, mariées, migrantes, membres de …

La Violence Faite Aux Adolescentes : Un Défi Fondamental À La Vraie Égalité, Judith Bruce

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Les sociétés, riches comme pauvres, articulent chaque jour davantage des engagements qui garantissent aux filles un accès égal aux droits, aux services, à la participation sociale et à l’épanouissement économique, pourtant, bien des menaces de violence sous de nombreuses formes interviennent pour empêcher les filles de revendiquer leurs droits. De nombreux pays stipulent l'égalité entre les hommes et les femmes dans leurs constitutions. Théoriquement, l’accès sûr aux ressources et aux aménagements est assuré à parts égales aux filles et aux garçons, mais une bien plus grande proportion de garçons et un sous-ensemble moindre de filles généralement privilégiées peuvent effectivement se …

Situation Analysis Of Behavior Change Communication Activities In Bihar: A Step Towards Developing A Comprehensive Bcc Strategy, M.E. Khan, Isha Bhatnagar, Avishek Hazra, Mukesh Kumar

Reproductive Health

A situation analysis undertaken by the Population Council in Bihar, India assessed a number of contributing factors to a behavior change communication (BCC) strategy. Social norms and practices can be changed if appropriate messages are delivered through a combination of communication channels including mass, mid-, and other media, coupled with improved interactions between frontline healthcare workers and target populations at family and community levels. The analysis notes that effective BCC strategy should be measured in terms of actual behavior change. Impact of BCC activities can be measured by immediate outputs and intermediate and final outcomes depending on implementation duration. The …

Recours Aux Données Pour Révéler Et Sélectionner Les Adolescentes Les Plus Vulnérables, Sarah Engebretsen

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Il est crucial d’investir dans les adolescentes du monde en développement, où une proportion déjà importante et grandissante de la population tombe dans la catégorie des moins de 24 ans. Il est essentiel pour protéger les droits à la scolarité, à l'intégrité corporelle et au mariage légal et choisi, et pour réduire la fertilité tout en augmentant la capacité de production. Il est essentiel de rendre les filles visibles si l’on veut que l’investissement soit ciblé sur les groupes qui présentent le plus grand risque de bilans non favorables. Tel est le principe de ce compte rendu: son but est …

Providing Maternal And Newborn Health Services: Experiences Of Auxiliary Nurse Midwives In Rajasthan, K.G. Santhya, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

To better understand the experiences of auxiliary nurse-midwives (ANMs) in providing maternal and newborn health services and to obtain their perspectives on Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), the Population Council undertook an exploratory study of ANMs in two districts of the north-western state of Rajasthan, India. Findings show that the vast majority of the ANMs were aware of best practices related to the immediate care of the newborn. Nevertheless, the findings also suggested a number of priority areas for action, including increased investment in training, encouraging provision of services on a more regular basis, making special efforts to enable ANMs to …