Vigorously Advancing Section 11.23 of the Programme of Action

Population Media Center (PMC) commits to advancing the Programme of Action in no less than 16 countries by 2030. We will focus on Section 11.23, which directs governments, NGO’s and the private sector to make “greater and more effective use of the entertainment media, including radio and television soap operas and drama, folk theatre and other traditional media to encourage public discussion of important but sometimes sensitive topics related to the implementation of the present Programme of Action.”

Topically, PMC commits to using our entertainment-education theory of change to help achieve zero unmet need for family planning information and services in the countries where we operate. Specifically, our programming will work to reduce demand side barriers, among both men and women, to the uptake and use of modern contraception.

Importantly, we know that women with an unmet need for contraception rarely cite cost, convenience or a “lack of access” as the reason they are not using contraception. In many countries, lack of access and cost are cited by less than 5% of Demographic and Health Survey respondents. More commonly cited barriers include fear of health side-effects (including misinformation on the safety and efficacy of contraceptives) - and also various forms of opposition to modern contraception, often based on fatalism, religious mandates, or patriarchal social norms.

PMC’s ability to create behavior change rests on time-tested social and communication theories, with Bandura’s Social Learning and Social Cognitive Theories playing central roles. According to these theories, much of human behavior is learned through observation of role models, whether in person or through the media. We will measure our programmatic effectiveness with a wide range of monitoring and evaluation strategies, including how much more likely regular consumers of our entertainment are than non-consumers to use modern contraceptive methods.

Mode of engagement:

• Programmatic action
  As per section 11.23 of the Programme of Action, Population Media Center will work towards zero unmet need for family planning information and services, in countries where we operate, through the use of our entertainment-education theory of change.