EFFECTIVE INVOLVEMENT OF COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES IN FAMILY

PLANNING PROGRAM

Md. Shamsul Alam Mian

Alliance for Cooperation and Legal Aid Bangladesh (ACLAB)

General Objective: To identify the ways for effective involvement of

community and public representatives in FP program;

Specific Objectives:

• Assess the perception, attitude, roles and engagement of community

towards family planning program in Bangladesh

• Assess the family planning service gaps that are felt need by the

community and public representatives

• Identify the constrains/challenges of their involvement in FP program

• Identify the reasons for not/less involvement of community and public

representatives in FP program in Bangladesh • Investigate what should be done to increase their involvement in FP program• Identify potential areas and means of contribution of the community people and public representatives

OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

Study design:

-Cross-sectional study. Both quantitative and qualitative

- Document review

- Questionnaire

- Key Informant Interview (KII)

Study Sample and Respondents:

•Geographical coverage:

Divisions (7) Districts (21), Upazilas (21) and Unions (56)

•Sample size: 532

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY

Perception• More than half of the respondents (60%) mentioned “food crisis” as

impact of over population, “increase of crime, murder and robbery” was

the response of 40% respondents. 40% respondent replied “People

become unhappy” as impact of over population.

• Majority (57%) of the respondents responded that Family planning

program is required “for a planned family”, 51% responded as “for a

small and happy family” and 35% as “prosperity of the family

members”

• The findings reveal that relationship of family planning with maternal

and child health was not understood well by the respondents, which was

only about 17%.

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY (CONTD…..)

Service Gaps

• Two-third respondents perceived family planning

services are inadequate

• FP service is poorly working in some rural areas where

accessibility is poor

• Family planning issue has not been given right

importance (45%)

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY (CONTD…..)

Constraints of Family Planning Program

•“ignorance of the people” (64%)

•“religious barriers” (53%),

• “Male are not interested (36%)

• “insufficient workers in the field” (34%)

• “insufficient activities” (27%)

HOW TO OVERCOME THE CONSTRAINTS

• Increase the number of field worker

• Arrange training for the field workers

• Ensure regular monitoring at the filed level

• Ensure good governance and accountability

of the family planning staff

• Ensure adequate logistics at the field level

• Involve local governments to ensure

accountability of the FP staff to them

FINDINGS OF THE STUDY (CONTD…..)

Involvement of Community Leaders and Public Representatives  • Involvement of the community leaders with FP program- 59%

• Community leaders not aware about the FP committees – 46%

• Expressed interest to be involved – 85%

• Talk about family planning program while they talk in public meeting - 53%

LESSONS

communities consider family planning activities as the responsibility of the government.

community leaders and public representatives are willing to contribute and to take responsibility for the interest of their own community

community leaders and public representatives are interested to engage themselves but need process of involvement

if the local elites and elected representatives came forward they can contribute to raise adequate funds for solving health and family planning problems

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Initiative should be taken to make both the Upazila and the

Union level family planning committees functional. The roles

and responsibilities of the different committees should be

defined.

• The family planning committee members should be oriented

on effective organization and conduction of the committees,

roles and responsibly of the committees.

• The Union Parisads can be made the center of activities of

maternal and child health and family planning. The elected

representatives (Chairman and members) should be given

specific responsibilities and they should be accountable for

the enhancement of these activities in their respective

localities.

RECOMMENDATIONS(Contd..)

• Family planning activities can be integrated with the Union

Parishad activities

• Elected representatives and community leaders can monitor and

supervise the FP activities at the local level

• Linkage among volunteers/workers, government officials, elected

representatives, community leaders, and users of health and

family planning services needs to be strengthened

• Provision of rewarding/appreciation to the community leaders on

the basis of their performance in achieving the targets for family

planning

Thanks For

kind Attention