NURHI Phase 1 (2009 – 2015)
Phase 1 of NURHI was implemented in six cities (Federal Capital Territory, Ibadan, Ilorin, Kaduna, Benin and Zaria). According to the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, it contributed to significant increases in contraceptive prevalence in these cities.
NURHI Phase 1 (2009 – 2015)
Phase 1 of NURHI was implemented in six cities (Federal Capital Territory, Ibadan, Ilorin, Kaduna, Benin and Zaria).According to the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, it contributed to significant increases in contraceptive prevalence in these cities.
Demand Generation
NURHI was built on the premise that as demand for family planning increases, supply will rise to meet demand, and as more people use family planning, the demand for family planning with further increase. To achieve this, the NURHI 2 integrated communication strategy employed a combination of social mobilization, media campaigns and entertainment education. This demand generation strategy adapted what worked in NURHI 1 cities to address the needs of state-wide audiences in Kaduna, Lagos and Oyo States.
NURHI 2 based its demand generation on the Theory of Ideation to influence behaviour change. Ideation is the concept that people’s actions are strongly influenced by their beliefs, ideas and feelings (ideational factors) and that a change in these beliefs can influence behaviours, including contraceptive use. An analysis of research in the three intervention states revealed that key factors influencing contraceptive uptake were: couple communication, perceived social support for family planning, and correct information about the methods and their safety. Thus, NURHI 2 demand generation interventions aimed to trigger dialogue about family planning at the community and household levels, normalise family planning use, prompt couple discussion, correct misinformation, dispel fears surrounding contraceptive use, and refer men and women for family planning services. To read more on Ideation Theory, click here.
The demand generation strategy focused on four priority audiences in the three intervention States:
- Female non-users who intend to use modern contraceptives
- Male partners and spouses of non-users
- Women who use traditional family planning methods (primarily rhythm and withdrawal)
- Service providers.
NURHI 2 deployed the following five key interventions to create awareness and generate demand for family planning.
Entertainment Education
Radio magazine programmes included serial dramas for each state to educate audiences about family planning through entertaining storylines. In NURHI 2, the transmedia approach to storytelling was used across the implementation states, using popular characters from the radio drama series to drive and reinforce positive family planning messages across different media channels.
Mass-media Campaigns
Short-format television and radio materials featuring transmedia characters were developed to inform audiences about family planning services, prompting them to discuss and seek more information.
Social Mobilization
Community-based activities that were proven successful during NURHI 1 were scaled up under NURHI 2 to promote public discourse and uptake of family planning services. The project developed and implemented activities and materials for each state based on state-specific nuances and sensitivities. To learn more about how NURHI 2 conducted effective social mobilizations, click here.
Social and Behaviour Change Communication Materials
NURHI 2 developed and produced print materials to provide family planning information for service providers, social mobilisers and clients. These materials included frequently asked questions brochure, method leaflets, posters/flyers and so on. The materials were designed to explain the benefits of modern contraception, correct information about methods and dispel myths and misconceptions about family planning.
Digital Media
Technological advancements and evolving audience migration from traditional to digital media necessitate a dynamic use of social media, mobile phone and information, communication and technology platforms to provide accurate family planning information, stimulate family planning discourse and direct clients to family planning services.
