first consultative meeting of “challenge

Transcription

APNA Pakistan – Advocacy for Population & National Advancement
National Advocacy Campaign
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND ..................................................................................2
FINDINGS OF CONSULTATIVE MEETING – 15th DECEMBER 2012 ..................................3
SESSION 1- INTRODUCTORY SESSION ........................................................................3
SESSION 2- PRESENTATION ON POPULATION BEING A HEALTH AND
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE ......................................................................................6
SESSION 3 - PARTICIPANTS’ DISCUSSION ...................................................................6
SESSION 4: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS AND WRAP-UP ..............................................9
ANNEX A-LIST OF PARTICIPANTS .............................................................................11
ANNEX B-AGENDA....................................................................................................12
ANNEX C-GLIMPSES OF CONSULTATIVE MEETING ..................................................13
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FIRST CONSULTATIVE MEETING OF
“CHALLENGE JOURNALISTS FORUM”
INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
According to the Population Census of Pakistan we have an estimated population of
181.68 million people1. The majority of this burgeoning populace lives in abject
poverty. It is not a surprise, therefore, that Pakistan ranks poorly on the Human
Development Index (HDI) scale2. Parallel with this Pakistan’s health indicators are
some of the worst in South Asia. It is second only to Afghanistan in its infant
mortality rate (IMR) and has among the highest Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in
the region (higher than India and Bangladesh), with one mother losing her life every
20 minutes during childbirth. The current scenario makes it highly improbable that
Pakistan will achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to IMR,
MMR and under 5 morality rate (U5MR) by 2015. .
These bleak facts were shared by Dr. NaeemuddinMian at the First Consultative
Meeting of Challenge Journalists Forum in Islamabad. The forum, under the aegis of
“APNA Pakistan- Advocacy for Population & National Advancement” met on the 15th
of December 2012 at Islamabad and involved seasoned journalists and media
practitioners from prominent news outlets.
“APNA Pakistan – Advocacy for Population & National Advancement” is a National
Advocacy Campaign which aims to generate sustained political will and commitment
within the current and future governments for universal coverage of family planning
services to manage the population growth and the social and economic
development of the country.
The campaign, funded by UNFPA, is being implemented by a Contech International
led consortium, which includes CRS (Communications Research Strategies Pvt. Ltd.),
1
As of December 2012
th
st
Pakistan ranked 145 in the Human Development Index (HDI) in the world in 2011, falling from 141
place in 2009
2
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JHUCCP (Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs), CCPPakistan (Center for Communications Programs Pakistan), and Adetude.
CRS is engaged as the advocacy partner in the consortium.
FINDINGS OF CONSULTATIVE MEETING – 15thDECEMBER 2012
SESSION 1- INTRODUCTORY SESSION
CEO CONTECH, Dr. NaeemuddinMian, a renowned Health Specialist, delivered a
comprehensive presentation highlighting issues related to rapid population growth
in Pakistan. The huge gap which the
country was facing in terms of providing
its
citizens
with
basic
quality
amenities,including education, water and
sanitation, health services and other
social sector services was due to
overstretching of our resources. Unless
we address the issue of population as a
priority there is a grave danger that as a
nation we would not be able to take
benefit from the potential of our large young population.
The resultant increase in poverty would not only be reflected as lack of income but
also the lack of power, participation, dignity and access to basic services.
According to Dr.Mian, maternal and child health and birth spacing are challenges in
Pakistan’s existing socio-economic context. Facilities providing comprehensive
reproductive health services are
limited at the primary care level
and one out of every four women
has
an
unmet
need
for
contraception – the highest rate in
the region. Misconceptions about
birth spacing, as advocated by
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selected religious ulema, make the task further difficultof unmet need for
contraception. Other challenges include dearth of human resource, commodity
security, monitoring and evaluation, financial constraints, weak linkages with other
sectors and most importantly inconsistent political will and commitment.
APNA Pakistan is a National Advocacy Campaign on Population and National
Advancement which aims to build political will and commitment by engaging the
media as a key influencer to:
Influence political leadership; and
Raise awareness and bring about behavior change among the masses.
It is believed that change will only come by adopting a top-down approach. Through
this the will of political leadership and commitment to the cause will be gained,
followed by engaging the planners, managers and service providers in devising policy
to accommodate positive change and also involve in service delivery of the same.
The effects of that will then trickle down to communities and households, who will
then gain awareness on the issue and begin to challenge existing norms regarding
birth spacing.
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Dr. NaeemuddinMian cited many communication challenges and information gaps
regarding Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) behaviors, including
diversity, cultural barriers, mass media penetration and reaching out to women
behind walls. He defined the strategy of APNA Pakistan to tackle the issues as
illustrated in figure below.
Dr. Mian elucidated on the course of action that APNA Pakistan will take, including
forming a network or coalition of Journalists (a working group of challenge
journalists), strengthening linkages (with population advocates and journalists),
establishing a resource center (content and knowledge store), influencing political
leadership and communities through innovative ways, and thus increasing the
quality and quantity of media coverage on population and development.
In the end Dr. Mian urged the participants that it’s time to take action. Saving a
mother’s life will be translated into ensuring a better upbringing for her childrenwho
in turn would meanto contribute in national development and prosperity.
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SESSION 2-PRESENTATION ON POPULATION BEING A HEALTH AND
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE
Dr. HumaHaider, Public Health Specialist from CONTECH delivered a presentation on
how the increasing population of
Pakistan
poses
a
health
and
development challenge. Key issues
discussed
were
birth
spacing,
population growth rate, contraceptive
prevalence rate, unmet need for
contraceptives and the opportunity for
demographic dividend.
Dr. Huma stated, Pakistan is currently
the 6th largest country in the world and
the 3rd largest contributor to global population. It is estimated that it will be the 5 th
largest country in the world by 2050, with a projected population of 450 million
people. According to Dr. Huma, 68 percent of families in Pakistan do not use
contraceptives, while a mere 32 percent use some form of birth control. She also
defined what “unmet need for birth spacing was” and elucidated on the reasons and
consequences of unmet need. Dr. Huma then provided an overview of the benefits
of birth spacing, which she summarized as:
“Meeting the need for birth spacing will have widespread impact, affecting
families, communities and economies, not to mention individual health and wellbeing!”
SESSION 3- PARTICIPANTS’ DISCUSSION
Session 3 of the meeting was participatory
and involved participants’ feedback on key
issues. Fahd Husain, a veteran Journalist,
facilitated
the
session
and
asked
participants following three key questions:
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the
1. How many participants feel the issue of population (and birth
spacing)should be a national agenda in the news cycle?
2. How do we make it an issue?
3. How can this issue be brought on to the national agenda?
In response to the above, below are questions asked during the session and their
summarized answers:
Q1: How many participants feel the issue of population (andbirth spacing) should
be a national agenda in the news cycle?
The panel agreed that the issue is of paramount importance and must be made
a national agenda. The media, especially television, can play a vitalrole in this
regard. However, the superficial nature of television poses a significant
challenge as” breaking news”and day to day developing stories are far more
eye catching for the viewers and therefore producers and anchors both pay far
less attention to social issues prevalent within the country.
Q2: How do we make reproductive health and birth spacing an issue and ensure
that the media gives it coverage?
Issues need to be packaged in the language of television. They need to be
sensationalized.
Q3: How Do We Make a Story Out of an Issue for the Television?
We can make any story out of an issue by following some key steps:
Do Background Work
Collect visual evidence of a story – police reports, FIRs, photographs, footage
of crime scenes, sound bites, interviews with family members, eyewitnesses.
These will strengthen the story and use the televisions primary strength of
visuals.
Get a Panel of experts ready
Include religious scholars, physiatrists/doctors, social activists, journalists,
gender experts, NGOs, parliamentarians.
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Plan
Verify all facts, script writing and line up the shortlisted experts, etc.
Air the Story
Air the story;run it first at 9 am, then interview the panel at 12 (noon), at 3
pm with questioning the parliamentarians and NGOs, conduct a walk at 6 pm
and recap at 9 pm. That’s how all of Pakistan will give attention.
Q4: What is the Journalists Responsibility in All of This?
Journalists and anchors are responsible to first, understand the severity of
the issue, and second, push it forth with conviction and passion.
They must also follow up on stories of social importance and sell them to
their channels and the larger public.
They must add shock value and use live feed when possible to further
sensationalize stories and convert them into issues of national interest.
Journalists and anchors must use the language of television to sell stories.
Q5: How to get the Issue of reproductive health and birth spacing to the National
Agenda?
We must fully understand the severity of the issue.
Pakistan’s current population is 210 million. Population is the nations biggest
threat as it is closely linked with, and the cause of, other issues, including:
o Economy (and Poverty);
o Terrorism;
o Food shortage;
o Electricity;
o Water;
o Gas; and
o Education.
Journalists (Print &Electronicespecially Television) can:
o Highlight economic issues and show that their cause is population;
o Engage with parliamentarians and key policy makers;
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o Organizeconsultations and follow up with them;
o Push them to take concrete measures; and
o Keep highlighting the significance of the issue.
SESSION 4: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS AND WRAP-UP
Session 4, the last session of the meeting,
was chaired by Mr. AniqZafar, CEO CRS. He
recapped the proceedings of the day and
stated, that reproductive health and birth
spacing isparamount as it islinked with
Pakistan’s overall well-being. Journalists
and anchors areresponsible for highlighting
its importance and engaging policy makers
and
influencers
to
take
action.
He
reiterated that they must carefully package their stories and do ample background
research, and they must also follow up on their stories.
Key Recommendations of the Meeting (as agreed by the participants):
1. Journalists and media practitioners must understand their responsibility and
also the significance of the issue.
2. Journalists and media managers must be sensitized properly on the impact of
unrestrained population growth on the country’s resources.
3. Packaging social issues in the language of the media (sensationalizing them
where necessary and using visual evidence).
4. Establishment of a media watch.
5. Population is linked with the economy, democracy, electricity, gas, water and
terrorism.
6. Parliamentarians and policy makers can be engaged by drawing these
correlations and then pushing them to take concrete measures.
7. Use social media (blogging, Facebook, twitter, Youtube) to take stories viral,
in addition to traditional media.
8. Link with citizen journalists.
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9. Mobile phones – create awareness
10. The way forward would include a consultative sessions with politicians where
they would be held accountable against their manifestos);Social policy audit.
11. To hold consultative sessions which would involve – 4 anchors – 4 maulvis
and 4 politicians.
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ANNEX A-LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Sr. #
Name of Journalists
Designations &Organization
1.
ZameerHaider
Bureau Chief (Dunya TV)
2.
Faisal Rehman
Ancorperson (PTV)
3.
TanzeelaMazhar
Anchorperson (PTV)
4.
BeenaQuyum
Anchorperson (Samaa TV)
5.
SaadiaSeharHaidari
Reporter (APP)
6.
AsmaAmeen
Analyst (Monthly Dastak Karachi)
7.
WajahatMasood
Columnist (Jang)
8.
Ali Abbas
Magazine Editor (Daily Dunya)
9.
Said Alam Khan
Bureau Chief Peshawar (The
Nation)
10.
Khalid Khaishgi
Reporter Peshawar (The News)
11.
ShahzadaZulfiqar
Bureau Chief Quetta (Pakistan
Today)
12.
Fahd Husain
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Anchorperson (ARY News)
ANNEX B-AGENDA
Time
Program
Speaker/Moderator
010:30-11:00
Registration
11:00-11:10
Welcome and introduction of participants
AniqZafar
11:10-11:45
Presentation “Call for Action”
Dr. MianNaeemuddin
11:45-12:15
Presentation “Population being a Health
Dr. HumaHaider
and Development Challenge”
12:15-12:30
Tea and Coffee
12:30-01:00
Discussion and Q & A
01:00-02:00
Inputs and ideas from the plenary“Making
Moderated by Fahd Husain
the Governing elite responsive to social
agenda for the nation”
02:00-2:45
02:45-03:45
03:45-04:15
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Lunch
Finalization of recommendations and
Moderated By Mr. Aniq
suggestions
Zafar
Wrap Up/ Thanks Tea-Coffee
ANNEX C-GLIMPSES OF CONSULTATIVE MEETING
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first consultative meeting of “challenge

Transcription

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