Ensuring equitable, well-informed and last-mile contraception and family planning access requires collective, community-wide commitment and engagement.
In Bihar, Panchayat leaders have been at the forefront of this engagement, and on July 22nd, C3 organized a roundtable to celebrate their trail-blazing work, and to shed light on Bihar’s achievements and priorities around achieving its #FP2030 targets. Shri Mangal Pandey, the Hon’ble Health Minister of the state graced the occasion as its chief guest, highlighting the importance of education, empowering young couples, and involving men in family planning decision-making to achieve positive reproductive health outcomes.
The roundtable also proved to be a platform for Panchayat leaders to share their testimonies on what they have achieved in their communities, with several Mukhiyas and Ward Members highlighting how they have influenced positive attitudes around family planning and have collaborated with frontline workers and local institutions for better delivery of FP services.
For over a decade, C3 has been equipping Panchayat leaders in Bihar to understand the importance of, and ensure greater uptake and acceptance around family planning in their communities. A key step forward for these efforts is a digital awareness campaign (called ‘Jodi No.1’) to equip young couples with essential information on family planning and contraception, and a policy brief outlining eight operational strategies for prioritizing reversible contraception for the state, both of which were launched at the roundtable by Shri Mangal Pandey, the Hon’ble Health Minister of Bihar.
Dr Akash Malik Anand Sinha Gates Foundation India
#familyplanning #panchayat #panchayatleaders #contraceptions #health #bihar #mangalpandey #biharhealthminister
