"Empty Handed" PAI Final Report on Outcomes to PATH

Publication date: 2010

Population  Action  International     Page  1     Population  Action  International  Final  Report  on  Outcomes  to  PATH  December  2010    Through   the   support   provided   via   this   grant,   Population   Action   International   (PAI)  produced   an   advocacy-­‐oriented   documentary   film,   Empty   Handed:   Responding   to   the   Demand   for  Contraceptives,  which  puts   a  human   face  on   the   issue  of   shortages  of   critical  reproductive   health   supplies.   This   film   and   the   ensuing   outreach   successfully   served   as  tools   to   inform  policymakers   and   advocates  worldwide   about   key   advocacy  messages   in  support  of  universal  access  to  RH  supplies.    Key  partners  from  the  Resource  Mobilization  Awareness  (RMA)  Working  Group  and  the  Reproductive  Health  Supplies  Coalition  (RHSC)  were   consulted   throughout   the   film’s   development   to   ensure   that   its   message   was  applicable  to  the  diverse  needs  of  the  RHSC.      The   original   plan   was   to   produce   a   film   about   supplies   shortages   that   spanned   various  continents  and  cultures,  but   after  doing  exploratory   filming  and   research,   it  was  decided  that   the   larger  story  of   contraceptive  shortages  could  be  more  compellingly   told   through  several   films,   each   one   using   a  more   targeted   scope.     In   consultation  with   the   Advisory  Committee,   under   this   grant,   PAI   produced   a   film   that   highlights   the   supplies   crisis   in  Uganda,  as  a  tool  for  advocates  in  sub-­‐Saharan  Africa,  as  this  region  has  the  highest  unmet  need   in   the   world   and   increasing   rates   of   maternal   mortality   and   unsafe   abortion   and  continues   to   be   the   focus   for   bilateral   and  multilateral   donors.   In   addition   to   telling   the  compelling  stories  of  individual  women,  the  film  documents  the  challenges  at  each  level  of  the  supply  chain  and  identifies  key  areas  for  improvement.  Empty  Handed  aims  to  provoke  discussion  and  mobilize  support  for  reproductive  health  supplies.      Production  and  post-­‐production  on  Empty-­‐Handed  was  completed  in  May  and  June  of  2010,  and   the   documentary   premiered   on   the   first   day   of   the   Reproductive   Health   Supplies  Coalition’s   Annual   General   Meeting   in   Kampala,   as   part   of   the  morning   plenary   session,  entitled  Advocating   for   Supplies.   Copies   of   the   DVD  were  made   available   to   everyone   in  attendance.     Later   that   day,   the   offices   of   Ministers   of   Parliament   (MP)   Hon.   Sylvia  Ssinabulya   of   Mityana   and   Hon.   Sarah   Nansubuga   Nyombi,   of   Ntenjeru   North   hosted   a  screening  with  eight  (8)  fellow  women  MPs  and  Ugandan  media.  That  weekend,  staff  from  RHSC   Secretariat   and   PAI   were   invited   to   attend   the   CNN   African   Journalists   Awards  ceremony  and  distributed  more  than  140  DVDs  to  journalists  in  attendance,  including  most  of   the   nominees   and   winners.     Other   outreach   efforts   followed   (funded   by   sources  supplemental  to  this  grant)  and  included:     • In  Zambia:    In  partnership  with  Youth  Vision  Zambia  (YVZ),  PAI  hosted  a  screening  in  a  downtown  Lusaka  movie  theater.    300+  people  attended,  representing  NGO  community,  health   care   providers,   government   officials   and  media.     Screening  was   co-­‐hosted   and  moderated   by   Zambian   colleagues   representing   international   and   faith-­‐based   NGOs,  along   with   comments   from   PAI   and   USAID   staff   who   were   in   attendance.     Post-­‐screening  discussion  was  strong  –  attendees  sounded  several  themes:  government  and  individual  responsibility;  the  need  to  document  contraceptive  shortages  and  stock  outs;  HIV/AIDS   and   malaria   are   prioritized   over   FP/RH   in   public   hospitals   and   clinics   Population  Action  International     Page  2     because  that’s  where  the  money  is.    Several  nurses  in  the  audience  spoke  to  low  priority  afforded  RH  supplies   in   the  health  system  and   the  women  they   turn  away  daily.    YVZ  staff   prepared   talking   points   for   putting   the   supplies   issue   in   the   Zambian   context,  educating  the  audience  about  contraceptive  use,  access,  funding  and  availability  in  the  country.    The  screening  was  a  catalyst  for  additional  interest  as  well.  The  Swedish  Ambassador  to  Zambia   requested   that   YVZ   organize   a   screening   at   the   embassy   for   all   staff.     PAI  proposed   that   the   embassy   also   consider   hosting   a   screening   for   the   larger   bi-­‐   and  multilateral  donor  community   to  highlight  RH  supplies.    DVDs  of  Empty  Handed  were  distributed   in   meetings   with   the   Ministry   of   Health,   USAID/Zambia   mission,   UNFPA,  Marie  Stopes  International/Zambia,  and  other  local  NGOs.      A  few  weeks  after  the  screening,  the  Minister  of  Health  requested  permission  to  screen  both   Empty   Handed   and   PAI’s   earlier   film,   Silent   Partner,   at   their   launch   event   for  CARMMA   (Campaign   to   Accelerate   Reduction   of  Maternal  Mortality   in   Africa),   which  she  did  in  June  with  over  1400  people  in  attendance.    CARMMA  is  a  regional  campaign  requiring  all  countries  to  develop  and  implement  a  roadmap  for  reducing  mat  mortality.    Zambia  launched  their  plan  in  June  and  highlighted  the  role  of  FP  in  improving  maternal  and   infant   health.   PAI   and   YVZ   also  met  with   a   young  Minister   of   Parliament  who   is  interested  in  starting  a  parliamentary  forum  on  population  and  development  issues.   • In  Malawi:    Empty  Handed  was  screened  and  discussed  as  part  of  the  Malawi  College  of  Medicine’s  annual   conference.  PAI’s   colleague,  Andy  Ngwira,  with   the  college’s  Center  for  Reproductive  Health,  introduced  the  film  and  led  the  discussion.    Empty  Handed  was  also  screened  during  an  FP/RH  briefing  of  the  parliamentary  health  committee,  where  the  surprise  guest  was  the  Minister  of  Health.    The  film  was  very  well-­‐received  with  the  Minister  mentioning   the   film   on  multiple   occasions   and   requesting  more   DVDs.     The  College  of  Medicine,  located  in  southern  Malawi  in  Blantyre,  is  currently  organizing  two  additional  screenings  –  one  for  reporters  in  Lilongwe  (capital)  and  another  for  MPs  in  the   southern   region.     PAI  has   supported   these   activities  with   a   small   advocacy  grant;  Malawi  is  a  Global  Health  Initiative  country  and  we  hope  to  continue  to  support  locally  driven  FP/RH  advocacy  there.    Also  in  Malawi,  JSI  Malawi  staff  are  using  Empty  Handed  in  their  logistics  trainings  with  staff.    Early  feedback  suggests  that  the  film  has  helped  get  the  issue  of  supplies  chain  out  of   the   technical   sphere   and   into   a   more   personal   realm   –   it   has   enabled   trainers   to  refocus  program  staff  on  the  individual  at  the  end  of  the  line  who  is  relying  on  them.    JSI  training   staff   reports   that   country   staff   are   talking   about   contraceptives   differently,  almost  as  a  human  right  rather  than  as  a  logistics  issue,  a  development  which  PAI  hopes  to  track  and  pursue.     • Advocacy  partners  in  Namibia  and  Kenya  are  poised  to  organize  similar  screenings  for  their  target  audiences.       • Empty  Handed  was  screened  at  the  2010  membership  meeting  of  Countdown  2015,  at  the  Women   Deliver   Conference   in   June   in  Washington   DC,   as   well   as   the   September  meeting  of  the  DC-­‐based  International  Family  Planning  Coalition.     Population  Action  International     Page  3     • PAI   staff   has   led   screenings   with   staff   of   EngenderHealth,   Population   Services  International,   and   other   implementing   agencies.     Several   organizations   -­‐-­‐  USAID,  AFP  and  JSI,  for  example  -­‐-­‐  provided  field  offices  with  DVDs  for  trainings  and  workshops.       • Most  recently,  Empty  Handed  received  the  Population  Institute's  global  media  award  for  best  film  or  miniseries.  Regarding  media,  the  film  has  generated  various  media  pieces,  especially  in  Zambia  and  Uganda.    Examples  of  media  include:   • Op-­‐Ed   “In   Uganda,   Condoms   Hard   to   Come   By”   published   on   GlobalPost   on   June   15   with  embedded  film  trailer   • Grist  article:   “Women  Who  Can’t   Get   birth   Control   Spotlighted   in  New  Film   –  Watch   It  Here”  posted  June  26  with  embedded  Vimeo  of  trailer  and  full  film,  plus  link  to  GlobalPost  op-­‐ed   • RHRealityCheck  blog  post:  “Coca-­‐Cola  Trumps  Condoms  –  How  Can  We  Help?”  posted  June  24  with  embedded  Vimeo  of  full  film.  •   Empty-­‐Handed   was   featured   in   the   Materials   section   of   the   Soul   Beat   Africa   website  (http://www.comminit.com/en/africa/materials.html)and  in  the  Soul  Beat  newsletter.   • Times   of   Zambia   newspaper   has   published   4   articles   on   different   SRHR   issues   within   the  country   • New  Vision  newspaper  has  introduced  a  weekly  column  dedicated  SRH  issues  in  Zambia.     • The  Zambia  Daily  Mail   newspaper  and  The  Post   newspaper  have  each  published  3  articles  on  different  SRH  issues   • Radio  Phoenix  has  carried  4  interviews  and  1  live  phone  in  program  on  different  SRH  issues   • Hot  FM  Radio  station  has  conducted  2  interviews  with  YVZ  staff  on  different  SRH  issues   • Hone  FM,  Yastani,  Joy  FM  and  Christian  Voice  radio  stations  have  allocated  a  weekly  1  hour  live  phone  in  program  on  SRH  issues.   • UNZA  radio  station  has  been  conducting  weekly  live  interviews  with  YVZ  staff  on  SRH  issues   • ZNBC   Tv2   has   conducted   3   live   television   programs   with   YVZ   staff   and   staff   from   other  institution  working  in  the  area  of  SRH  as  panelists.  As  for   looking  ahead,   feedback  about  the  usefulness  and  impact  of  the  film  from  country-­‐level   audiences   has   been   extremely   positive,   and   PAI  will   seek   additional   funding   in   the  coming   year   to   continue   distribution   efforts.     Such   efforts   will   emphasize   tailoring   the  messaging  around  the  film  –  and  possibly  even  the  film  itself  –  so  that  Empty-­‐Handed  can  serve  as  a  cornerstone  tool  to  advance  national  advocacy  strategies  around  supplies.    PAI  adapted  the  ending  of  the  film  for  use  in  the  RHSC’s  HandtoHand  Campaign,  and  given  the  relative  easy  and  effectiveness  of  that  approach  is  open  to  replicating  that  strategy  so  that  the  film  is  of  the  upmost  relevance  in  myriad  country  contexts.      To   that   end,  Empty  Handed  DVDs   are  now   subtitled   in   five   languages   -­‐-­‐   French,   Spanish,  Portuguese,  Swahili,  and  English  -­‐-­‐  to  further  enhance  the  film's  reach  and  impact   in  sub-­‐Saharan  Africa  (also  to  be  made  available  on  the  website).    This  represents  our  third  and  final   print   run   of   DVDs   under   this   grant.   We   are   currently   exploring   the   possibility   of   Population  Action  International     Page  4     featuring   Empty   Handed   in   the   West   African   family   planning   meeting   next   February   in  Burkina  Faso.    PAI  is  in  discussions  with  AFP  staff  about  incorporating  Empty  Handed  into  their  focus  country  advocacy  strategies,  such  as  in  Tanzania,  Uganda,  Nigeria  and  Senegal.  And,   we   are   looking   ahead   to   regional   meetings   and   conferences   in   2011   where   RHSC  members   can   screen   and   disseminate  Empty   Handed   to   local   partners,   such   as   the   next  Gates   Institute   conference   on   family   planning,   the   Union   for   African   Population   Studies  conference,  etc.    Additionally,  PAI  hopes   to  pursue   films  that  highlight   the  supplies  crisis   in  both  Asia  and  the  Latin  America/Caribbean  regions  as  well.      One   other   point   worth   noting   is   that   soon   after   the   film’s   premiere,   the   micro-­‐site,  www.empty-­‐handed.org,  went   live.    The  site   features  both   the   film  and   its  corresponding  Advocacy  Guide,   for  use  by   in-­‐country  advocates   in   their  own  efforts   to  promote  the   film  and   the   larger   issues   it  portrays.   Since   the  site’s   launch   in   June,   there  have  been  16,  125  loads  of  the  trailer  and  7,944  loads  of  the  entire  film.    Interestingly,  Facebook  continues  to  be   the   leading   referring   site   for   the   film,  meaning   that  people   continue   to   share   the   film  with  friends  via  Facebook.  rhsupplies.org  and  populationaction.org  are  the  second  and  third  referring  sites,  respectively.  Other  specifics  on  web  analytics  are  provided  as  an  attachment   to  this  report.       Empty-­‐Handed:   Meeting   the   Demand   for   Contraceptives   is   proven   as   a   powerful   tool   for  advocates   in   their  outreach  efforts   to  policymakers   throughout  Africa.    We  are  extremely  grateful   for   the   financial   support  and  partnership   that  you  have  provided   to   this  project,  and   indeed,   to   all   of   PAI’s  work   around   reproductive   health   supplies.    We   feel   confident  that  your  investment  in  this  outstanding  advocacy  tool   is  a  strategic  and  worthwhile  one,  and  look  forward  to  continuing  to  work  together  to  ensure  universal  access  to  reproductive  health  supplies.    

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