Gender Roles, Equality and Transformations
Pathfinder International, the Institute of Reproductive Health at Georgetown University, and Save the Children together implement GREAT (Gender Roles Equality and Transformation), a project funded by USAID. GREAT improves adolescent sexual and reproductive health and decreases gender-based violence in the post-conflict settings of Northern Uganda by facilitating the formation of gender equitable norms and the adoption of attitudes and behaviors which positively influence health outcomes among boys and girls aged 10 to 19 years.
The first phase (2010-2011) of the GREAT project involved a formative research to understand how gender norms are learned, internalized and passed on and why individuals would be motivated to change and to identify individuals and social institutions which play determining roles in the formation and transformation of gender roles and explore how gender roles and attitudes influence sexual and reproductive health and gender based violence. A program review was conducted to identify projects and programs, local and international, with successful adolescent sexual and reproductive health, gender, and gender-based violence interventions that are scalable.
Key stakeholders of the project include the Technical Advisory Group, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Gender Labor and Social Development, and the Ministry of Health.
The first part of the second phase (2011-2013) focused on designing and piloting interventions including a toolkit of scalable products that will be used by young people in platforms to dialogue and reflect on their own gender norms and sexual reproductive health, a serial radio drama called Oteka that is being broadcast on two local radio stations in northern Uganda, a strategy for improving access to sexual reproductive health services by adolescents that focuses on working with the Village Health System and health care providers to improve their skills and attitudes towards adolescents health and a GREAT champion’s recognition strategy. During the pilot phase, the project also rolled out a community mobilization approach known as the community action cycle and formed Community Mobilization Teams and Community Action Groups in the pilot districts of Lira and Amuru.
The project is now entering its final phase with a focus on scaling up its work to identify and consolidate best practices in supporting change in gender perceptions among youth.
In a year of remarkable achievement, including Pathfinder’s landmark victory at the US Supreme Court and our return to Bangladesh with a $53.8 million project, what was most exciting? The answer—integration—is the theme of Pathfinder’s 2013 Annual Report.
This toolkit was created to engage adolescents and adults to transform gender and reproductive health outcomes by learning about their bodies, reproductive health, gender-based violence and gender roles.
A Review of Adolescent Gender and Sexual and Reproductive Health Projects: Findings and Recommendations
This report summarizes findings from a review of projects to identify promising strategies to transform gender norms and improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes with potential for adaptation and scale-up in Northern Uganda and similar contexts.
Arise integrated family planning into HIV and AIDS services in 11 post-conflict districts of Uganda by working with the community to build demand and supporting facilities in quality counseling, contraceptive services and referrals.
In Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda, Pathfinder aims to improve the capacity of community-based organizations to better prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
An anonymous donor provided funding to address the unmet need for family planning in Uganda. Pathfinder, in collaboration with the Family Planning Association of Uganda (FPAU) implemented a project focused on advocacy and community-based revitalization.
At last week’s National Youth Development Consultative Forum in Ethiopia, youth were the priority.
The Population Institute has awarded the "Hope in the Basin: Voices of the People" video the prize of Best Film or Miniseries as part of its 35th Annual Global Media Awards.