Advocacy has been an important component of Parivar Seva’s work. This includes involvement with the government and multilateral agencies to develop national standards and guidelines in various areas of reproductive health as well as playing a proactive role in advocating innovation, new schemes, policy changes and amendments to legal parameters.
Parivar Seva has made its mark as the first organisation in the state to initiate Reproductive Health advocacy. The advocacy module has enabled all modules under the project to press for advocacy on adoption of a holistic approach to Reproductive Health. It has highlighted that advocacy efforts are critically required for creating awareness among all the stakeholders on Reproductive Health issues. A strong advocacy campaign with a broad framework of influencing health policy in the state by involving elected representatives, government officials, private hospitals and media was done.
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For instance, in 2004 a workshop on, Expanding Choices of Contraception Injectables: Learning from Experience, was organised by Parivar Seva at Manesar, which was attended by eminent national and international experts.
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From this emerged a coalition, Advocating Reproductive Choices (ARC), with an aim to create an enabling environment for making a range of effective and safe methods of contraceptive options available to men and women suitable to them individually and as a couple, during their reproductive phases to improve maternal health. Parivar Seva spearheaded this initiative and formed an effective 32-member coalition representing national NGOs, donors and technical support agencies such as ICMR, MOHFW, UNFPA and WHO.
The Sanstha has considerable experience in advocacy, using a number of strategies. It has worked at the community levels as well as the policy levels to sensitise and bring about a change in the policies and implementation on the ground. Amongst many, its two major advocacy achievements pertain to:
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- Removing the stigma associated with abortions and modifying the MTP Act to make it safer and more accessible
- Introduction of injectable DMPA in its programme in 1984 and successful advocacy to include DMPA in the public sector.
Remember: Advocacy is the royal road to reality, if done appropriately.