JOICFP has now completed on-location shooting for process documentation for male involvement in the three UNFPA Asia BCC project countries; Indonesia, Mongolia and Myanmar.

The project aimed to increase male involvement to help reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, through testing strategies of behavior change communication (BCC) targeting men. Strategies found effective through the project will be compiled and shared widely in the Asia Region.

For this purpose, process documentation is being undertaken of best practices and achievements, along with verifiable output indicators, in multiple formats such as text, still photographs, videos, and sound,

Before the interventions started, high maternal mortality and morbidity were caused by issues such as:

• Deliveries were often attended by untrained people, such as traditional birth attendants (TBA), who could not handle any abnormal cases
• Even in cases of maternal emergency, referrals could not be made in a timely manner because of a lack of knowledge of danger signs, transportation costs, and/or geographical difficulties of the area; and
• The number of deliveries per mother was too high and birth spacing too short.

During the documentation, JOICFP recorded unique and effective BCC countermeasures and achievements of each pilot country

In Indonesia, radio was used to deliver information as well as entertainment programs promoting male involvement. Religious leaders also disseminated messages in collaboration with male volunteers during religious meetings. These mass message dissemination channels complemented volunteers' home visits for pregnant mothers (interactive communication) and led to reinvigoration of traditional neighborhood mutual help systems for saving lives of mothers in the communities.

The success of this approach has been seen in increased deliveries with skilled birth attendants and timely referrals.

An imam (religious leader) and male volunteer
in Indonesia explain the value
of male involvement in maternal health

In Mongolia, a mass communication approach was taken through television and billboards, with a common motif running through the media used.

Local governments gave support beyond the health departments, so a variety of men's needs were able to be addressed along with male involvement message dissemination. In this way, the project could attract and effectively reach more men.

For example, men who were looking for work were given information on employment, and then targeted for male involvement.

As a result, the number of men attending antenatal care and family planning/health counseling at community health centers increased.

A billboard outside a community health center
encourages men to participate in their wife's health.
The common motif composed of the same
message, logo, photo, and symbol color
can be seen on the billboard and
on the male volunteer T-shirt and bag.

In Myanmar, more than 350 male volunteers with various backgrounds were trained, increasing the targeting of men in a variety of locations. Comprehensive training was conducted including refresher training sessions covering broader topics.

The training scheme contributed to the enhanced skill and knowledge of the volunteers, which also led to higher recognition and confidence in them by the community.

After the success of the Endless Goodbye picture theater in Africa to fight HIV/AIDS, JOICFP took this approach in Myanmar, developing the Twin Angels picture theater and video drama.

Male volunteers trained under the project used the video drama and the picture theatre to touch men's emotions to trigger their desire to act for maternal health, while the video drama was also repeatedly broadcast on national TV stations to deliver the messages to a wider audience.

Consequently, there was an observed rise in deliveries with skilled birth attendants, and an increase in timely referrals.

A male volunteer in Myanmar uses
the Twin Angels picture theater
to encourage male involvement