 |
PFI Annual Report 2021- 2022 |
|
|
1 Pages 1-10 |
▲back to top |
|
|
1.1 Page 1 |
▲back to top |
1
ANNUAL 2021-22
REPORT
|
|
1.2 Page 2 |
▲back to top |
|
|
1.3 Page 3 |
▲back to top |
Table of Contents
Chairperson’s Message 04
Message from the Executive Director 06
Our Approaches 08
Our Work
10 - 40
• Community Action for Health
10
• Strategic Engagement
16
• Comprehensive Sexuality Education
20
• Prioritising Adolescent Health and Well-being in the National Agenda
23
• Advocating Reproductive Rights and Choices
25
• Feminist and Adolescent Youth-Led Action
27
• Educately
29
• Social and Behaviour Change Communication
33
• COVID-19 Mitigation, Response and Support
38
Awards & Recognition
41
Financial and Operational Highlights
42
Population Foundation of India’s Anti-sexual Harassment Policy
44
|
|
1.4 Page 4 |
▲back to top |
2
Population Foundation of India
Governing Board Members
CHAIRPERSON
Prof K Srinath Reddy
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Mr Rajya Vardhan Kanoria
MEMBERS
Mr Kiran Karnik
Mr Ratan N Tata
Dr Ajai Chowdhry
Dr Syeda Hameed
Dr Shireen J Jejeebhoy
Ms Maja Daruwala
Mr Vinod Rai
Justice Madan B Lokur
Prof Vikram Harshad Patel
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms Poonam Muttreja
Advisory Council Members
Ms Srilatha Batliwala (Chairperson)
Dr Leela Visaria
Dr Saroj Pachauri
Prof Suneeta Mittal
Dr Mirai Chatterjee
Mr Sanjoy Hazarika
Mr P D Rai
Ms Karminder Kaur
Dr Arvind Pandey
Dr Meenakshi Gopinath
Dr Pramath Raj Sinha
Dr Raman Kataria
Ms Sonalini Mirchandani
Dr Vikas Amte
Dr Rajani Ved
Ms Roli Singh, Additional Secretary, Health & Family
Welfare & MD National Health Mission, ex officio
Ms Poonam Muttreja, ex officio
|
|
1.5 Page 5 |
▲back to top |
3
Annual Report 2021-22
“Future belongs to the young. We
must not only trust them with
responsibility but must thrust it
upon them whilst they are still
young and full of energy, zest,
hope and even illusions.
JRD Tata
”
|
|
1.6 Page 6 |
▲back to top |
4
Population Foundation of India
Chairperson’s
Message
I feel privileged and honoured to have been elected as
the chairperson of the Governing Board of Population
Foundation of India, an organisation with a rich legacy
of promoting rights-based and gender-sensitive
population and health policies.
While much has been achieved to advance the
mandate of Population Foundation of India, the
mission remains very relevant as there are areas of
concern which need to be addressed in a changed
context. Future work has to recognise that the post-
COVID-19 world will need to contend with a new
reality created by the pandemic. Many forms of health
inequity have been exposed during the pandemic, as
a highly burdened and inadequately resourced health
system struggled to meet the diverse health needs of
people.
As health and social systems commit to building a
fairer, healthier society where everyone can attain
their full potential of health and well-being, the agenda
of action of Population Foundation of India has to
expand—from population stabilisation to the creation
of a healthy society. To move towards achieving
our goal of Universal Health Coverage, Population
Foundation of India has to address the issues of
access, quality and equity, besides promoting health-
seeking behaviours and self-care. Even as we succeed
in stabilising the population, there is a collective
societal duty to ensure health and well-being for that
population. This is both a moral obligation and an
economic imperative.
There has been a welcome decline in India’s total
fertility rate (TFR), which was 2.2 in the previous round
of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4).
According to recently released data, it has dropped to
2.0. Estimates indicate that the threat of population
explosion need not afflict India anymore. A TFR of 2.1
is the number at which the population is kept at a
steady level, taking into consideration the possibility of
child mortality.
Though India has achieved replacement level
fertility, interstate and interregional disparities
persist. Different states are at different stages of
demographic transition as well as socio-economic
development. Several states in India’s south have
already achieved replacement level TFR, and are more
socio-economically developed. On the other hand,
five states—Bihar (3.0), Meghalaya (2.9), Uttar Pradesh
(2.4), Jharkhand (2.3) and Manipur (2.2)—have TFR
above the replacement level, according to NFHS-5.
There are imbalances even within states, with certain
districts showing higher fertility than others. Therefore,
we need context-specific programmes and strategies.
We owe it to the men, women of the country to
eliminate the unmet need for contraception, so that
women who want to delay or prevent childbearing can
access contraception safely and with dignity.
We must also recognize that the voices seeking a
coercive “population control” approach are also
getting louder. This makes Population Foundation of
India’s role more critical than ever before. Through
its programmes and initiatives, the organisation has
and will continue to promote a non-coercive approach
with the goal to increase health, well-being and social
stability.
|
|
1.7 Page 7 |
▲back to top |
5
Annual Report 2021-22
////////////////////////////////////////////////
I congratulate Population Foundation
of India for another year of
commendable service to the Indian
people on all fronts—by engaging
in the public discourse, working
with communities and generating
evidence and tools to assist
policymakers. I would also like to
applaud Population Foundation of
India for its work with the crucial
demographic of young people.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Population Foundation of India looks forward to
working with allies and partners, as India advances
from 75 years of freedom to the 100-year vision of a
fully developed society, in which a healthy population
will be the hallmark of our progress.
Prof K Srinath Reddy
Chairperson, Governing Board
Our work has to now embrace the life course
approach to health and not deal with segmented
solutions attempted by a fragmented health system.
We are fortunate and grateful that the central and
state governments have allowed us to contribute to
their efforts. We thank our academic and civil society
partners who provided a synchrony of effort to our
common endeavours. We warmly appreciate the
support from our donors, who enable us to carry out
the work which is vital for moving India to a higher
state of universally assured health and well-being.
|
|
1.8 Page 8 |
▲back to top |
6
Population Foundation of India
Message
from the
Executive
Director
While the first year of the pandemic tested our ability
to adapt to the emerging challenges and new ways
of working, the one gone by has been defined by our
resolve and perseverance to continue working for the
health and well-being of our population through the
many waves of COVID-19.
Last year was also marked by landmark achievements.
According to the fifth round of the National Family
Health Survey or NFHS-5 (2019-21), India’s total
fertility rate dropped below the replacement level—
the rate at which a population exactly replaces itself
from one generation to the next. Only five states
are yet to achieve this feat. In other words, India has
commenced the process of population stabilisation.
As part of our strategic engagement initiatives, we
continued to engage with the highest offices of the
government as well as the NITI Aayog to support the
prioritisation of adolescents’ needs in policies and
programmes. In collaboration with the NITI Aayog, we
organised a roundtable on the significance and need
for convergence in efforts by the ministries. It had
representation from five key ministries—the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Women
and Child Development, Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Skills
Development and Entrepreneurship—and domain
experts. We were also invited by the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on Empowerment of Women
to make a presentation on issues related to family
planning, reproductive health, and maternity-benefit
schemes in India.
Our engagement with various state governments
deepened in 2021. We supported the drafting of
the Uttar Pradesh Population Policy (2021-2030)
which was released by Hon’ble Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath on 11 July 2021. Since December 2021,
we have been working closely with the UP National
Health Mission in drafting a 10-year Operational Plan
for improving adolescent sexual and reproductive
health and nutrition—one of the five key objectives
under the new Population Policy. In Bihar and
Rajasthan, we have been working with different
ministries for the advancement of the family planning
and adolescent health and well-being agenda.
In line with its mandate, Population Foundation of
India continued to engage with key stakeholders to
promote a rights-based approach to family planning
and sexual and reproductive health. We facilitated
and amplified discussions to keep investments in
adolescent health and well-being high on the public
health agenda. We made significant progress in
creating digital tools to reach adolescents directly and
empower them with the information they need.
The organisation continues to engage with young people,
maintaining its digital-forward strategy. Our artificial
intelligence-powered chatbot, SnehAI, was relaunched
with new content on online safety by Farhan Akhtar, UN
Goodwill Ambassador, renowned Indian actor-filmmaker,
and founder of the initiative Men against Rape and
Discrimination. Our edtech platform, Educately, which
hosts the online teacher-training programme ARSH For
You, has been integral to our engagement with the state
governments in UP and Bihar.
|
|
1.9 Page 9 |
▲back to top |
7
Annual Report 2021-22
As the Secretariat of the Advisory Group on
Community Action, Population Foundation of India
made significant contributions in strengthening
and scaling-up the Community Action for Health
programme under the National Health Mission.
We have supported the training of around 7,000
state, district, and block programme managers
to strengthen the functioning of community-level
institutions—Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition
Committees, Mahila Arogya Samitis, and Rogi Kalyan
Samitis—and to facilitate the roll out of Jan Arogya
Samitis across 25 states of India.
The media has been an important stakeholder for
Population Foundation of India. Our regular interaction
has earned us the reputation of being a credible
source of information on health and population issues.
This resulted in the organisation receiving notable
coverage in both domestic and international media.
We produced policy briefs, op-eds, and thought
pieces addressing myths and misconceptions and
strategically engaged with various stakeholders on
the two-child norm and a proposed bill on increasing
the legal marriage age for women. We also created an
online resource bank for journalists that hosts data
and analysis on family planning and reproductive
health issues. The resource bank will also be made
available in Hindi soon.
We are grateful to the thought leaders we have been
engaging with —some of whom we are fortunate to
have on our board. They have helped us adapt to the
changing and emerging needs of the population.
I would also like to welcome Prof K Srinath Reddy,
who is presently President of the Public Health
Foundation of India, and formerly headed the
Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences, New Delhi, as the new chairperson
of the Population Foundation’s governing board. A
Padma Bhushan awardee among his many accolades,
Prof. Reddy has been a researcher, teacher, policy
enabler, advocate, and activist, who has worked to
promote cardiovascular health, tobacco control,
chronic disease prevention, and healthy living
throughout his career. We look forward to the
organisation’s new future with him at the helm.
Population Foundation of India has greatly benefited
from its many alliances with the central and state
governments, donors, and other civil society
organisations in its work and accomplishments. We
are thankful to all of them because they contributed
in various ways to achieving shared objectives.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Given the development sector’s
rapidly changing landscape, we
continue to reinvent ourselves, while
remaining true to our core goals.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Poonam Muttreja
Executive Director,
Population Foundation of India
|
|
1.10 Page 10 |
▲back to top |
8
Population Foundation of India
Our
Approaches
Strategic Engagement
Strategic Engagement is a pillar of Population
Foundation of India’s work with key stakeholders,
including policymakers and the media on family
planning (FP), sexual and reproductive health
(SRH) and population-related issues by providing
compelling evidence to inform and inspire decision-
making. We undertake critical analysis of policies
and programmes on population, family planning and
sexual and reproductive health of women, men, and
adolescents. Through this work we strive to shift the
FP and population discourse to a gender-sensitive
and rights-based approach.
Social and Behaviour Change
Communication
Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC)
is our third key approach, which addresses social
determinants of health and promotes positive health
outcomes. Our SBCC initiatives inspire, educate,
and empower people to make healthier choices for
themselves, their families, and communities. Over
the past few years, we have adopted and applied a
360-degree approach to SBCC, using entertainment
education (edutainment) and innovative digital media
as critical means to inform and influence knowledge,
attitudes and behaviour.
Community Action &
Accountability
Community Action & Accountability is a critical part
of our work. A key strategy of the National Health
Mission (NHM), it empowers communities to discuss
the availability and quality of healthcare services
in public health facilities and provide appropriate
feedback to the healthcare officials. We strive to
promote agency of youth, particularly girls and
women, within community-led participatory initiatives
to bring greater efficiency and accountability into
public systems and delivery services.
Knowledge Management
Knowledge Management is an important crosscutting
strategic priority that informs programmes and
initiatives under each of the three verticals. Research,
evidence and data are the cornerstones of Population
Foundation of India’s programmes and policy
initiatives.
|
|
2 Pages 11-20 |
▲back to top |
|
|
2.1 Page 11 |
▲back to top |
9
Annual Report 2021-22
Strategic Engagement
Engage strategically with policymakers,
influencers and the media by providing
compelling evidence on population issues to
inform and inspire decision making.
Community Action
and Accountbility
Accountability is at the core of our work on community
action to encourage people to seek efficiency and
accountability in public health systems.
Social and Behaviour
Change Communication
Recognising that social norms drive individual
behaviour and actions, we simplify complex issues
through transformational social and behavioural
change communication across all programmes.
Knowledge Management
Generating evidence through research and evaluation to inform all programmes
|
|
2.2 Page 12 |
▲back to top |
10
Population Foundation of India
Community
Action for
Health
Strengthening Community
Action for Health under the
National Health Mission
Community Action for Health (CAH) is a key strategy
of the National Health Mission (NHM), which brings
together communities, encourages and empowers
them to discuss the availability, accessibility, and
quality of healthcare services in the public health
facilities and outreach, and provide appropriate
feedback to the healthcare officials, thereby, bringing
public into public health.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
constituted the Advisory Group on Community
Action (AGCA) in 2005 to provide guidance to the
state governments on community-process initiatives,
particularly related to accountability among those
providing public sector health services. The AGCA
comprises eminent public health experts.
|
|
2.3 Page 13 |
▲back to top |
11
Annual Report 2021-22
Population Foundation of India hosts the AGCA
Secretariat through a government order. The CAH
processes are currently being implemented in more
than 2,50,000 villages, 372 districts, and 72 cities
across 25 states and union territories in the country,
making it possibly the world’s largest community-led
accountability initiative.
2,50,000 villages
372 districts
72 cities
25 states/UTs
Training
Population Foundation of India developed a pool
of 1,438 state and district level master trainers
to strengthen the functioning of the Village Health
Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs),
Mahila Arogya Samitis (MASs), and Rogi Kalyan
Samitis (RKSs) from 12 states.
5,421 participants, including district and block
programme managers, medical officers, and
community health officers (CHOs) from five states
(Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, and Uttar
Pradesh) were oriented in rolling out the Jan Arogya
Samiti (JAS) that are being constituted at the Health
and Wellness Centers (HWCs).
Assessment
The Common Review Mission (CRM) is an annual
rapid assessment of various health programmes
under the NHM organised by the MoHFW. The AGCA
members and Secretariat team participated in the
14th Common Review Mission (CRM) in three states
(Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Uttar Pradesh) and
one Union Territory (Puducherry). The participants
reviewed the programme implementation in the
states and contributed to the preparation of state
and Union Territory reports.
|
|
2.4 Page 14 |
▲back to top |
12
Population Foundation of India
Public Health Assemblies
As part of the Tamil Nadu government’s initiative,
fourteen Health Assemblies were organised in
10 districts of the state (Ariyalur, Dharmapuri,
Ramnad, Theni, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi,
Tiruvannamalai, The Nilgiris, and Virudhunagar),
wherein inputs and feedback were sought from the
community on their health needs and priorities,
challenges in accessing health care services, and
strengthening dialogue between the community
representatives and health officials to improve the
delivery and quality of health services.
Public representatives, including the Panchayati
Raj Institution (PRI) Presidents and members,
VHSNCs and Self-Help Group (SHG) members
shared feedback on issues related to water supply,
sanitation, school health programme with the
block and district government officials. Issues with
the functioning of Anganwadi centres related to
appropriate nutrition services to pregnant women,
lactating mothers, children below six years of age,
and adolescent girls were also discussed.
The AGCA was part of the working group constituted
by the state government to develop a guideline
and an operational plan for organising the health
assemblies. Chaired by Hon’ble Chief Minister M.K.
Stalin, a state health assembly was organised in
which District Collectors and health officials from
10 districts participated. The consolidated reports
of all the health assemblies were presented. A
comprehensive plan is being developed to address
the issues and gaps identified at the health
assemblies.
Public Dialogue
Jan Samwad, or public dialogue, is a platform where
the community members directly interact and share
their feedback on the availability, accessibility, and
quality of public health services with block, district,
and state-level health officials. Action taken reports
and follow-ups are done to ensure that appropriate
action is taken to address the issues raised at these
events. In the last one year, 144 Jan Samwads
were organised across four states (Assam, Bihar,
Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand).
Some impacts of Jan Samwads include:
• Regular availability of medicines in HWCs in
Baksa, Assam
• Procurement of ante-natal kits in Nawada,
Darbhanga in Bihar
• Posting of doctors and Auxiliary Nursing
Midwives (ANMs) in Nawada, Bihar
• Construction of an approach road to HWCs at
Madhopur, Darbhanga, Bihar
• Disbursement of pending incentives to clients
and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHAs) in
Bihar and Rajasthan
• Renovation and construction of Sub Health
Centre (SHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC)
buildings in Nawada and Darbhanga, Bihar
|
|
2.5 Page 15 |
▲back to top |
13
Technical Support
The AGCA Secretariat contributed to a reference
book on health for the PRI members. It is being
developed by the National Health Systems
Resource Centre (NHSRC). We shared sections on:
• Health and development
• Institutional mechanisms for implementation
of health programmes
• Social accountability–community monitoring,
planning, and action
• Good practices and success stories
Support to roll out
Jan Arogya Samiti in Bihar
Jan Arogya Samitis (JASs) are being created at the
HWCs to provide a platform to foster community
participation, ownership, and action on social and
environment determinants of health. Population
Foundation of India drafted a state-specific guide-
line to roll-out JASs across the state in consultation
with JHPIEGO and Care India. This was approved by
Mangal Pandey, Health Minister, Bihar. A state-level
Training of Trainers (ToT) was facilitated in August
2021. 38 state-level master trainers participated.
They would in turn orient the CHOs responsible for
rolling out JASs.
Annual Report 2021-22
|
|
2.6 Page 16 |
▲back to top |
14
Population Foundation of India
Strengthening quality of care in Uttar Pradesh
• In Uttar Pradesh, 211 Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) members from Urban Primary Health Centers (UPHC)
were trained by Population Foundation of India. 149 district hospitals participated in an RKS online
webinar. 456 RKS members were given training.
• In addition to training exercises, 95 NHM staff including Regional Managers-Community Process,
Divisional Urban Health Consultants, District Managers-Community Process and Hospital Managers
were contacted and mentored for ensuring their active role in RKS in their hospitals.
• During the reporting year 2021-22, Population Foundation of India supported NHM UP in developing
several resources like:
• A reference book, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for UPHC and RKS members
• An updated reference book for districts & community health centre level RKS
• A note on the role of RKS during COVID-19 and a film on RKS
• Resource materials for training of Jan Arogya Samitis (JAS)
• Population Foundation of India’s advocacy with the Superhouse Management on the need to
introduce Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) received a very positive response. Following an
online meeting, the team provided support to NHM in the training of 9262 JAS members including
community health officers, medical officers, divisional and district health staff
|
|
2.7 Page 17 |
▲back to top |
15
Annual Report 2021-22
Impact >>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Road to Health
Construction of an approach road to
Health and Wellness Centre Surhachatti in
Darbhanga District, Bihar
The Bagmati river (a tributary of the Ganges) criss-
crosses the Hayaghat block. The area is flood
prone wherein 9 panchayats (out of 14) are cut-off
for a duration of 5-6 months due to waterlogging,
damaged roads, and poor communications. The
communities had great difficulty in accessing the
block offices and Primary Health Centers (PHC) which
were submerged in water for a very large part of the
year.
The issue was discussed at the VHSNC meetings on
several occasions. Finally community members from
all nine Panchayats organised a joint meeting and
came up with a solution to strengthen the adjoining
Additional PHCs at Majholiya and Surhachatti which
were better connected. The issue was discussed
at the Block Planning and Monitoring Committee
(BPMC) meeting chaired by the Block Development
Officer (BDO). A decision was taken to construct an
approach road to the health facility. The construction
of this road was completed in October 2021 and in
February 2022, the road was concreted. This has
greatly helped the community. General out patient
care, family planning services, and screening of non-
communicable diseases have been initiated. Both
these facilities have been upgraded as HWCs.
|
|
2.8 Page 18 |
▲back to top |
16
Population Foundation of India
Strategic
Engagement
A strong pillar of Population Foundation of India’s
work is strategic engagement with key stakeholders,
including policymakers and the media on family
planning (FP), sexual and reproductive health
(SRH) and population-related issues by providing
evidence to inform and inspire decision making.
We undertake critical analysis of policies and
programmes on population, family planning and
SRH of women, men, and adolescents. Through
our work we strive to shift the FP and population
discourse to a gender-sensitive and rights-based
approach.
National Level
The second phase of Realising Commitments to
Family Planning in India (RCFP-II) program aspires
to build greater commitment among stakeholders,
reiterating the salience and effectiveness of family
planning towards improving health and social-
development outcomes, in line with the Government
of India’s commitments to FP2030
(https://fp2030.org/) and the 2030 agenda for
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Evidence Generation
and Sharing
• Population Foundation of India contributed
significantly to busting myths and
misconceptions around family planning and
India’s population numbers. We did this by
providing evidence about the inefficacy and
negative consequences of coercive policies, such
as a two-child norm. We also spread awareness
on prevailing misconceptions about vasectomy
and the need for male engagement in family
planning.
• We engaged extensively with the media, key
stakeholders and thought leaders within the
policy landscape. The Minister of State, Bharati
Pravin Pawar, Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare (MoHFW), made a statement in the
Parliament reiterating some of the arguments
Population Foundation of India made in its
public statements and knowledge products on
the negative implications of a two-child norm.
In the same vein, the MoHFW submitted an
affidavit to the Supreme Court stating that it is
“unequivocally” against forcing people to have
only a certain number of children in a bid to
control the population.
• The UP government solicited public responses
on the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control,
Stabilisation and Welfare) Bill. We submitted a
policy note and recommendations to the UP Law
Commission.
Parliamentarian
Champions
Parliamentarians have continued to learn from
Population Foundation of India’s research and
non-partisan insights on family planning, SRH, and
population issues. The Standing Committee on
Empowerment of Women requested us to examine
the subject: Reproductive Health, Family Planning
and Maternity Benefit Schemes. Ten Members of
Parliament participated, giving us an opportunity to
build a conversation on the importance of choice-
based, quality family planning and the importance of
expanding the contraceptive basket.
|
|
2.9 Page 19 |
▲back to top |
17
Annual Report 2021-22
Credible Data and
Research Resources
Population Foundation of India developed the
Family Planning Resource Bank, a microsite
serving as a one-stop online source for
credible data and research-based evidence
on fertility trends, family planning, and sexual
and reproductive health. It is embedded
within Population Foundation of India’s main
website. The resource bank is useful for media
professionals, researchers, government officials,
academicians, students, organisations working
on FP and SRH. It contains a comprehensive,
interactive dashboard on the NFHS with state-
wise data on important indicators. Since its
launch in January 2022, the Family Planning
Resource Bank has received significant traction,
particularly from media personnel as evidenced in
social media posts and analytics of the microsite.
Media Engagement
Population Foundation of India continues to be
approached by the media for data and evidence
on family planning and population issues.
This peaked during the population control bill
discourse, the release of the 5th round of the
National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) and
the bill proposing raising age-at-marriage. The
opportunity helped us build an evidence-based
narrative centered around voluntary choice,
universalising FP/SRH services, and women
empowerment. The organisation featured
prominently in digital media, television debates,
and online panel discussions. Over 100 informed
articles, either authored by or quoting, Population
Foundation of India, were published.
|
|
2.10 Page 20 |
▲back to top |
18
Population Foundation of India
State Level
Launch of the Uttar Pradesh
population policy
Between 2014 and 2016, Population Foundation of
India supported the state government in organizing
a series of consultations, both regional and at the
state level, with government functionaries across
cadres and civil society organisations to draft a
new Population Policy for UP. The Foundation
and State Innovations in Family Planning Project
Services Agency (SIFPSA) supported the government
in organizing a series of online and in-person
consultations in 2019–20 with key stakeholders.
Population Foundation of India played a key role in
drafting the new UP Population Policy (2021-2030)
which was released by the state on July 11, 2021. This
comprehensive policy prioritizes the health needs of
women, children, adolescents and the elderly and
aims to improve the quality of life of citizens across
their life stages.
Strengthening delivery of
family planning services in
Bihar
Population Foundation of India worked with the
District Working Group (DWG), a convergence
platform of key government departments to
prioritise and execute actions on reproductive
health and family planning at the district level.
Led by the District Magistrate, DWGs have led to
improved coverage and quality of services in six
districts of Bihar. As part of this collaboration:
• A monthly analysis of the Health Management
Information System (HMIS) and Family Planning
Logistics Management Information System
(FP-LMIS) was undertaken and reports were
presented at the District Health Society (DHS)
review meetings.
• Specific feedback provided to district officials
to ensure timely indenting of contraceptives
through FP-LMIS, re-initiation of sterilisation
services post the COVID-19 lockdown and
sensitisation of frontline workers and ASHAs to
increase the uptake of injectable contraceptives.
Prioritising ARSH in Rajasthan
• In December 2021, the Rajasthan Health
Department invited Population Foundation of
India to facilitate training of Medical Officers
across 200 Model CHCs on Adolescent Friendly
Health Clinics (AFHCs) in all 33 districts of the
state. This was a result of the government’s
commitment, expressed in January 2021, to
expand the AFHC model in the state.
• Population Foundation of India also received
commitments from the Minister of Health and
Women Child Development Minister in Rajasthan
to advance adolescent health and well-being in
the state by signing a pledge curated by us. Four
MLAs, the Chairperson of the Committee for
Women & Child in the state Assembly, and key
bureaucrats took the pledge as well. The message
was further amplified by media coverage.
• Key stakeholders at the Chief Minister’s
Office (CMO) were apprised about Population
Foundation of India’s efforts to improve
adolescent health and well-being. On National
Youth Day 2021, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of
Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot wrote to Population
Foundation of India and lauded civil society
organisations for their contribution to improving
the overall well-being of young people in the
state.
|
|
3 Pages 21-30 |
▲back to top |
|
|
3.1 Page 21 |
▲back to top |
19
Annual Report 2021-22
• Development of Social Behaviour Change
Communication (SBCC) Strategy to Prevent
Child Marriage — Recognizing our extensive
experience in SBCC and expertise in adolescent
health and development, the Directorate of
Women Empowerment (DWE), Department
of Women and Child Development (WCD),
requested Population Foundation of India to
develop an SBCC strategy for the prevention of
child marriage, focusing on its adverse impact
on the health of adolescents. We signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
the Directorate in September 2021 to provide
technical support to prevent child marriage in
the state. The SBCC Strategy was submitted to
DWE in September 2021.
• Advancement of adolescent health agenda
through platforms beyond RKSK Population
Foundation of India successfully seized
opportunities and avenues to advance
adolescent health and integrate the agenda in
institutions beyond RKSK, such as the Nehru
Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Rajasthan
State AIDS Control Society (RSACS), WCD,
and Department of Panchayati Raj and Rural
Development (PR&RD).
Evidence generation
• Dr. Arvind Mayaram, the Economic Advisor at the
CMO released a study on ‘Returns on Investment
in Adolescents’ Sexual and Reproductive Health
in Rajasthan’ in September, 2021 and lauded
our efforts to underscore the issue. The study
highlights the importance of investments
in health and well-being of adolescents for
leveraging the demographic dividend.
|
|
3.2 Page 22 |
▲back to top |
20
Population Foundation of India
Comprehensive
Sexuality
Education
Scoping for expansion of Comprehensive Sexuality
Education (CSE) in India started in November
2020, with the objective of generating political
will, new thought leadership, and groundswell for
the integration of age-appropriate CSE in existing
government mechanisms at state levels, leading to
scaling up at the national level.
This project is being implemented in Uttar Pradesh,
Jharkhand, Manipur, and Delhi. Population Foundation
of India is engaging with various departments in these
states, such as the Department of Health, Woman and
Child, Social Welfare, Youth Affairs, and Sports and
Education to pilot models, in both in-school and out-of-
school settings for equipping adolescents with age-
appropriate and accurate information on CSE.
|
|
3.3 Page 23 |
▲back to top |
21
Annual Report 2021-22
Building understanding
• Addresses challenges of adolescents around
early marriages, decision making, gender
Population Foundation of India partnered with
Development Solutions on a study titled Opinion
Analysis of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in
India to comprehend the varied opinions and
norms, myths and misconceptions about SRH by
introducing an age-appropriate curriculum under
the School Health Programme (SHP), for two age
groups–10-14 years and 15-19 years.
understanding of CSE amongst stakeholders. More
•
than 150 stakeholders across four states and from
the national level were interviewed. The findings were
disseminated widely. One recommendation was to
use adolescent health and well-being education in
place of CSE.
Following the launch of the UP Population Policy
2021-2030, the state government constituted a
Core Group to draft ten-year operational plans for
each of the five objectives laid out in the policy.
Population Foundation of India was nominated by
the government to provide inputs to all the plans
and to specifically draft the Adolescent Health
Engagement with the Uttar
Operational Plan. From January–March 2022,
Population Foundation of India facilitated four
Pradesh government
meetings of the NHM Adolescent Health Technical
Advisory Group (TSG).
////////////////////////////////////////////////
• Population Foundation of India’s engagement
with the UP government led to the prioritisation
of adolescent health and well-being in the
Population Policy for the state (2021-2030)
released by the Hon’ble Chief Minister. This
underscores the political commitment and
buy-in towards advancing programs centred
on adolescent health. Objective 4 of the policy
includes improving information and services
related to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH)
and nutrition for adolescents.
The TSG comprises NHM’s Adolescent Health Cell
and partners working on adolescent health in the
state. The draft plan was submitted in May 2022.
This progressive plan envisages establishment of
health clubs in all schools and colleges and use
of technology-based platforms to reach every
adolescent in the state with information on SRH
and nutrition. It envisages specific measures to
improve adolescents’ access to counselling and
health services through convergence between
departments.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
|
|
3.4 Page 24 |
▲back to top |
22
Population Foundation of India
Rollout of Sehat Kendras
in Bihar
Population Foundation of India provided technical
support to the State Health Society Bihar (SHSB)
and Bihar State AIDS Control Society (BSACS) in
conceptualisation of the SEHAT Kendra, a youth-
friendly space, which provides accurate information
on sexual and reproductive health, mental health,
gender, and nutrition to students across 30 colleges
in Bihar. The initiative, funded through the National
Health Mission State Programme Implementation
Plan (PIP) includes:
• Developed a brand guideline and a reference
manual for peer educators
• A state-level refresher Training of Trainers (ToT),
attended by 102 peer educators and Red Ribbon
Club Coordinators in October 2021. The Executive
Director of SHSB inaugurated the ToT, and
addressed the participants
• Colleges have followed up the training with
initiatives like organising seminars, debates on
matters related to adolescent health and well-
being, population growth, mental health, gender
and life skills. 20,434 students participated
• Looking at the initial success, the state
government has committed to scale-up the
initiative in 15 additional colleges each year
|
|
3.5 Page 25 |
▲back to top |
23
Annual Report 2021-22
Prioritising
Adolescent
Health and
Well-being in the
•
National Agenda
To understand the adolescent health and well-
being landscape, the working group mapped all
the national-level schemes and programmes for
adolescents to assess their reach and coverage,
gaps and challenges, and identify good practices
Started in January 2020, project Hi-WAY’s objective is
to prioritise investments and place adolescent health
• Report suggests recommendations for
and well-being at the forefront. The project aims at
strengthening programmes on adolescent health
using evidence to strategically engage with stakeholders
and well-being, using a convergence approach|
and seek their commitment to adolescent well-being.
Population Foundation of India, under this grant, has
• Based on the findings, the working group developed
been engaging with various ministries such as the
a framework for a five-year action plan for
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child
adolescent health and well-being to be implemented
Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, Education, Skills
through multi-ministerial convergent action and
Development and Entrepreneurship, and NITI Aayog
submitted to the NITI Aayog for approval
towards institutionalising a mechanism of convergent
action at the national level on adolescent health and
well-being.
Population Foundation of India partnered with the
Institute for Competitiveness to commission a study to
gather evidence on the need to invest in adolescents.
Understanding policy and
programmatic landscape
The study titled–Investing in Adolescents: A Case for
India–highlights the need to invest in adolescents,
estimates the key gaps, and determines the
approximate cost of addressing those gaps. The study
As a result of the high-level multi-ministerial round-
table, co-hosted by NITI Aayog in March 2021, a working
group of NITI Aayog and Population Foundation
of India was set up to strategise, plan and monitor
the implementation of a convergent action plan for
adolescent development and well-being at the national
level.
further explores areas such as secondary education,
nutrition, unmet need for family planning, mental
health, and issue of child marriage. This report was
released online by Dr Bibek Debroy, the Chairman of
the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
of India. Dr Debroy, in his remarks, heightened the
need to focus on adolescents and the need for India to
strengthen its policies for the health and well-being of
adolescents.
|
|
3.6 Page 26 |
▲back to top |
24
Population Foundation of India
Generating groundswell
Population Foundation of India engaged with 40 Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs) to collectively voice
the need to prioritise adolescent development and
well-being in India. The CSOs wrote letters to the
Hon’ble Prime Minister in August 2021. Subsequently,
Population Foundation of India mobilised more
than 500 adolescents to sign and send a letter to
the Prime Minister acknowledging the aspirations
of young people and the need to provide them with
opportunities to make them self-reliant.
Social media amplification
Kishore ka Shor was an online campaign that reached
1 million+ users and engaged over 100,000 users. We
invited stakeholders and adolescents to talk about
the need to invest in adolescent health and how it will
have a positive impact on the future of our country.
The joint efforts were reflected in the Prime Minister’s
speech on Gandhi Jayanti in October 2021, drawing
attention to young people by stating: “It is important
that every youngster gets opportunities. And when
I speak of opportunities, I do not merely refer to
assistance that keeps them dependent but the
support that makes them self-reliant to fulfil their
aspirations, with dignity.”
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Kadam Uthao:
50,000+ users online
Kishor Ka Shor:
1 million+ users reached
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Population Foundation of India organised a Twitter
chat called Kadam Uthao, a campaign where
information on challenges that adolescents face
on a daily basis was shared with them. They were
asked to share their aspirations for the year 2021. It
reached over 50,000+ users online.
|
|
3.7 Page 27 |
▲back to top |
25
Annual Report 2021-22
Advocating
Reproductive
Rights and
Choices
Advocating Reproductive Choices (ARC) is a national-
level coalition of 115 civil society organisations
working collectively to strengthen and advance
access to family planning services in India since
2005 (www.arccoalition.org). Population Foundation
of India has been hosting its Secretariat since
2015. The Secretariat worked towards increased
communication and outreach by:
////////////////////////////////////////////////
• Increasing one-to-one engagements with the
ARC members to identify opportunities for
collaborations
Collaborative engagement
• In the second year of the pandemic, the ARC
Secretariat continued to hold online webinars to
foster cross-learning amongst members. Over 400
participants attended the three webinars conducted
by Population Foundation of India:
• On the Move: COVID-19, Migration and Family
Planning in collaboration with Population
Council
• India’s progress on Family Planning: Highlights
from NFHS-5 in collaboration Population Council
• Disseminating information on webinars, reports,
• Building an understanding of FPKonet among
studies undertaken by the members across the
ARC members for its effective utilisation
coalition for cross-learning
• Leveraging the ARC coalition, we wrote to the
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Union Health Minister highlighting developmental
strategies that would contribute to population
stabilisation. In early 2022, the Government of India
made a statement that population control should
happen by creating awareness among people and
not by force.
|
|
3.8 Page 28 |
▲back to top |
26
Population Foundation of India
Social media for change
and choice
The ARC coalition has actively used the power
of social media platforms like Facebook and
Twitter to amplify messages and outreach on
SRH rights, especially related to voluntary family
planning with choice and dignity, crowdsourcing
related information, and engaging in meaningful
conversations to increase the coalition’s visibility and
collective strength.
Studying availability and quality
of reproductive health, family
planning during Covid-19
• Understand the status of delivery of FP and RH
services at the community level
• Map challenges faced by communities, frontline
health workers, and health officials in accessing
and providing FP and RH services
• Collect viewpoints of CSOs on current status of FP
and RH services and suggestions for way forward
• Recommendations to increase availability and
improve access to RH and FP services during
health emergencies.
The report will be used for strategic engagement
with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and
state governments to address the gaps and improve
availability and access to RH and FP services.
The Secretariat undertook a qualitative assessment
in Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on availability,
access, and quality of reproductive health (RH) and
family planning (FP) services during COVID-19. The
objectives were to:
|
|
3.9 Page 29 |
▲back to top |
27
Annual Report 2021-22
Feminist and
Adolescent
Youth-Led
Action
On the field
Completing Comprehensive Sexuality Education
(CSE) curriculum with more than 10,000 out-of-school
adolescents trained by youth field facilitators (master
trainers) across 200 villages in 4 districts. Despite two
nationwide lockdowns and a complete halt of field
engagements, the team could successfully complete
the delivery of module-wise sessions at the village and
school level with more than the expected number of
adolescents. Mock sessions were organised to ensure
that any adolescents who missed the earlier sessions
could also benefit through participating in the most
pertinent sessions from the curriculum.
10,000 adolescents
reached directly through sessions led by
trained youth facilitators
20,000 adolescents
reached through identified peer educators
Feminist and Adolescent Youth-led Action (FAYA) is a
youth-led and owned community-based programme
implemented across the four districts of Rajasthan,
namely Bundi, Dungarpur, Karauli, and Tonk. The
program aims to disseminate age appropriate and
contextually relevant Comprehensive Sexuality
Education (CSE) to 10,000 adolescents directly
through sessions led by trained youth facilitators,
and indirectly to an additional 20,000 adolescents
through identified peer educators. Besides sharing
knowledge on sexual and reproductive health
(SRH) amongst adolescents, the program builds an
enabling environment with local and community
leaders, PRI representatives and parents to better
understand the dynamics and attitudes around
gender and power.
Storytelling for change
Outreach to more than 21,000 adolescents by Peer
Educators called Kishor Mitras selected from the
cohort of 10,000 adolescents who received the
detailed CSE curriculum sessions. Sessions were
conducted by the selected peer educators using
content in the form of stories and factual information
on selected topics from the Kishor Mitra diary provided
to them.
Youth ki awaaz
Successful establishment of Youth Resource Centres called
Super Saathi Kendras (SSKs) in Dungarpur and Tonk (one
in each district) after their establishment in Bundi and
Karauli in the financial year ending in 2021. The process
was owned by the community with adolescents playing
a pivotal role in ensuring the availability, running
and commitment to a free and safe space as well as
resources for the Kendras. The SSK was inaugurated by
the Sarpanch and the local Rashtriya Kishore Swasthya
Karyakram (RKSK) counselor in Dungarpur, and by the
Sub-divisional Magistrate of Todaraisingh block, Block
Development Officer, Tehsildar, Sarpanch, and the local
RKSK counselor in case of Tonk district.
|
|
3.10 Page 30 |
▲back to top |
28
Population Foundation of India
Impact >>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Empowering through education
At 16-years-of age, Sonal is the eldest among three
children. The family of five, lived in Dewal village
barely making ends meet. Her father, educated till
the 8th class, was a blacksmith, making and selling
stoves and pans while Sonal’s mother took care of the
house and helped her husband.
Sonal saw and lived these hardships every day. She
knew her education had a role to play in improving
her own and her family’s life. A year short of
completing her school education, Sonal dreamt of
finishing school and becoming a qualified midwife to
serve her community. But talk of getting her married
was already in the air.
Sonal knew if she got married so early in life, it would
be the end of her ambitions. Sonal decided to talk
to her parents about completing her studies and
becoming independent. Her plea went unaddressed
as talk of marriage still took precedence over all else.
Sonal decided to talk to Ganga, a cluster coordinator
in the FAYA program. As suggested by Ganga, Sonal
decided to take part in a few group sessions which
were being conducted in the village at the time. Sonal
found the sessions encouraging and inspiring. There
was discussion on child marriage but Sonal heard
discussions around consent, autonomy, decision
making and violence.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Armed with this information, Sonal decided to
speak to her parents about continuing her studies
further. After much persuasion, her parents agreed
to let her continue school. They also discussed the
same with the boy’s family to delay marriage until
Sonal completes school and pursues her course in
midwifery.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
|
|
4 Pages 31-40 |
▲back to top |
|
|
4.1 Page 31 |
▲back to top |
29
Annual Report 2021-22
Educately
Educately is Population Foundation of India’s one-
stop digital resource platform for information about
adolescent health and well-being. It aims to reach
adolescents and all those who play a critical role in
their lives: parents, educators, community members,
and policymakers.
Educately is also available as a mobile app on the Play
Store and App Store.
Educately has received nearly 200,000 visits and 4652
enrolments as of 31st March, 2022 since it went live in
August 2020.
ARSH for You, where ARSH stands for Adolescent
Reproductive and Sexual Health is an online teacher-
training programme hosted on Educately.org. The
programme is designed to equip teachers with
information on aspects of adolescent health and well-
being, and strengthen facilitation skills to deliver such
information in a sensitive manner. It is a self-paced
programme available online in Hindi and English and
is free of cost.
|
|
4.2 Page 32 |
▲back to top |
30
Population Foundation of India
MOU with Bihar government
In partnership with the Department of Education,
Government of Bihar, Population Foundation of
India conducted a pilot of the online teacher-training
programme ARSH for You in Jehanabad, Bihar. Over
500 secondary school teachers across 163 schools
participated in the pilot. 493 teachers successfully
completed the training programme within four weeks
of enrolment. As a result of the successful pilot, we
have signed an MoU with the Education Department
to scale-up the programme across the state.
Maharajganj, Prayagraj, Sitapur, and Bahraich
districts in Uttar Pradesh. Educately has conducted
orientations of 312 District Resource Group
members. ARSH for You aims to equip educators
with the knowledge, skills, and attitude to address
adolescent health and well-being. This program
also aims to promote safe internet usage among
adolescents effectively and empathetically.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
4,250 schools
8,000 Wellness
Ambassadors
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Training for Allen House Group
of Schools, Uttar Pradesh
Pilot online training program in
Uttar Pradesh
Population Foundation of India, in partnership with
the National Health Mission (NHM), Uttar Pradesh,
launched a pilot online training programme on
adolescent health and well-being—ARSH for You. The
pilot will cover over 4,250 schools and nearly 8,000
Health and Wellness Ambassadors in Barabanki,
Population Foundation of India partnered with the
Allen House Group of Schools in Uttar Pradesh and
conducted an in-person orientation of their senior
management team and teachers of Delhi Public
School, Lucknow, on the issue of adolescent health
and well-being. As part of the collaboration, teachers
from DPS schools will train through the Educately
portal in the online teacher-training programme,
ARSH for You.
|
|
4.3 Page 33 |
▲back to top |
31
Annual Report 2021-22
Partnership with Bharat
Scouts and Guides, Uttar
Pradesh
A letter of approval was received from Bharat Scouts
and Guides (BSG), UP, for training their members
across the state through Educately. All officials
across 75 districts have been directed to undertake
the ARSH for You online training and ensure the
same is passed on to the Scouts and Guides cadre.
The orientation and enrolment of officials is currently
underway and 30 divisional senior officers have been
oriented to date.
Capacity building in Mental
Health Counselling
Population Foundation of India has signed an MoU
with Sangath—a pioneering non-profit organisation
working in the areas of mental health and adolescent
issues—to develop, digitise, and offer an online
course called Adolescent Problem-Solving Training
(APT) on Educately. The objective is to build the
capacity of individuals working with adolescents
in order to support their mental health concerns.
Through this course, learners gain knowledge and
skills to conduct the counselling process and the
problem-solving intervention. The course teaches
an evidence-based, problem-solving counselling
intervention that will equip adolescents with coping
skills for their mental health concerns. The course
will be available in English and Hindi, with self-
assessment quizzes and additional readings offered
along with main resources.
Collaboration with HCL
Foundation
The ARSH for You Programme has been integrated
on the HCL Foundation Academy Platform. 110
participants have undertaken the course across two
batches so far.
|
|
4.4 Page 34 |
▲back to top |
32
Population Foundation of India
Impact >>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
How to teach Comprehensive
Sexuality Education
“Sexuality education is taught like a textbook subject.
Children are given no proper exposure or vocabulary
to navigate this subject. It gets worse when it comes
to schools based in villages. Some girls don’t know
why they mature, or why they menstruate. This leads
to children being surprised by things later in their
life,” says Sathish Kumar, an educator in Erode district
of Tamil Nadu.
a few children in my school who were going through
challenges. For instance, if a child is distracted and
not speaking to someone, or if children make fun of
a transgender person, then how can we explain and
deal with a situation,” he shares.
Sathish believes that the state syllabus can include a
lot of what was in the ARSH for You course. “I think
a few teachers from each school can be nominated
to study the course and apply the changes in class.
Since the course is free, fees should not be an issue,”
he suggests.
A teacher-turned-principal, Sathish is a strong
advocate for a more comprehensive sexuality
education system. He has witnessed the
shortcomings as well as the consequences of poor
sexuality education. He says that much is changing in
society, referring to open conversations about same-
sex attraction and previously lesser-known sexualities
and genders. “Unfortunately, several teachers are
not well-versed in these concepts, many don’t even
know the difference between sexuality and gender,”
he adds.
Sathish is one of over 600 educators to benefit from
Educately’s ARSH for You programme.
Sathish was curious to learn about how to tackle
issues like these that would affect his students.
He came across Population Foundation of India’s
adolescent health platform, Educately and decided to
explore it. The platform offered a course called ARSH
for You, in which Sathish found methods and topics
useful for educators like himself.
“The course was very informative. It had theory like in
books and blogs, but activities but also how to discuss
sensitive topics such as masturbation and premarital
sex. It had case studies, something I had not come
across earlier. I was able to make the connection with
|
|
4.5 Page 35 |
▲back to top |
33
Annual Report 2021-22
Social and
Behaviour
Change
Communication
Himmat Hai To Jeet Hai
In response to the second wave of the COVID-19
pandemic, Population Foundation of India launched
the 3rd phase of the Himmat Hai Toh Jeet Hai (HHTJH)
campaign encouraging women to influence behaviour
change.
A series of videos, infographics, multimedia were
developed to inform, create awareness, and address
myths on COVID appropriate behaviour (CAB), vaccine
hesitancy, isolation, quarantine, and stigma.
A new version of the HHTJH Anthem was released
as a part of the campaign, reaching over 56 million
users online on Facebook and Instagram.
The communication assets were
translated into regional languages such
as Bengali, Kannada, Odiya, Assamese,
and Nepali. For Bihar, a set of audio
messages were created and disseminated
in the districts. The campaign material
has been disseminated across online
and offline platforms in partnership
with Population Foundation of India’s
state offices and on-ground partners.
|
|
4.6 Page 36 |
▲back to top |
34
Population Foundation of India
Sanjeevani-Covid-19 response
programme
Tata Communications is working on the Sanjeevani–
COVID-19 Response Programme, to equip
grassroot organisations and frontline healthcare
workers with ways to tackle vaccine hesitancy and
promote CAB. Population Foundation of India has
created a range of SBCC material and is engaged
in training NGOs/frontline healthcare workers in
effectively disseminating these materials within the
communities they work with.
Hasya Kavi Potliwala
A series of short animation films featuring a poet
who recites poems tackling myths around vaccination
including videos promoting vaccination for children
and precautionary doses were developed. The
videos were shared on social media and as part of
dissemination with our network of partners.
Population Foundation of India conducted training
for 13 NGOs across 8 states to provide them a
better understanding of COVID-19, the science
behind vaccinations, and effective usage of SBCC
materials. We continue to mentor and support these
organisations while they implement the programme
in their local communities.
13 NGOs
8 states
|
|
4.7 Page 37 |
▲back to top |
35
Annual Report 2021-22
#Dooriyanhataein
Population Foundation of India worked on the
#DooriyanHataein campaign with Facebook (Meta)
under the Vaccine Confidence Initiative. The social
media campaign aimed to create awareness and
public support for the need to vaccinate, continue
practicing CABs and build individual responsibility
to stop the spread of COVID-19. Short films
were created on these issues, released and
promoted during the festive season on Population
Foundation of India’s social media channels.
Girls capital campaign
#prompthernow
Population Foundation of India designed and
implemented a digital campaign #PromptHerNow
to highlight the importance of addressing the
needs of young people and responding to their
health and well-being, especially post COVID-19
which saw closure of schools and other spaces
for young people. The digital campaign consisted
of films which had testimonials on real-life
experiences of girls from UP and Rajasthan, who
overcame challenges presented by the COVID-19
pandemic. A webinar was held on the effects of
the pandemic on girl child education. The campaign
reached more than 2.5 million online users and
attained 1 million views.
|
|
4.8 Page 38 |
▲back to top |
36
Population Foundation of India
SnehAI: A companion to enable
and protect
Population Foundation of India is working on the
issue of Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
(OCSEA), focusing on adolescents (aged 13-19 years).
A two-year project uses Population Foundation of
India’s expertise and experience with digital media
to build safe online behaviour and identify risks in
the context of OCSEA. The objective is to expand
tools and services to prevent victimisation of children
and harmful behaviour by offenders and potential
offenders in the digital environment. The project’s
main components are:
SnehAI, the PFI’s artificial intelligence (AI-) powered
chatbot provides a safe, non-judgemental, and
trusted space for adolescents to seek out information
and resources on their sexual and reproductive
health and rights. We have modified the structure
and content of the existing chatbot to include the
OCSEA. Designed in an adolescent friendly and
forward manner, the chatbot uses rich media such as
videos and GIFs to engage adolescents on key issues.
The SnehAI website was also launched with the
chatbot widget for users to interact with the bot. The
website also features key information and resources
on adolescent health and wellbeing as well as online
safety.
• Enhancing the existing content on SnehAI chatbot
• A digital campaign on online safety
• Evidence generation on OCSEA in India.
///////////////////////////////
141,800+
active users
8.79 Million+
conversations
//////////////////////////////
|
|
4.9 Page 39 |
▲back to top |
37
Annual Report 2021-22
Social media amplification
Population Foundation of India launched the chatbot on Facebook Messenger with animation films, quizzes,
and resources on digital safety and preventing online child sexual exploitation and abuse, featuring topics,
such as bullying, harassment, and grooming.
A Facebook Live session was held with renowned actor, writer, and filmmaker, Farhan Akhtar on creating safe
online spaces for young people and public launch of the SnehAI chatbot.
|
|
4.10 Page 40 |
▲back to top |
38
Population Foundation of India
COVID-19
Mitigation,
Response
and Support
The rapid spread of COVID-19 as well as the lack
of understanding of protective measures led to
anxiety and fear. The spread of fake news and
misinformation on social media platforms further
led to stigmatisation, social isolation, and vaccine
hesitancy in communities. During such a time, there
was a need to create awareness and public support
for the need to vaccinate, continue practicing
CABs and build individual responsibility to stop
the spread of COVID-19. Population Foundation
of India collaborated with the Government of
India, Facebook and other partners to counter the
spread of misinformation related to COVID-19 and
vaccination.
|
|
5 Pages 41-50 |
▲back to top |
|
|
5.1 Page 41 |
▲back to top |
39
Annual Report 2021-22
Issues contributing to
vaccine hesitancy
A dipstick assessment was undertaken with
Auxiliary Nursing Midwives (ANMs), Accredited
Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Village Health
Sanitation and Nutrition Committees, Mahila Arogya
Samitis, Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local
Bodies as well as block, district, and state National
Health Mission (NHM) officials from 37 districts
across 7 states (Bihar, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan)
to understand the key issues around COVID-19
vaccine hesitancy. Based on the exercise, resource
materials and promotional aids were developed
to address vaccine hesitancy, including videos,
audio messages, posters, and a reference book
for field facilitators. Subsequently, orientation and
mentoring sessions were organised to strengthen
engagement in COVID-19 mitigation. These sessions
were attended by over 1200 state and district
NHM officials and Civil Society Organisation (CSO)
partners from 9 states.
Bringing family planning
services closer to communities
The COVID-19 pandemic created a sense of fear
among communities, who hesitated in accessing
health services at PHCs and Sub-Divisional Hospitals.
Among other services, this affected the adoption of
temporary methods and intrauterine contraceptive
devices (IUCDs).
Population Foundation of India team raised this
issue at a district-level review meeting chaired by
the District Development Commissioner (DDC)
in Nawada district, Bihar in January 2021. It was
suggested that IUCD services be decentralised
in selected centres. The DDC instructed the Civil
Surgeon to initiate fixed-day IUCD services in a
phased manner. Population Foundation of India
was requested to support the block health teams
in operationalising services and helping generate
community demand.
|
|
5.2 Page 42 |
▲back to top |
40
Population Foundation of India
The work began with a series of meetings with the
block health officials and ANMs, in which 32 SHCs
and HWCs were identified to initiate services. It was
followed by a training of need assessment of ANMs
and gap assessment of the health facilities. The
reports were shared with block and district health
officials. Subsequently, infrastructural improvements
of the health facility buildings were undertaken
from the untied funds, and a separate room was
designated for IUCD insertion. The ANMs were
trained by the Regional Programme Management
Unit team and IUCD kits were provided to them. The
youth champions, VHSNCs, and ASHAs disseminated
information on the availability of IUCD services
and motivated women to avail services from the
designated health facilities. Till March 2022, 427
women had accessed the IUCD services.
Support to Bihar govt in
Covid-19 mitigation and
vaccination
Population Foundation of India was nominated by the
State Health Society Bihar (SHSB) as a member of the
state-steering committee for COVID-19 mitigation. We
supported the SHSB team in analysing COVID-19 and
vaccination coverage data. In Darbhanga and Nawada
districts, we developed capacities and supported the
VHSNC and local self-government members in:
• Outbound calls to 35,000 Interactive Voice
Response System (IVRS) users on CAB and vaccine
promotion.
• VHSNC members and youth champions mobilised
4,820 community members for COVID-19 testing
and 2,00,419 beneficiaries for vaccination.
• 32 sanitary napkin banks started by the youth
champions due to closure of schools to promote
safe menstrual hygiene among 653 adolescent
girls.
COVID-19 response
Population Foundation of India was invited by the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government
of India, and the World Health Organization’s
Country Office for a National Consultation on
COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Women. Based
on our field experience, we were asked to share
how communities view vaccination for pregnant
women. Recommendations made at the consultation
informed the development of a vaccination protocol
and inclusion of pregnant women in the COVID-19
vaccination programme.
• Constituting and providing orientation to 100
COVID-19 Management Committees at the gram
panchayat level.
• Miking and community outreach activities
undertaken in 835 villages, covering a population of
approximately 1.6 million.
|
|
5.3 Page 43 |
▲back to top |
41
Annual Report 2021-22
Awards and
Recognition
KM Champion Innovator for The
Pitch: Asia!
The Pitch: Asia!—organised by Knowledge SUCCESS
is a global project led by a consortium of partners
funded by the USAID to create opportunities for
collaboration and knowledge exchange within the
family planning and reproductive health community.
It is an annual competition organised to develop and
implement innovative ideas for FP/RH programs in
selected countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
Up to five organisations based in sub-Saharan Africa
and Asia are awarded to implement innovative
ideas. More than 80 organisations applied, out of
which 10 semi-finalists were selected to present
their ideas to a panel of judges.
Population Foundation of India was adjudged the
winner of the KM Champion Innovator for The
Pitch: Asia!. The project—Realising Commitments
to Family Planning in India program (RCFP-II) won
the award. The program aims to spread awareness
about the importance of family planning. Our pitch
was to create a Hindi version of the FP Resource
Bank to increase access to information, data, and
recent developments on FP/SRH for Hindi media
professionals. Population Foundation of India
won prize money of USD$50,000 to execute the
innovation.
eNGO Challenge Award for
Digital Tools & Empowerment
The eNGO Challenge under the umbrella of Digital
Empowerment Foundation’s eNGO Programme aims
to recognise and facilitate grassroots organisations
doing exceptional work using digital tools. The eNGO
Challenge is seven years old and recognizes best
practices across South Asia. SnehAI won the award
in the Digital Tools and Empowerment category
for creating an AI-powered chatbot that provides
information on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
WhatsApp Incubator
Programme (WIP) for SnehAI
Population Foundation of India has been selected
as one of the top 10 incubatees of the WhatsApp
Incubator Program (WIP) in March 2022. The WIP
is an initiative to facilitate positive and measurable
health outcomes through the WhatsApp Business
Platform. As part of the program, Population
Foundation of India will build SnehAI chatbot for
WhatsApp to leverage the platform for creating
awareness and knowledge on sexual and
reproductive health and well-being for young people
|
|
5.4 Page 44 |
▲back to top |
42
Population Foundation of India
Financial
and Operational
Highlights
Particulars
SOURCE OF FUNDS
Corpus Fund
Society Fund
Deferred Grant
Restricted Project Funds
Current Liabilities
Provisions
Total
APPLICATION OF FUNDS
Fixed Assets
Investments
Cash and Bank Balances
Loans and Advances
Total
2021-22
Rs. (in Lakh)
500
6,461
120
1,603
398
42
9,124
2020-21
Rs. (in Lakh)
500
6,029
48
2,680
190
41
9,488
186
5,470
1,862
1,606
9,124
119
5,470
2,820
1,079
9,488
|
|
5.5 Page 45 |
▲back to top |
43
Annual Report 2021-22
Particulars
INCOME
Grant income
Donation income
Rental Income
Interest and other income
Total
EXPENDITURE
Population, Health and Family Planning expense
Behaviour Change Communication expense
Community Action for Health expense
Other Project expense
Management & Administrative expense
Total
Excess of Income over Expenditure
2021-22 2020-21
Rs. (in Lakh)
1,993
Rs. (in Lakh)
2,180
-
6
198
216
641
456
2,832
2,858
1,335
254
389
268
154
2,400
432
1,215
639
326
218
174
2,572
286
|
|
5.6 Page 46 |
▲back to top |
44
Population Foundation of India
Population Foundation of
India’s Anti-sexual
Harassment Policy
At the workplace, Population Foundation of India
prohibits discrimination, inappropriate conduct, or
harassment, based on a person’s gender, religion,
caste, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age,
colour, national origin, veteran status, marital status,
race, ancestry, linguistic or any other legally protected
characteristic. Population Foundation of India
holds that all persons have the right to work in an
atmosphere free of discrimination and harassment.
Population Foundation of India recognises that
equality in employment can be seriously impaired
when women are subjected to gender-specific
violence, like sexual harassment at the workplace.
Population Foundation of India has thus adopted Anti
Sexual Harassment Policy (referred to as PFIASHP)
for the prevention, prohibition, and redressal of
sexual harassment in compliance with the mandate
of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
and rules thereunder. Under this policy, the Internal
Complaints Committee (ICC) has been constituted
under Rule IV and a detailed grievance procedure
has been laid down in the organisation’s policy. In the
year 2021-2022, no cases of sexual harassment were
filed in the organisation.
About Population Foundation
of India
Population Foundation of India is a national NGO
which promotes and advocates for the effective
formulation and implementation of gender-sensitive
population, health and development strategies,
policies and programmes. The organisation was
founded in 1970 by a group of socially committed
industrialists under the leadership of the late JRD
Tata and Dr. Bharat Ram.
Mission
////////////////////////////////////////////////
Population Foundation of India will
advance gender sensitive, rights-
based population and family planning
policies and actions for a just,
equitable and prosperous society.
////////////////////////////////////////////////
|
|
5.7 Page 47 |
▲back to top |
45
Our Donors
Our mission and accomplishments would not have
been possible without the generous support and
collaboration with our donors and programme
partners. We are thankful for their continued
partnership and collaboration to advance our shared
mission.
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Children’s Investment Fund Foundation
• The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
• Facebook India Online Services Pvt Ltd
• Johns Hopkins University
• HCL Foundation
• Tata Communications Ltd.
• Ishtar Music Pvt Ltd.
• DCM Shriram Foundation
• Centre for International Development Services
Annual Report 2021-22
|
|
5.8 Page 48 |
▲back to top |
46
Head office
B-28, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi – 110016
T: +91 11 43894 100 | F: +91 11 43894 199
Regional offices
• Bihar: 123A, 1st Floor, Patliputra Colony, Patna – 800013
T: +91 612 227 0634
• Rajasthan: C-9, Shiv Marg, Shyam Nagar, Jaipur – 302019
T: +91 141 410 4771
• Uttar Pradesh: C-3, Nirala Nagar, Opposite Thandi Park, Lucknow – 226020
T: +91 522 400 5091
www.populationfoundation.in
@PopFoundIndia
@PopFoundIndia
@populationfoundationindia