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PFI CSR Brochure 2019 |
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INVESTMENTS
IN MAKING
YOUNG PEOPLE
FUTURE READY,
TODAY
As per global estimates,
an investment of $4.60 per
adolescent every year from
2015 to 2030 in adolescent
programs (physical, mental
and sexual health) to improve
their outcomes could bring a
ten-fold economic benefit by
preventing 12 million deaths
and more than 30 million
unwanted pregnancies2
Every third Indian is a young person between the age of 10 and
24. This population of approximately 330 million constitutes one-
fifth of the world’s adolescents and youth. They give us a unique
demographic advantage and opportunity to drive productivity and
economic growth.Youth and adolescents are at a stage of life which
sees the most rapid human development, when biological maturity
precedes psychosocial maturity. The exposure to their external
environment and the quality of information, facilities and resources
that they are able to access has a lifelong impact.There is no better
time than this formative period in shaping the future of our nation, as
manifested in the health, wellbeing, social and productive skills that
are imparted to our young people today.
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WHAT DO YOUNG PEOPLE ENCOUNTER?
Young people, and especially adolescents (10 – 19), are at a unique phase of life when they are grappling with physical
and mental changes, while fitting into the boundaries of social norms.The biggest challenge is for young people to access
information and services related to their sexual and reproductive health (SRH). As a result of social norms, they are
faced with conflicting and negative messages about sexuality, exacerbated by embarrassment and silence from adults,
including parents and teachers. This restricts young people’s ability to take critical decisions related to education, health,
relationships and marriage.As a result, they are vulnerable to violence, lack of choice in reproductive health decisions, poor
health in adulthood and discriminatory practices.
WHERE CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
SAFE AND FRIENDLY LEARNING
AND INTERACTION SPACES
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Facilities specially designed for, and
with active participation of young
people, where they interact with
each other, participate in structured
recreational activities, get information
on issues related to their health and
avail counselling and medical services.
CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND
LIFE SKILLS TRAINING TO BUILD
A CADRE OF YOUNG LEADERS
IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
A custom-designed programme to
identify, mentor and train young people
on their rights and entitlements, job
readiness and leadership skills that
would prepare them to be champions
and seed social transformation within
the most marginalised groups.
USE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR
SOCIAL GOOD
Development of digital technologies for
young people, improving their access
to these technologies by building skills
in utilisation of sophisticated artificial
intelligence-based applications, and
empowering them to harness digital
media while safeguarding themselves
from online risks.
1 Census of India, 2011
2 www.thelancet.com Published online April 19, 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30872-3
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WHY POPULATION
FOUNDATION OF
INDIA?
Population Foundation of India
(PFI) is a national civil society
organisation, which promotes and
advocates effective formulation and
implementation of gender sensitive
population, health and development
strategies and policies. PFI was
founded in 1970 by a group of
socially committed industrialists
led by Bharat Ratna JRD Tata and
Dr. Bharat Ram. We work with the
government, both at the national
and state levels, and with other civil
society organisations. Our areas of
work include the following:
• Family planning
• Adolescent health, particularly
sexual and reproductive health
• Community monitoring of public
health services
• Women’s rights, and especially
ending violence against women
PFI hosts the secretariats of two
distinguished groups of technical
experts:
• Advisory Group on
Community Action (AGCA)
to provide technical support
across 23 states for Community
Action for Health (CAH) under
the Government of India’s
National Health Mission,
making it arguably the largest
community-led accountability
initiative globally.
• Advocating Reproductive
Choices (ARC) – a coalition
of approximately 170 civil
society organisations and
individuals advocating for
greater policy focus on sexual
and reproductive health issues
and family planning services in
India.
PFI is a member of the Government
of India’s National Population
Commission, chaired by the Prime
Minister of India.
PFI’S WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
MENTORING AND MOBILISING YOUTH LEADERS TO DRIVE
TRANSFORMATION THROUGH GRASSROOTS ACTION
PFI is working in Rajasthan and Bihar to mentor and train a cadre of young
leaders who can demand their rights and entitlements and ensure that services
are available as per the government’s commitments and policies. In Bihar, PFI is
training a cadre of 40 leaders in Darbhanga and Nawada districts, who have
in turn reached out to sensitise over 2,000 peers on their health entitlements.
The young leaders have audited over 200 health outreach sites and Adolescent
Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) of the government, as well as made demands
to ensure provision of services. As a result, the District Magistrates of the two
districts have committed to establishing AFHCs and making defunct facilities
operational. In Rajasthan, PFI has developed a culturally and age-appropriate
health and life skills curriculum for adolescents in rural settings. Alongside
we are training a core cadre of 200 young leaders in three districts of Bundi,
Karauli and Dungarpur to reach out to over 10,000 young people through SRH
awareness campaigns within their cultural and social environment.
ENGAGING WITH POLICY MAKERS AND SUPPORTING STATE
GOVERNMENTS TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE, SAFE AND YOUTH FRIENDLY
CONDITIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SEEK SERVICES
In 2018, PFI initiated a pilot project to strengthen the government’s adolescent
health programme Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) in Sitapur
district of Uttar Pradesh. The project is supporting the state government
in rebranding and converting its AFHCs into adolescent-friendly spaces, in
consultation with the adolescents. It is also developing quality resources to be
used by the peer educators and counsellors in the district who help adolescents
access health services. PFI has also worked with the State Innovations in Family
Planning Services Project Agency (SIFPSA) in Uttar Pradesh to develop safe spaces
within 40 college campuses where youth can discuss their sexual and reproductive
health concerns, and access services without the fear of stigmatisation.
DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR
CHANGE COMMUNICATION (SBCC) MATERIALS ADDRESSING SOCIAL
NORMS THROUGH DIGITAL MEDIA AS WELL AS ON-GROUND OUTREACH
PFI developed the Saathiya toolkit and branding for peer educators under
the Government of India’s Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK)
programme. The toolkit includes videos, games, an app and posters for use as
resources by the peer educators. In addition, PFI has worked with adolescent
girls’ groups (Kishori Clubs) in Bihar using 3-D comic books and an interactive
game to counsel them on the issues such as mental health, nutrition, sexual health,
violence, substance abuse and menstrual hygiene.As a result of this intervention,
girls have prevented over 90 child marriages and established sanitary napkin
banks with their own monthly contributions. In early 2019, PFI developed and
launched SnehAI – an artificial intelligence (AI) powered chatbot embedded on
the Facebook page of its transmedia SBCC programme Main Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti
Hoon (MKBKSH). SnehAI is a non-judgemental and anonymised platform for
young people to seek information, especially on SRH. It was developed in close
consultation with young people through a grant support from the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA).The chatbot has already reached over 6 million users
on Facebook and generated more than 1.3 million conversations. Recognising
the value and potential of this digital companion, the Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare approved linking the chatbot to its family planning helpline.
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OUR GOVERNING BOARD
Mr Keshav Desiraju,
Chairperson
Mr R V Kanoria,
Vice Chairperson
Dr Ajai Chowdhry
Ms Maja Daruwala
Dr Syeda Hameed
Dr Shireen Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy
Mr Kiran Karnik
Justice (Retd) Mukul Mudgal
Mr Vinod Rai
Prof Srinath Reddy
Prof M S Swaminathan
Mr Ratan Tata
Ms Preeti Sudan,
Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
Government of India
Ms Poonam Muttreja,
Executive Director, PFI
Head office
B-28, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi – 110016
T: +91 11 43894 100 | F: +91 11 43894 199
Regional office, Bihar
123A, 1st Floor, Patliputra Colony, Patna – 800013
T: +91 612 2270634
Regional office, Rajasthan
C-9, Shiv Marg, Shyam Nagar, Jaipur – 302019
T: +91 141 4104771
Regional office, Uttar Pradesh
C-3, Nirala Nagar, Opposite Thandi Park, Lucknow – 226020
T: +91 522 4005091
Website: www.populationfoundation.in
Facebook: @PopFoundIndia | Twitter: @PFI3 | Instagram: @popfoundind