Women’s Group on Family Planning: Radio Scout in collaboration with Animas Sutura
In the summer of 2018, Dr. Emma Heywood, the project lead for FemmepowermentNiger visited Radio Scout and established a women’s group to discuss radio programmes and women’s empowerment. This visit has left a lasting legacy at Radio Scout, where the women’s group continues to meet. Recently, in collaboration with Animas Sutura, Radio Scout invited the women’s group to listen to a programme on the topic of family planning.
Raising awareness of family planning is a very important step in women’s empowerment in Niger. Niger has the highest fertility rate in the world, with an average of 7.6 children per woman. Polygamy, which is commonly practised in Niger, contributes to this high birth rate. With low literacy rates and widespread poverty, many women are unable to access information about sexual health and contraception. Animas Sutura, which produces interactive radio programmes, is a social marketing organisation which is based in Niger. They have run campaigns such as ‘Les Aventures de Foula’ to encourage the men and women of Niger to use condoms. Animas Sutura programmes are broadcast in French as well as local languages.
We are very pleased to see the lasting impact of project FemmepowermentNiger on the lives of women in Niger, who, as a result, have received vital information about family planning and health as well as being afforded the opportunity to voice their concerns.
