National HIV and AIDS Communication and Advocacy Strategy

94 Pages·2011·0.61 MB·English

N A C
ZAM B IA
National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council
NATIONAL HIV & AIDS
COMMUNICATION
AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY
(2011-2015)
VISION 2030
NATIONAL HIV & AIDS COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY (2011-2015) 1
315 Independence Avenue, P.O. Box 38718 Lusaka Zambia
Telephone: [phone], Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.nacsec.org.zm
The printing of this document was made possible with the support of
the American people through the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). The contents of this document are the sole responsibility
of the National HIV/ST/TB Council and do not reflect the views of USAID or the
United States Government.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword 1
Acknowledgements 2
Abbreviations 3
Executive Summary 5
CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION 7
1.1 Background to HIV and AIDS in Zambia 7
1.2 NACAS Goal, Objectives and Strategies 9
1.3 NACAS Guiding Principles 13
CHAPTER 2: NATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY RESPONSES: 15
SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION ANALYSIS 15
2.1 Overview of Gaps in Current Communication and Advocacy Interventions 15
2.2 Media coverage of HIV and AIDS 17
CHAPTER 3: STRATEGIC AND BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR NASF
19
PILLARS
3.1 Prevention 19
3.2 Treatment, Care and Support 27
3.3 Impact Mitigation 35
3.4 Response Management 40
CHAPTER 4: STEPS IN DEVELOPING IEC/BCC MATERIALS 47
4.1 Planning 47
4.2 Develop Draft/Proto-type Materials 50
4.3 Design Methods for Pre-Test 51
4.4 Pre-test the Materials 52
4.5 Analyse and Interpret the Results 52
4.6 Reporting and Implementation
CHAPTER 5: STRATEGIES, CHANNELS AND TOOLS 53
5.1 Strategies and Tools for Behaviour Change Communication 54
5.2 Strategies and Tools for Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening
60
In Communication
5.3 Strategies and Tools for Mainstreaming Communication and Advocacy 61
5.4 Strategies and Tools for Policy Advocacy 64
CHAPTER 6: IMPLEMENTATION MODALITIES 67
6.1 Implementation Modalities and Institutional Arrangements 67
6.2 Financing Plan 69
6.3 Promotion 70
NATIONAL HIV & AIDS COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY (2011-2015) i
CHAPTER 7: MONITORING AND EVALUATION PLAN 71
7.1 Overview of Proposed M & E Framework 71
7.2 Monitoring of BCC Programmes 73
7.3 Monitoring of Campaign Reach 74
7.4 Evaluating BCC programmes 75
7.5 Reporting and M & E Tools 76
7.6 Feedback Mechanisms
77
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES 78
APPENDICES 79
Appendix 1: Concepts and Definitions 99
Appendix 2: NACAS Logic Framework 81
Appendix 3: Summary of Quantity and Quality of HIV and AIDS Print Media Coverage (July –
89
December 2009)
List of Figures
Figure 1: Relationship between NACAS and the other HIV and AIDS response pillars 9
Figure 2: Functions of communication in the human behaviour change chain 11
Figure 3: The five entry points or spheres of influence for NACAS 13
Figure 4: Framework for planning and developing of IEC materials 47
Figure 5: Summary of the materials development process 52
Figure 6: Community media in Zambia; to be utilised to reach the whole country 55
ii NATIONAL HIV & AIDS COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY (2011-2015)
FOREWORD
Strategic communication is increasingly being recognized as an essential element of any successful
health, social or development programme. When properly implemented, communication results in
sustained change in policy, social norms and behaviours. Communication is also essential in overcoming
barriers to access in services, or generating demand for such services. Within the context of HIV and AIDS,
communication has been seen as an important input in creating awareness, and changing attitudes and
perceptions, and ultimately behaviours, across the four key pillars: Prevention; Treatment, Care and Support;
Mitigation; and Response Management and Coordination.
This National HIV and AIDS Communication and Advocacy Strategy (NACAS), seeks to reinforce the efficacy
of communication at the different levels of behaviour change, and to increase the proportion of individuals,
families, communities and institutions within Zambia utilizing available HIV and AIDS and reproductive
health services across the country. Furthermore, it seeks to increase the proportion of national level
policy makers and stakeholders knowledgeable of the socio-economic significance of HIV and AIDS. It is
anticipated that such stakeholders will in turn mainstream HIV and AIDS in their programmes, develop
appropriate policies and interventions, and devote sufficient resources to the fight against the pandemic.
The NACAS provides a framework that aligns communication with the goals and vision of the National
AIDS Strategic Framework (NASF). It aims to provide strategic direction and to guide actions on those
components within the scope of HIV and AIDS in Zambia that can be influenced by communication and
advocacy at policy, programmatic and institutional levels. It also defines priority audiences and issues,
formulates strategic direction and actions, and determines the best way to invest resources.
The Strategy is a product of the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Health, through the National HIV/AIDS/
STI/TB Council (NAC), and various partners and stakeholders. The United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), through it’s Communication Support for Health (CSH) Project, provided technical
and financial support to the development of the Strategy.
We wish to take this opportunity to thank all those who contributed to the process and, hope that the
implementation of the Strategy will contribute towards the realisation of Zambia’s goal in HIV and AIDS, “a
nation free from the threat of HIV and AIDS.”
Dr. Peter Mwaba
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Health
NATIONAL HIV & AIDS COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY (2011-2015) 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This National HIV and AIDS Communication and Advocacy Strategy (NACAS) is the product of a highly
consultative and collaborative process and the concerted efforts of many individuals and organisations.
It began with provincial consultations that culminated in the National AIDS Strategic Framework (NASF)
for 2010 – 2015, and the Zambia Country Report published in 2010. In this regard the National HIV/AIDS/
STI/TB Council (NAC) would like to acknowledge all those who were involved in one way or another in
the development of this Strategy. We particularly thank the United States Urgency for International
Development (USAID), through its Communication Support for Health (CSH) Project, for the financial and
technical support towards the process.
As NAC we are also highly indebted to numerous organisations and individuals for their respective
contributions to the development of both the NASF and NACAS.
Dr. B.U Chirwa
Director General
National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council
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ABBREVIATIONS FULL MEANING
AIDS Acquired Immunodéficience Syndrome
ANC Anténatal Clinics
ANCSS Anténatal Clinics Surveillance Survey
ART Anti-Retroviral Therapy
ARV Anti-Retro Viral Drugs
BCC Behaviour Change Communication
BCI Behaviour Change Interventions
CAPAH-Z Coalition of African Parliamentarians against AIDS- Zambia
CATF Community AIDS Task Force
CBO Community Based Organisation
CFSC Communication for Social Change
CPA Communication and Policy Advocacy
CSH Communication Support for Health
CSO Central Statistics Office
CSOs Civil Society Organisations
CT Counselling and Testing
DATF District AIDS Task Force
DHS Demographic and Health Survey
FBO Faith-Based Organisation
GRZ Government of the Republic of Zambia
HIV Human Immuno-deficiency Virus
ICT Information & Communication Technology
IDU Injective Drug Use
IEC Information, Education & Communication
MC Male Circumcision
MCP Multiple Concurrent Partners
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MTCT Mother to Child Transmission
NAC National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council
NACAS National HIV/AIDS Communication & Advocacy Strategy
NASF National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Strategic Framework
NGO Non-Governmental organisation
OVC Orphans and Vulnerable Children
PATF Provincial AIDS Task Force
PLHIV People Living with HIV
PMTCT Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission
RLC Radio Listening Club
SAG Sector Advisory Group
SMS Short Messaging System
SFH Society for Family Health
STI Sexually Transmitted Infection
NATIONAL HIV & AIDS COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY (2011-2015) 3
TB Tuberculosis
TCA Theatre for Community Action
TV Television
VCT Voluntary Counselling and Testing
USAID United States Agency for International Development
ZANIS Zambia News and Information Services
ZCC Zambia Counselling Council
ZDHS Zambia Demographic and Health Survey
ZNBC Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
HIV and AIDS continue to impact negatively on the social and economic fabric of Zambian society at
individual and household levels, and across the wider community. Appreciable gains have been made
in reducing the annual prevalence rate from over 25% 20 years ago to an average of 14.3% as of December
2009. However, the evidence of high incidences of infection among certain populations, and the existence
of both old and emerging drivers of the pandemic demand continued interventions in prevention. Another
important consideration is that over one million Zambians are living with HIV, and an equally high number
of people have been decimated by the pandemic. These scenarios call for enhanced and well-coordinated
efforts across all the response pillars, notably prevention; treatment, care and support; impact mitigation;
and response management and coordination.
It is against this background that the Zambian government, through NAC and its partners, developed the
National HIV/AIDS Strategic Framework (NASF) for 2011 to 2015. The NASF contains specific strategies
across the four response pillars previously mentioned. .
Communication, guided through successive communication strategies, has been identified as a crucial
ingredient to effective responses to the pandemic. The 2005–2010 communication strategy laid down
a broad programme framework for communication support to the national response framework for
the period. It identified the behavioural shortcomings that needed to be addressed by communication,
consistent with the national priorities. However, structural and inherently technical shortcomings affected
its implementation.
This NACAS has been developed in direct response to the gaps in communication and advocacy identified
through national consultations, situation analyses and evaluations with respect to the national response
to the pandemic. The NASF (2010) report, for instance, notes: “a key problem in the response to HIV and
AIDS to date has been the lack of appropriate information available to the public.” The report further
observes that “whilst informative material exists, there has also been a lot of contradictory material sending
wrong messages and confusing the public. This has eroded the value of many of the interventions being
implemented by various organisations throughout the country. The NAC, therefore, places high priority on
effective communication as a means to achieving the goals of the NASF.”
The NACAS thus provides a broad framework within which communication and advocacy should serve as
strategic inputs into the implementation of the NASF. Its implementation is also harmonious with the NASF,
which runs for the period 2011–2015.
Furthermore, the Strategy has identified key behavioural communication issues and gaps to be addressed
to support the achievement of positive results across the four response pillars. It thus proposes innovative,
evidence-based and participatory approaches in the planning and implementation of communication and
advocacy interventions. Interpersonal, digital and mass communication strategies have been considered
and incorporated as interdependent and mutually supportive approaches at respective stages in the
behaviour change process. The use of both old and new media has been particularly embraced in order
for the interventions to be congruent with emerging trends in communicating to specific populations,
especially young people.
The NACAS recommends seven objectives to address the gaps and/or weaknesses identified by stakeholders
at audience, institutional and policy levels across the four pillars. At audience level gaps in awareness,
knowledge, access to information, and behaviours among specific groups, have been specifically
identified, and interventions to address them proposed. The incorporated M&E plan will ensure that the
Strategy is effectively and efficiently implemented, monitored and evaluated by the different structures
and implementers across the country.
All the proposed activities are aimed at realising the communication and advocacy goal: Increased
NATIONAL HIV & AIDS COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY (2011-2015) 5
percentage of the Zambian population that are informed, engaged, empowered, and positively participating in
the national agenda in prevention; treatment, care and support; impact mitigation; and, management of the
national response.
For the Strategy to be effectively implemented, serious consideration should be given to harmonising the
currently fragmented IEC, BCC, and communication activities within NAC, preferably under one unit or
department, as part of the NACAS. An M&E expert will be specifically assigned to implement the NACAS
M&E plan. The document also recommends a set of activities aimed at promoting the Strategy across the
country and ensuring that it gets the necessary stakeholder support.
To be effective, the Strategy should be adequately funded through proposed funding options, notably core
funding through NAC allocations from Government, or direct funding from development partners.
6 NATIONAL HIV & AIDS COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY (2011-2015)