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Future Dreams Radio Campaign - Nigeria

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As part of a behaviour change campaign designed for sexually active men and women aged between 18-34, the Society for Family Health (SFH), a Nigerian affiliate of Population Services International, used radio to broadcast information about sexually transmitted infections, safer sex, condom use, condom negotiation skills, and self-efficacy. Broadcast from December 2000 to December 2001, the main objectives of the Future Dreams radio campaign were to: encourage consistent condom use in every sexual liaison outside of marriage; increase the desire and intention to use condoms consistently; increase the capacity and skills of individuals to use condoms; and provide solutions to problems encountered during condom negotiation.
Communication Strategies

According to the organisers, in the design and presentation of messages, considerable care was taken to ensure that the campaign provided strong support for women to assess risky sexual situations and negotiate condom use safely with their partners. The theme was intended to be one of optimism, Future Dreams, where "every young Nigerian could achieve her or his dreams and have a bright healthy future" by using condoms consistently in every sexual liaison outside of marriage, or else feel empowered to abstain from sex until marriage.

According to SFH, radio was chosen as the media of communication because between 60% to 65% of adult Nigerians report listening to radio either every day or most days. Four key message themes were developed in 9 Nigerian languages to ensure high levels of comprehension and social acceptability:

  • Future fertility: Information on the risks of sexually transmitted infections and their effects on fertility;
  • Sexual past: Everyone has a sexual history, and a healthy-looking person can still be HIV positive;
  • We can negotiate: Encouraging and empowering females to negotiate safer sex with their partners; and/li>
  • I’m not embarrassed: Designed to reduce embarrassment at purchasing condoms in northern Nigeria (which is predominantly Muslim).



The campaign was broadcast on 42 different radio channels.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Health, Youth

Key Points

According to SFH, the messages in "Future Dreams" were crafted with care from a solid base of research material and all messages were tested and retested by trained research personnel. The organisers state that the campaign met some logistical barriers, including political opposition that resulted in broadcasts being suspended for some months before restarting. Despite this, organisers state that there has been increased knowledge and significantly safer behaviour patterns among those who listened to the campaign compared to those who had not heard it. In addition, SFH observed a significant correlation in condom uptake that paralleled reported changes in behaviour.

Partners

Society for Family Health, Population Services International.

Sources

OneWorld website on October 3, 2003 and Population Service International websiteand Population Service International website on February 4 2009.