Life-saving Public health and Vaccine Communication at scale in sub-Saharan

This project supports ongoing efforts to counter COVID-19 misinformation increase public vaccine confidence and support demand where vaccines are available. In 2020 Farm Radio International (FRI) implemented a short-term initiative providing gender-responsive interactive programming as an extension of their current GAC-funded Scale Her Voice on Air project. This short-term project contributes to dispelling myths and misinformation about COVID-19 in ten countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Building on these results the current project increases the previous initiative’s geographic activity scope while disseminating gender-responsive COVID-19 content resources in up to 37 sub-Saharan African countries. Project activities include: (1) researching developing and distributing 18-24 quality gender-responsive Covid-19 content resources; (2) providing intensive gender-responsive training and networking support; (3) linking broadcasters with national public health livelihoods and gender experts; and (4) engaging in meaningful dialogue with communities women poor and vulnerable small-scale farmers in rural areas about their needs and opportunities concerning public health gender equality and livelihood practices. The project distributes resources to 1 080 radio partners in 37 countries and expects to reach an estimated audience of 30 million of whom 40% will be women. In addition the project is offering training and networking services to 18 focus countries where FRI has operational partnerships and offices. These countries include Burkina Faso Cameroon Côte d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of Congo Ethiopia Ghana Kenya Liberia Mali Malawi Mozambique Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Tanzania Togo Uganda and Zambia. Also the project expects that these additional services will reach 17 500 listeners of whom 30% will be women.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved delivery of gender-responsive interactive information platforms by governments radio broadcasters and stakeholders on COVID-19 public health measures and vaccination benefits for marginalized or vulnerable populations; and (2) increased level of health-seeking behaviour towards COVID-19 public health measures and vaccination in women men and youth especially in marginalized populations across selected countries of sub-Saharan Africa.