Albanian Couples Tune In
TV Spots Increase Awareness of Availability and Benefits of Modern Family Planning
TIRANË—Two television spots, developed by USAID’s Albanian Family Planning Project, hope to change the way Albanian’s approach planning their family. Since January 2005, the spots have aired in 16 of Albania’s 36 districts on three national television networks. The message they want couples to remember: Use of modern contraceptives is a safe and effective way to plan your family.
Albania has the highest fertility rate in Europe, a rate of 2.6 live births.* Yet, studies show that induced abortion is also a common practice. While knowledge of at least one contraceptive method is high (90%), married couples primarily choose to rely on the traditional method of withdrawal as a way to prevent pregnancies.
During the communist period, the government had a pro-natalist policy—encouraging pregnancies and making contraceptives unavailable in the country until the early 1990’s. While since the end of the communist period the rate of fertility rate has steadily declined and the knowledge of contraceptives has increased, contraceptives have only recently begun to be consistently available at health clinic throughout the country.
“The television spots were designed to reach a specific audience, particularly married women and men, who need information about how to plan the growth of their families. We want them to be aware of the products and services that primary health care clinics offer, motivate them to seek out these services, and make informed and safe decisions,” explains Mr. Edi Oga, head of the Behavior Change Communication (BCC) component of the Albanian Family Planning project.
To reinforce the message about the availability of family planning services, the television campaign features couples in an urban dwelling and a rural village, where different lifestyles and habits are present. Couples living in the city and in rural areas will know that these services are easily accessible and reliable.
“Visiting a primary health care facility for reproductive health services develops a good practice that could lead to a greater utilization of the clinics for the health and well-being of all Albanians, of all ages,” said Dr. Zhaneta Shatri, USAID’s Health Advisor. “Through this project we hope to change the behavior of women and men in Albania regarding their reproductive health.”
The Albanian Family Planning Project is a two-year project which supports the Ministry of Health’s Reproductive Health Sector program. The project is focused on re-invigorating and strengthening the National Contraceptive Security Commission (NCSC); providing Family Planning training in 16 of 36 districts; and developing a BCC program.
The project developed the television campaign based the results of a 2005 Baseline Survey of Albanian married women of their reproductive age in 21 or Albania’s 36 districts, as well as results from a 2005 qualitative survey of both men and women in the districts of Devoll, Diber, and Fier.
Printed materials featured in the rural spot where made possible through the partnership among USAID’s ProShendetit project, the Ministry of Health, and UNDFP.
(*) - Figures are from the Albanian Reproductive Health Survey 2002, Preliminary Report.
