In early 2019, Pathfinder Bangladesh conducted a health facility assessment through the USAID Accelerating Universal Access to Family Planning (AUAFP)/Shukhi Jibon project. This assessment found unequal participation in contraception use, in addition to biases and misconceptions around family planning and contraception from both service providers and the community. The assessment also found that service providers lacked understanding around how couples’ counseling and male engagement strategies can minimize gender-based violence.
To improve access to family planning services and advance gender equity, USAID Shukhi Jibon project developed the Gender Integration in Family Planning Services package, which includes a comprehensive two-day long training program, a shorter three-hour training program to be integrated with other trainings, and an online e-training package. All these components were developed through a robust participatory process that included a needs assessment, stakeholders and working group consultations, development of the manuals in both English and Bangla, and field-testing and finalization through extensive reviews.
Gender Integration in Family Planning Services is a one-of-a-kind training program, developed with generous support from USAID in collaboration with the Directorate General of Family Planning in Bangladesh. This program offers comprehensive, contextually relevant learning around gender as it relates to family planning and sexual and reproductive health services. Through case-by-case analysis, this program helps service providers approach clients with gender-responsive services and gender-transformative attitudes.
The standalone two-day training manuals, integration-ready three-hour training manuals, and e-learning course videos (available below) offer service providers the knowledge, skills, and behavioral changes necessary for creating a more gender-equitable health system in Bangladesh.
More than 18,500 health professionals, including service providers, managers, and facility officials, were trained by USAID Shukhi Jibon project. This manual has been adopted by the Directorate General of Family Planning and National Institute of Population Research and Training under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Bangladesh.
