Sunita Devi received an award for her outstanding performance in increasing male participation in family planning.
Sunita Devi is an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) from Ravidas Nagar, Bijnor. At a recent urban primary health center (UPHC) meeting, she excitedly shared how she succeeded in convincing men to undergo non-scalpel vasectomies (NSV) while increasing male engagement in family planning. She explained how her approach involves challenging traditional gender norms and promoting shared responsibility.
People knew me by my name because of the regular interaction I had with them. When the Pakhwara (NSV Campaign) was announced, I began my preparation by listing households where I had identified the immediate need for family planning methods. I had discussed family planning with some of these men during my previous visits, but this time I approached them again with a dedication and determination that I would motivate them to come with me to the district hospital for NSV procedures.”
Sunita confidently approached men directly, engaging them in open discussions about family planning options and providing informative pamphlets to dispel misconceptions. She addressed the myths surrounding NSV, emphasizing that by choosing the procedure, men could actively share in the responsibility of family planning as a gesture of love and support for their wives. Sunita also involved the women in these conversations, encouraging joint decision-making and fostering a sense of partnership in planning their families’ futures.
I was surprised to observe more and more men sitting with their wives and participating in taking a mutually beneficial family planning option. I also observed many men behaving sensitively when their wives chose any female contraceptive. Most of all, one day during the fortnight, fourteen men adopted the NSV method from the district hospital, five of whom were directly contacted by me for adopting the family planning method.”
Sunita realized that this success stemmed from involving men not merely as participants, but as equal partners in family planning decisions. As a result, men independently reached out to her for more information about NSV and then discussed family planning options with their wives, leading to an increase in women adopting methods of their choice.
Her exceptional efforts did not go unnoticed. Sunita was recognized with an award by the facility head under the leadership of Dr. Vijay Goel, Chief Medical Officer, Bijnor, and by the Moradabad division. She is now a source of inspiration for ASHAs across the district and division, demonstrating the impact of gender-sensitive approaches in family planning, where both men and women are empowered to make informed decisions together.
With support from The Challenge Initiative (TCI), master coaches trained UPHC staff and all urban ASHAs in Bijnor to engage the community through one-on-one counseling and pamphlet distribution, effectively raising awareness about the NSV campaign.
