Participatory Approach to Monitoring Communication Activities

Editor's Note:

In June 2003, UNICEF and GAVI (The Global Alliance for Vaccines & Immunization) held regional workshops in Istanbul, Johannesburg, and Bangkok to address key issues in communication for immunisation. Participants included communication and immunisation specialists, Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) managers, and health educators from governments and GAVI partners working in more than 40 countries. The workshops addressed such issues as communication for immunisation safety, advocacy for financial sustainability, social mobilisation, communication planning, communication to improve district-level coverage, facing the media, communication strategies in response to Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFIs) and to build public trust in immunisation, and immunisation of hard-to-reach groups, among others. A free CD-ROM draws together key presentations, discussions, tools, topics, and recommendations; please see ordering information below.

Summary provided by the presenter

This session brought into focus the need for community engagement during monitoring. Four areas were discussed:

• Defining participatory monitoring and the different levels of community engagement;
• Distinguishing between individual and social change approaches and the results they produce in community ownership in the long term,
• Starting with a "process" approach for community engagement so that communities take ownership of the programme, goal and activity before they participate in monitoring and
• Assuring that two basic steps are followed for truly participatory monitoring - communities involved in designing the system and tools.

The presentation provided examples of where we can easily access information for monitoring and types of indicators to track EPI communication activities as well as examples for more in-depth assessments. A toolbox of ideas for participatory techniques was also presented.

Click here for an overview of the June 2003 Communication for Immunization Workshops in Istanbul, Johannesburg, and Bangkok.

For more information, or to request a free copy of the CD-ROM on which this presentation is featured, contact:

Erica Kochi

ekochi@unicef.org

OR

Gina Darcin

gdarcinstlouis@unicef.org

UNICEF

UNICEF's Immunization website