Greenstar Marketing hosts forum on communications for family-planning

Greenstar Marketing (GSM), a social enterprise operating a family planning program in Pakistan since 1991, recently hosted a forum on - Effective Communications for nationwide awareness on family-planning. Its brand - 'Sabz Sitara' focuses on health of family, by encouraging men to support their women in accessing family-planning.

Pakistan is faced with numerous socio-economic challenges that cannot be managed without an abundance of resources. Therefore, the uncontrolled boom in the country's population is not sustainable. It is threatening the healthy growth of the nation. In such a critical situation, every individual must act responsibly to ensure the well-being of their own children and the whole future generations. The nation needs to adopt a long-term vision for prosperity. Communicating about reproductive behavior and family-planning is a challenging task in a conservative society like Pakistan. Socio-cultural barriers inhibit open discussion of such personal and intimate relation between husband and wife. Communication between such Greenstar and its clients is also a complex task, as the service-provider must remain cautious not to hurt the sentiments of any stakeholders.

Dr. Syed Azizur Rab, CEO, Green Star Marketing stated that; Family Planning is a human right and responsibility to improve reproductive health and intimate relationships between husband and wife. GSM is increasing the choices and access to high-quality family planning methods and contraceptives. Our Social Franchise and Social Marketing Initiatives continue to attract major contributions from the private sector, Government's population programs and global donors.

Highly evolved communication strategies are being used by GSM, to spread knowledge about use of contraception in a culturally appropriate way, change the public's attitude towards voluntary fertility-decline and convince them about the ideal family size to ensure their wellbeing. GSM's communication strategies include; planned interpersonalcommunications at community level, mass-media campaigns and advocacy with policy makers. The most popular method of family planning is the Latex contraceptive, which GSM promotes as an effective way to prevent unwanted pregnancy and infections. Some other companies have recently begun advertising Latex contraceptives as a pleasure product, whereby GSM is now faced with a communication challenge, because it does not use any messaging which is against the values and moral boundaries in the Pakistani society.

At the recent forum on communications, GSM also encouraged the youth to suggest effective strategies to reach out to the youngsters, while the communications professionals advised on better ways to engage the communities in future campaign.