Women’s health workshop held in Pakistan

Amplifying Voices partner in Pakistan recently hosted a workshop for women to learn more about health and hygiene. It was a great opportunity to give some hands-on help, so after the event the women received free check-ups from health workers and medicines were provided through Amplifying Voices Pakistan.

The local partner based in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province is Naway Sahar Community Services Group (NSCSG). Amplifying Voices Pakistan supports Naway Sahar to inspire positive change through off-air and on-air initiatives, led by the community.

Breaking barriers to women’s health issues 

During community consultations, project workers often hear people voice concerns about the vulnerability of women to health issues. The primary concerns are usually related to pregnancy and childbirth.

However, in this community, women are less likely than men to have access to the radio programmes produced by NSCSG. A face-to-face workshop alternative is an effective ‘off-air’ activity to reinforce ‘on-air’ content.

This women’s health workshop and other face-to-face activities are possible as Covid-19 rules are more relaxed in Pakistan compared to Europe. The country has much lower numbers of reported coronavirus cases.

Women’s health workshop inspires relevant on-air content

Conversations in workshops like these also inspire future ‘on-air’ content production. The work of NSCSG is championed by a couple who are both community health workers. NSCSG’s on-air content often addresses local concerns about health and hygiene, enhancing the effectiveness of local face-to-face healthcare activities.

An important element of community-centred media is the way that on-air activities – such as content production, broadcast programmes on radio, or MP3 podcasts on speaker boxes – mesh with off-air activities like community events, local service provider activities.

The effect is mutually productive. Audio content both reinforces and inspires off-air activities, and community activities inspire relevant content, which reinforces the information heard on-air.

Find out what happens next

We’re excited to see the shift in health and hygiene within this community. Get the updates first-hand by subscribing to our newsletter below. Check out more stories from Pakistan here or visit our Amplifying Voices Pakistan website.