Culturally Sensitive Approaches

Lessons from the Field

Ghana

Joining Forces to Minister to Youth

Though they may follow different traditions, and worship very differently, religious organizations can agree on many things, including the importance of family life and maternal health. A network of diverse faith-based organizations, started a decade ago with support from UNFPA, has teamed up to bring reproductive health education and services to local communities and to address the needs of young people.

WHAT WORKS? Lessons from Ghana

  • Providing accurate information and relevant data, prior to designing grass-roots advocacy work, is important to dispel any fears or misconceptions and to get the full support of communities.

  • Dialogue, sensitization and joint programming with faith-based organizations should be a long-term endeavour, carried out beyond a single programming cycle. This allows the partnership to mature and trust to fully develop, multiplying the chances for positive results.

  • Mainstreaming some project activities into the regular programme of a partner organization helps ensure sustainability.

  • Presentation of hard data is one of the best advocacy tools available for clarifying misconceptions and obtaining support.

  • Building up the project management skills of partner organizations will help them to attract financing from a variety of sources and become self-reliant.

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