The cast of Fupa Lokakamiza at work
* Including the contentious family planning issue that faces several challenges in its uptake that the drama series aims to address
* Many women and girls are failing to access family planning services and its methods due to lack of proper informative channels on how to get such services
* The challenge is leading to women and girls to fall into unplanned pregnancies forcing them to access unsafe abortions
By Duncan Mlanjira
WAZ Arts Theatre artists for Fupa Lokakamiza drama series, that is aired on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Radio 1 and tackles, among other social issues, the topic on family planning, have been empowered further on need to enhance dissemination of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
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Under its Motto; ‘Arts for Change’, with support from Centre for Solutions Journalism (CSJ), WAZ Arts Theatre runs the radio drama series tackling the contentious issue of family planning that faces several challenges in its uptake.
Taking cognizance that many women and girls are failing to access family planning services and its methods due to lack of properly informative channels on how to get such services, Fupa Lokakamiza was mooted as a radio drama series aired on the national broadcaster.
Held at Palm Valley Executive Lodge at Bvumbwe in Thyolo on Friday, the artists were encouraged to think outside the box and the workshop’s topics included ‘Family Planning Methods’; ‘Unsafe Abortion Magnitude & Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Law’ and ‘Radio Acting and Social & Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC)’.
Presented by Thom Sauzande, lecturer on family planning & midwifery at Mulanje Mission Nursing College, the expert stressed that teenage sex is indeed taking place as numbers of teenage pregnancies are on the rise.
He highlighted that the medical fraternity is encouraging on ‘emergency contraceptive’ pills alongside condoms (both male & female) as alternative to the traditional long term ones of implants and injections.
He also highlighted that Fupa Lokakamiza, while making excellent strides in advocating family planning issues, needs to take an extra mile in the advocacy of emergency contraceptives.
He impressed that discussing use of contraceptives should target teenage girls to inculcate a last impression as they grow up to continue with the habit as family planning once married.
The ‘Unsafe Abortion Magnitude & ToP session, handled by CSJ Executive Director, Brian Ligomeka, enhanced problems and consequences associated with unsafe abortions and increased number of post abortion care.
He stressed that the numbers of those accessing post abortion care are definitely much higher as other women and girls access care from private hospitals.
CSJ Executive Director, Brian Ligomeka
While the government is proactive towards the reduction of maternal mortality rate through family planning and post abortion care, Ligomeka bemoaned the State authorities’ reluctance to enact the amended ToP Bill while civil society advocates against abortion are quiet on public hospital’s provision of post abortion care.
“As numbers of abortions are on the increase, there is need to enhance awareness on use of Emergency Contraceptives,” Ligomeka said, while emphasising that a woman or girl can procure an abortion though fully aware it is illegal to do so as they are assured of post abortion care if they encounter complications.
Ligomeka reiterated on the role of CSJ as a media human rights advocasy institution, which tackles taboo issues such as termination of unwanted pregnancy, witchcraft as well as enhancement of SRHR.
He also reminded the artists that family planning content that is in Fupa Lokakamiza is gathered after the creative artists have been well informed — thus the need for them to also be empowered further in SRHR, ToP and how to create a balanced and well informed drama series.
Ligomeka also expressed CSJ’s appreciation for Government’s intervention in SRHR which include provision of post abortion care in public health facilities offering life saving procedures after unsafe abortions.
He highlighted that Fupa Lokakamiza needs to enlighten the public how they can access post abortion care just as the drama series does for family planning.
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On ‘Introduction to SBCC’ — presented by Fred Yiwombe, who is an expert in this field as well as in drama script writing and acting — the artists were enlightened on history of behavioral change communication and its key shifts into SBCC or Communication for Change (C4D).
* He highlighted that C4D is a full communication skill — as a ‘strategic, systematic, planned, inclusive and ongoing communication approach and as an expert in drama, he attested that Fupa Lokakamiza is delivering its intended purpose in a creative manner.
His presentation enlightened the Fupa Lokakamiza artists to consider having into the series a fully-bodied and a fully systematic approach in communication using the ‘Social Ecological Model’ of SBCC — while also touching on ‘Radio Drama as a Tool for Influencing Attitude and Behaviour’.
Rev. Martin Kalimbe
CSJ Board Member, Rev. Martin Kalimbe — a strong advocate to the amendment of the ToP — reiterated that the idea behind Fupa Lokakamiza series is to remove the stigma associated with discussions on abortion as a right which should be granted without restrictions as enshrined in the current ToP Law.
Rev. Kalimbe applauded the artists for the important role they are playing in disseminating issues of public interest such as family planning, saying the drama series “is becoming a household feature as its strong and important messages are delivered in different creative style.
He impressed on them that as a religious leader, having learnt various social issues that included abortion and euthanasia during his theological studies, saw the need to champion the cause for an open ToP having observed how unsafe abortions being practised have serious consequences, including loss of life.
One of the artists making a presentation
He highlighted that the numbers of women and girls seeking post abortion care are alarming; indicating that unsafe abortions are on the increase at a worrisome rate.
He also impressed on the artists that talking about SRHR and abortion is of importance alongside advancing abstinence as family planning as being currently enhanced through Fupa Lokakamiza.
To assess if the artists were conversant with some issues on SRHR and abortion, the workshop started with group discussions before the presentations and from the feedback they presented as answers to questions they were given, they showed they were knowledgeable.
The questions were:
* ‘Why do people have sex?’; ‘Why do some men refuse to accept responsibility for pregnancy despite having had sex with the woman or girl’; ‘Reasons that prompt women and girls to induce abortions’; What can be done to stop women and girls to endure and die from unsafe abortion’; and ‘Why do people in Malawi fail to openly discuss issues to do with abortion’.
Led by their leader, Jeremiah Mwaungulu, the artists expressed their vote of thanks, saying the workshop was an eye opener as it has empowered them to think outside the box — not just for Fupa Lokakamiza, but for other creative works using the concept of C4D.
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