Addressing Unmet Need for Family Planning Through Social Networks in Benin

The program recognizes that fertility decisions are influenced by social factors, including community beliefs, social and gender norms, and family planning stigma. To overcome these barriers, Tékponon Jikuagou employs a social network approach that engages influential and connected network actors to diffuse new ideas and mobilize public dialogue. The intervention package consists of five interlinking components, including social network mapping, reflective dialogue, and radio broadcasting. The program engages three groups (men, women, and mixed-sex) and five influentials per village, with the goal of diffusing new ideas to about half the adult population over one year. The package was designed to reduce social barriers that prevent women and men from acting on their unmet need, such as reluctance to discuss family planning or fear of criticism or sanctions for family planning use. Between April 2013 and October 2014, the Tékponon Jikuagou network package was pilot-tested in 90 villages in Couffo Department in southwestern Benin. Over 18 months, 294 community groups and 459 influentials used the package, directly and indirectly reaching an estimated 36% and 51% of adult men and women with new ideas, respectively. The results of a cross-sectional survey conducted with women and men in union interviewed prior to and 18 months after the pilot intervention began showed statistically significant increases in women and men talking about and acting upon their desire to space or limit births. The intervention led to increased odds of discussing fertility desires and family planning use with spouses and peers, as well as encouraging significantly more women and men to take steps to obtain a method. The perception that one's social network approves of family planning makes a difference, with women and men who reported that their network approves of family planning being significantly more likely to use modern contraception and have met their need for modern contraception. The Tékponon Jikuagou package was effective in motivating women and men to act on their desires to space births, leading to increased family planning use and met need. Women and men reached by the intervention were 1.5 times more likely to use modern contraception and have met their need for modern contraception. The package was also effective in reducing social barriers that prevent women and men from acting on their desires to space births. The results of the Tékponon Jikuagou initiative suggest that a social network approach can be an effective way to address unmet need for family planning in West Africa. By engaging influential and connected network actors and reducing social barriers, the program can motivate women and men to act on their desires to space births, leading to increased family planning use and met need.