EGYPT : PHASE 1 OF A PROJECT CONCERNED WITH POPULATION INFORMATION, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNICATION (11/6/78-12/17/78)

PROJECT PURPOSE IS TO PROMOTE INCREASED AWARENESS AND MOTIVATION TOWARD FAMILY PLANNING (FP) AT ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY,AND THEREBY INCREASE DEMAND FOR FP SERVICE OFFERED BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH. PROJECT BOOK WAS EXAMINED AND INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED. ACTIVITIES TO: 1)SURVEY THE POPULATION & FP INFORMATION,EDUCATION,AND COMMUNICATIONS (IE&C) SITUATION, 2)BRIEF THE STATE INFORMATION SERVICE (SIS)ON VARIOUS IE&C PROGRAMS, 3)ASSIST SIS DEVELOP AN INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION MEDIA PLAN,AND 4)DEVELOP INITIAL PLANS FOR SHORT-TERM TRAINING REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT HAVE MET WITH LITTLE SUCCESS. NEITHER FORMAL SURVEYS OR EXTENSIVE CONCRETE PLANNING HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED. SIS IS NOT ASSUMING ENOUGH IE&C INFORMATION,EDUCATION,AND COMMUNICATION RESPONSIBILITY. NO FORMAL STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO FORM THE NECESSARY SIS FP COMMITTEE. A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TIME HAS BEEN LOST SINCE BOTH THE INTERNATIONAL DIVISION & IE&C UNIT STAFF HAVE HAD LITTLE TIME TO DEVOTE TO THE IE&C PROJECT. THE FUNDS PROVIDED BY THE IDA POPULATION PROJECT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FP EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS WERE NEVER USED. FURTHER,THERE IS AN ACUTE SHORTAGE OF EQUIPMENT,MATERIALS,AND IE&C LEADERSHIP. DESPITE DRAWBACKS SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN RECENTLY FILLED,FP ACTIVITIES ARE BEING CONDUCTED BY SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF EGYPT,THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS RECEIVED THE ASSISTANCE TO PUBLISH A SERIES OF 6 TEACHER"S GUIDE BOOKS CONCERNING HUMAN POPULATION,AND SIS HAS REQUESTED THE IE&C UNIT TO ATTEND A 3-DAY WORKSHOP ON MASS MEDIA & FP. EVALUATION RECOMMENDS THAT: 1)SIS FURNISH USAID THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION TO FINALIZE FUNDING, 2)COMPLETE RENOVATIONS FOR ADEQUATE OFFICE SPACE, 3)ENCOURAGE ALL IE&C MEMBERS TO ATTEND THE MASS MEDIA FP WORKSHOP,AND DEVELOP A COMPLETE,FLEXIBLE,COMMUNICATION PACKAGE ON FP; AND 4)THE IE&C UNIT RECEIVE A ONE WEEK ORIENTATION COURSE AND ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH THE FP SITUATION IN EGYPT.