Maternal and Child Health

Male Support for ANC

Using a set of existing interventions Breakthrough ACTION South Sudan conducted a series of prioritization and co-design workshops to answer the question, “How might we transform inequitable gender norms within priority areas of MNCH?" 

The purpose of the tools are to facilitate more balanced decision-making between men and women and increase male support for key maternal and child health behaviors, specifically antenatal care.

Social and Behavior Change Objectives

• Provide accurate information to men and women on maternal and child health.

• Demonstrate equitable communication and decision-making around maternal and child health.

• Redefine roles and norms around communication and decision-making.

• Model greater empathy and provide a more supportive environment for pregnant women.

Act! is a series of four sessions with short skits and activities that encourage positive messages and discussion about ANC with husbands and mothers-in-law. The scenes are to be played by actors and allow participants to learn about key health behaviors.

The Boma Health Guide is explicitly aimed at men so they can understand the importance of and how to support their pregnant partners. During the session, men will hear the story of a character named Deng, who has adopted key behaviors to support his partner during pregnancy. Through discussion activities, participants will reflect on Deng’s story and how they can practice some of the behaviors mentioned in his story.

The Lido board game is designed as a fun way to spread ANC supportive behaviors and facts through a series of questions. The board game has 60 squares, all linked to a question allowing participants to reflect on ANC behaviors. The four ladders and snakes on the board will add complexity and lead players to move faster or slower through the game.