UNFPA and Newlink: United to Overcome Challenges

Between 2008 and 2011, The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), sponsored by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), led an ambitious campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean to promote sexual and reproductive health for the most vulnerable populations in the region.

To achieve the proposed objectives, the project counted on Newlink for strategic support in planning 12 months of effective communication.

The project had four goals:

Preventing teenage pregnancy in the Andean area;
Promoting sexual and reproductive health, addressing HIV/AIDS and sexual violence among women and young migrants;
Intercultural reproductive health for indigenous women
Health and justice for women subjected to sexual violence in Central America.

The plan included aspects ranging from the design of a visual identity to the creation of an interactive website, and also bringing the themes of the project to the attention of the traditional media and social networks.

Newlink took advantage of four large events in the region to expose high-level political figures and attendants to the achievements and challenges of the four initiatives of the project.

In collaboration with the UNFPA team, Newlink set up a timetable that ensured each of the four events had the maximum impact in the media, receiving complete coverage before, during and after each event. Captivating concepts were created to generate active participation by attendees of the events. Additionally, there were videos, multimedia presentations and merchandise to reinforce the messages. Content tools were developed to provide different depths of information — from brochures to books — to allow guests to learn more about the initiatives.

In these circumstances, after thorough and rigorous preparation, a multidisciplinary team of skilled professionals was able to complete the objectives of the proposal, which not only met, but exceeded the original goals.

Some highlights of the campaign include:

The development and implementation of a campaign to prevent teen pregnancy in the Andean region.
The administration and publication of five bi-national studies on sexual and reproductive health among the migrant population, and setting up mechanisms for bi-national cooperation on the borders of all countries involved in the campaign.
The development of models for healthcare with an intercultural perspective, focused on empowering indigenous women leaders.
The development and implementation of comprehensive care models to facilitate access to justice and health services for victims of sexual violence, while preventing repeated victimization during legal proceedings.

It was a significant achievement for the organization, an important service for the community and an honor for Newlink. In the words of Marcela Suazo, Regional Director of Latin America and the Caribbean for UNFPA:

“This campaign was crucial to mobilize decision-makers to strengthen and expand their commitment to initiatives that promote access to reproductive health services for the most neglected population groups in the region.”