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All Ado Avance Ensemble partners have come together across borders to create a campaign around World Contraception Day and Safe Abortion Day. They share a common mission: to create meaningful change by raising awareness and addressing the core challenges highlighted by both days. Joel Eklou from ATBEF in Togo, Rose Ouedraogo from ABBEF in Burkina Faso and Benedicta Cruz from ABPF in Benin were part of the group that created the campaign message and visuals. In this interview, we’ll explore their motivations, strategies, and the expected impact of their collaborative campaign.
1. Why join forces on these two days?
Joel: Joining forces for two days of campaigning will make it possible to raise awareness among young people and teenagers of the importance of contraception for sexual and reproductive health. Together, we’ll work to reduce the stigma and taboos surrounding contraception and promote informed decision-making about contraception among young people.
Benedicta: There’s strength in numbers! Given that we are a number of countries in consortium on a programme that will enable vulnerable adolescents (aged 10-19) to fully exercise their sexual and reproductive rights in societies that better respond to their needs in this area, including access to contraception and safe abortion according to the law, it was important to act together for greater impact. There’s a saying that goes “alone we go fast, but together we go far”. Speaking with one voice, in synergy, inevitably reaches more people. We are aware that the humanity we share must continue to unite us, and we must also unite for it.
“There's strength in numbers! Given that we are a number of countries in consortium on a programme that will enable vulnerable adolescents (aged 10-19) to fully exercise their sexual and reproductive rights in societies that better respond to their needs in this area, including access to contraception and safe abortion according to the law, it was important to act together for greater impact.”Benedicta Cruz, ABPF
2. Why did you choose this message?
Rose: This message – our youth = our life = our responsibility! calls out to us about the commitment of young people and their power to make their own decisions about their sexuality.
Joel: It also shows our shared commitment. It unites individuals, organisations and governments in a collective effort to show that young people have the agency to make their own choices but that we also need to ensure they have access to information and safe contraceptive methods, while eliminating the barriers that could hinder this access.
3. Why is it important to send a single message across all these countries?
Joel: You know, using one consistent message has some big advantages. First, it keeps things clear and avoids any mix-ups when communicating, which really boosts the campaign’s credibility. Plus, it’s more likely to catch people’s attention and get the message across effectively. When you say the same thing over and over, it sticks in people’s minds. Don’t forget about the cost effectiveness of cocreating a campaign together instead of spreading resources all over the place.
Also, it’s way easier to work together and achieve common goals when everyone’s on the same page with a single message.
So, in a nutshell, using one message for all countries in the consortium is the way to go. It makes the campaign more effective, boosts credibility, saves resources, and helps everyone work together towards shared goals.
Benedicta: To begin with, we have the same problems, even if there may be specificities. In our countries, we all have young people, in our countries there are problems with access and the availability of information and contraceptive products, in our countries there are adolescents and young people who resort to illegal abortion and suffer the dire consequences.
4. What are you most enthusiastic about in this campaign?
Benedicta: First of all, the desire to work in synergy. This was immediately accepted by the organisations that are part of the consortium, the working methodology and the faith that we will succeed in raising awareness among young people, parents and even governments.
