Awareness Generation towards Registration of Births in Rural Areas of Bhilwara District

Objectives

• Awareness generation regarding the advantages and the process of registration of birth.
• Motivate the community to participate in full in getting the newborn babies registered within a month of their birth.
• Awareness and motivation on the part of the functionaries responsible for registration of births at the village level viz. Secretary of the Gram panchayat, Teachers of Government schools, ANMs etc
• Involve the community leaders in the process to provide the activity with an element of sustainability
• Increasing Birth Registration in Bhilwara District
• Mobilising Civil Society for universalising Birth Registration
• Strengthen of Birth Registration
• Sensitise parents about importance of birth registration and its process

Key Activities:

• Organised Janam Panjikaran Jagrukata and Motivation Choupal Baithaks to raise awareness and motive community for Birth Registration
• Capacity building workshops/training of PRI members, members of CBOs, community stakeholders and information providers
• Birth registration camps
• Formation of Block Level Advisory Committee (BLAC) and conducted regular meetings
• Supported local registrars and information providers and coordinated with them
• Monthly Meetings of all field-level functionaries
• Monthly and quarterly review of the work accomplished and strategies followed.
• Submission of reports

Replication of the project

• Replication of the project interventions happened at various levels. The project beneficiaries, target groups, CBOs and NGOs were the key facilitators of the multiplier effect.
• Based on the actions of the various stakeholders in project villages, groups of the same/different communities demanded for similar activities and efforts in their areas
• The CBOs and PRIs disseminated the project-related information in their respective localities, which trickled down among a wider section of the community, resulting in subsequent ripple effect of the interventions. The government agencies and other decision-makers of the community also facilitated the process of replication, in their capacity and monitored the implementation and progress simultaneously.
• Local prints and electronic media played a pivotal role in motivating and sensitising the community for birth registration of their kids

The Implementation Process

• Selection of Animators and Orientation Training of the Animators and other Field level staff

The animators were selected from the respective Gram Panchayats. The orientation aimed at equipping the programme staff with the necessary skills and information, which helped them in consolidating the concepts related to the proposed activity and better dissemination of the information in the target area. The Animators worked at Gram Panchayat level in close association with the midwives. The midwives were also paid an incentive @ Rs 20/registartion based on each birth registered.

• Base Line Survey

A Base Line Survey was conducted to evaluate the present scenario of the preliminary phase of the Project. The idea was to strategise in accordance with the prevailing conditions, and also subtly disseminate the information regarding the project.

• Formation of a Gram Panchayat level Project Monitoring Committee

The committee thus formed comprised of the Community leaders as well as PRI members of the respective villages. The Committee looked after the proper implementation of the Project at the grassroot level, and at the same time provided an element of sustainability to the activities taken up. The Sarpanch headed the committee.

• Creation of Registration Forum

A registration forum was created at gram panchayat level which ensured the timely registration of all the births that took place in the respective gram panchayat. The registration forum also looked after the effective dissemination of information as well as acted as a watchdog on the functionary’s responsible for timely registration. The Sarpanch headed the registration forum as well as the monitoring committee. The registration forum benefited the activity in two ways. Firstly, it acted as a platform where births got register and registration certificates issued. Secondly, and most importantly it acted as an information centre for the eligible couples who were expecting a child, within the gram panchayat. Advance arrangements were made for emergency deliveries.

• Setting up of Counseling and Resource Centre (CRC)

The Counseling and Resource Centre was set up for the purpose of information dissemination. The Centre guided the villagers in matters related to registration of birth and acted as a link between the functionaries and the villagers themselves. The CRCs was set up at the Gram Panchayat level and involved the secretary/gram sevaks. The task of monitoring was entrusted upon the Sarpanch. In addition, the animator was the Secretary of the monitoring committee and ensured that modalities are being taken up properly.

• Involving District level Committee comprising of functionaries associated with the task of Civil Registrations

Being a member of the District Reproductive and Child Health Society, the Centre decided to involve the committee for reviewing and monitoring the progress of the project. The committee met on quarterly basis to assess the project status.

• Monthly Camps

Monthly Camps were held at the Gram Panchayat level to generate further awareness among the rural residents regarding registration and its importance. Resource persons from various knowledge backgrounds were invited to deliver lectures and addressing issues related to women and child health.

• Monthly Meetings of all field-level functionaries

The monthly meetings were organised to monitor the progress of project activities. These meetings also acted as a platform for discussions on the problems being faced at the grassroot level and their possible solutions.

• Quarterly review of the work done and strategies followed

The activity of quarterly review facilitated the process of revision of strategies and acted as an opportunity for sharing of learning and knowledge among the various people participating in the project implementation.

• Analysis of the functioning of counseling and resource centre (CRC)

The activity aimed at the overall assessment of the functioning of the CRC in the final year when the centre became empower to enhance its capability of standing alone without any support. The analytical outlook continued in the second phase.

• Submission of reports

The reports regarding the activities were submitted on a six-monthly basis. The idea behind the submission of reports was to maintain transparency in the project activities. Also reports submitted acted as means of conveying the change to the district level authorities and UNICEF office.