According to an article published in December 2023 in Dawn, ‘Gender and Population’ written by Nida Kirmani, Associate Professor of Sociology at LUMS, Pakistan’s population stands at over 240 million, registering an increase of 2.4% in 2017 and 2.55% in 2023. If this keeps up, experts predict that Pakistan will become the fifth-most populous country in the world (it is currently the sixth). In the article, Kirmani writes: “Pakistan’s population growth rate stands in stark contrast to other countries in our region. India’s growth rate in 2023 was 1.10%, Nepal’s 1.25%, Bangladesh’s 1.26%, and Sri Lanka’s a mere 0.83%.”

Given this scenario, family planning education is of vital importance. However, these subjects remain taboo for many Pakistanis, irrespective of gender, age or socioeconomic status and pose a serious obstacle to family planning-focused organisations trying to reach their target audiences. This mindset also impacts discussions on related subjects, such as reproductive health. In this scenario, innovative strategies and sensitively delivered messaging are required to start breaking down social barriers, dispelling stigmas and encouraging men and women to engage in a dialogue on these issues.

In this context, Population Services International Pakistan (PSIP), which has been functioning in Pakistan for the last 30 years, rolled out their new campaign called ‘Dadi Knows Best’ in April 2024.

PSI is a global NGO “that provides products and services for birth spacing” and tackles a range of issues that include HIV, reproductive health and disease surveillance. In the past, PSIP has collaborated with Greenstar Pakistan as well as several NGOs to implement social marketing initiatives and communication projects that promote family planning and reproductive health.

Ayesha Leghari, Country Director of PSIP, says the objectives of the ‘Dadi Knows Best’ campaign “are to normalise communication between people and communicate that discussing family planning is acceptable.”

The campaign is made up of a series of advertisements, each one focusing on a specific topic, be it family planning, societal expectations, using contraceptives, putting women at the forefront of the decision-making process when it comes to using contraceptives, the importance of prioritising healthy contraceptive choices and dispelling myths about using pills. The dadi (grandmother) in question is not a stereotypical one but rather a contemporary, open-minded, well-informed and assertive figure portrayed by actor Shameem Hilaly. Bond Advertising, the agency behind the campaign, says the campaign is disruptive, different and effective. Their creative team came up with the idea of using a grandmother to attract the attention of their target demographic – men and women. This is not surprising given that in many households, grandmothers are “revered” for their wisdom and making decisions pertaining to family matters.

“Dadi brings her wisdom, which she has gained over the years, making her the guiding anchor of future generations,” says Seema Jaffer, CEO, Bond Advertising.

“Grandmothers are respected in most cultures, especially ours, and in this campaign, she affirms facts and encourages young people to have an open dialogue and make informed decisions.”

Very significantly, in our part of the world, a grandmother is perceived as a potent influencer who faces no repercussions when she dispenses advice. The campaign also subtly encourages other grandmothers to follow dadi’s lead and advocate family planning.

This two-pronged approach aims to encourage younger families to consider family planning and signals to the older generation that supporting these decisions is the right thing to do. Interestingly, many of the messages in this campaign conclude with the tagline, “Dadi Knows Best but Viya Knows Better,” a call for action for its audiences to use Viya, a digital bilingual WhatsApp-based chatbot launched by PSIP in 2023 that also focuses on family planning and sexual health.

Viya was launched in Pakistan on World Contraception Day (September 26, 2022) and allows men and women to ask sensitive questions about family planning in a private and safe environment. An international product of PSI, Viya is used by women in international markets and in this respect, Pakistan is the first country where it is available to men as well.

Leghari says that “patriarchy is deeply rooted in our society, and many important decisions, including those about family planning, are made by men, and it is essential that they become part of the conversation.”

According to the findings of in-house research conducted by PSIP, although men are willing to support their partners in family planning issues at times, they are generally uncomfortable discussing such subjects with women doctors or health workers and Viya addresses the issue by providing a comfortable environment to do just that. Viya currently has approximately 120,000 members.

Viya’s objective goes beyond disseminating information. The ultimate objective is to encourage members to take action. With just a click, they can schedule an appointment with a professional, receive medical advice and even buy contraceptives.

To further broaden their outreach, PSIP is exploring other methods as well. For example, PISP recently initiated a series of short films called Beykhauf, which contain subliminal messages about family planning, reproductive health and related issues and are available on YouTube. The first episode has been released and more are to follow.

According to Jaffer, “Beykhauf aims to showcase the socioeconomic fallout caused by the lack of family planning and counter negative beliefs and misconceptions regarding contraceptive use. Based on true events, the films are a way to promote entertainment-cum-education messaging in order to engage younger audiences and drive social and behavioural change.”

Other initiatives include organising comedy nights and interactive sessions at universities, incorporating relatable and relevant content pertaining to contraceptives and family planning into the scripts at these venues. PSIP is also considering introducing another app specifically aimed at younger people.

When assessing family planning in Pakistan, Leghari characterises it as “stagnant.” She highlights the poor enrolment of women in family planning programmes and even those who do enrol tend to discontinue using contraception fairly rapidly. According to Leghari, PSIP research attributes this situation to an absence of innovative thinking; technology has become the most significant facilitator today, which is why a digital approach is essential. Hence why the ‘Dadi Knows Best’ campaign was rolled out on digital channels and the idea of using an app like Viya. PSIP now plans to improve the app further and increase the product range to include advanced contraceptive products such as fourth-generation pills and self-injectables for Pakistanis. In the meantime, perhaps it is safe to say that dadi does know best – at least for now.