UPCMP Process Document_Final-1-min

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UPCM – THE PROJECT
Project Goal: To improve Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal and Child health by strengthening the management of behavior change through women’s social
platforms
Project Objectives:
1. To increase adoption of evidence-based, high impact family health behaviors through SHGs to reach the poor
2. To scale up evidence-based, high impact health behaviors and effective strategies to improve access to health services
The Uttar Pradesh Community Mobilization Project (UPCMP) was launched
as a four-year initiative (2012-2016) to further RGMVP’s commitment to
improve health conditions among the poor. What has emerged is a unique
Health Behavior Change model with strong potential to reduce maternal and
newborn deaths at scale, which could indeed be replicated in some of the
poorest communities in India. The following section, based on the experience
of UPCMP, aims to describe this model at length – taking the reader through
its participatory learning and action cycle, owned and operated by local
women leaders.
The principle objective of UPCMP is to reduce neonatal mortality by
developing and scaling up a package of family health interventions, while
also working to strengthen community management of Behavior Change
Communications (BCC). Utilizing the SHG platform to identify target women
and impart information on Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health
(RMNCH), the project seeks to inculcate knowledge, strengthen skills and
invite families to adopt better behavioral practices for safer pregnancies,
newborn care and child health. Work with SHGs is complemented by efforts
to strengthen health services and improve linkages with health systems.
In line with RGMVP’s main operating strategy, UPCMP embraces a
participatory learning and action cycle to identify and prioritize problems
facing target women, and then mobilize action to address them. The
process depends on SHG functioning, committed mobilisers and local
health workers, active communication between SHGs and VOs and
continuous capacity building and community support for measuring
progress and impact. This section will reveal that the proof is in the process.
When all cogs work together to activate SHGs, the results can indicate
tremendous improvement in family health behaviors and increased access
to life-saving health services.
UPCMP EMBRACES A PARTICIPATORY LEARNING AND ACTION CYCLE TO IDENTIFY AND
PRIORITIZE PROBLEMS...AND THEN MOBILIZE ACTION TO ADDRESS THEM.