Since 2016, PMC-Nepal has designed, written, and produced three full-length social behavior change radio shows with both national and regional broadcast partners reaching audiences in the millions. In addition to these mass media programs, PMC has worked with grassroots girls’ empowerment organizations to incorporate entertaining content and strategy into life skills sessions for out-of-school girls’ community theater programs.
Rajan Parajuli
Country Director, PMC-Nepal
rparajuli@populationmedia.org
By changing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, Mai Sari Sunakhari (“Orchid, Like Me”) helped to ensure that girls get to be girls instead of child brides. This nation-wide broadcast reached millions of listeners, young and old, to address entrenched gender norms, child marriage, inequity in education, and needed sexual and reproductive rights.
This 104-episode radio show aired from April 2016 to April 2017 in the Maithili language. PMC partnered with the Antenna Foundation (AFN) to broadcast Hilkorand another PMC radio show,Mai Sari Sunakhari (“Orchid, Like Me”), in the Nepalilanguage.TheAntenna Foundation has established itself as one of Nepal’s premier communication and production houses with a team of 50 professionals and a network that spreads across the most remote corners of Nepal. The broadcast network for Hilkor andMai Sari Sunakhari included Radio Nepal, Kantipur FM, and 40 stations nationwide through Ujyaalo 90 Network. Hilkor is currently being aired to adolescent girls in street theater workshops organized by PMC and Janaki Women Awareness Society (JWAS).The goal is to motivate positive behaviors and normative change regarding child marriage, girls’ education, and gender-based violence. As with all PMC radio shows, Hilkorwas createdusing PMC’s radio show methodology.
This 104-episode radio show will air through 2022 across Nepal. Rope Guna Fal will be the third project collaboration between PMC and Antenna Foundation Nepal (AFN). Acting together with UNICEF and The Kendeda Foundation, this year-long radio program will address parenting practices, child marriage, sexual reproductive health, child marriage, and other social issues. Nepal has committed to eliminating child marriage by 2030 as part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. According to research by Girls Not Brides, 40% of Nepalese girls are married before they turn 18. By incorporating parent education and child marriage storylines into Rope Guna Fal, PMC and other contributing partners will move the needle on the attitudes and actions that contribute to the harmful practice. As with all PMC radio shows, Rope Guna Falwas created using PMC’s radio show methodology.
Internation Day of the Girl is an observance holiday celebrated by the United Nations on October 11. This day focuses on the need to address…
