Asia-Pacific Population Journal - Volume 3, Issue 4, 1988

Long overdue, there is a resurgence of interest in population communication and information activities. This is much welcomed because it is time to reconfirm the significant role of communication in the success of national population programmes, and to take stock of the field of population communication. Taking stock does not mean making yet another comprehensive review of past research and programmes; many others have already com- piled excellent assessments (Johnson, Wilder and Bogue, 1973; Echols, 1974; Saunders, 1977; Rogers, Solomon and Adhikarya, 1982; Snyder, Kim and Rogers, 1985; ICOMP, 1986). Instead, what is needed is a focused analysis of the present situation.

Family planning communication is not a new subject in Asia. Organized family planning programmes began in Asia as early as the 1960s. Bangladesh, China and Taiwan province of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand have led the way not only in offering family planning services but also in developing information campaigns and educational programmes to inform and persuade people to practise family planning. While other parts of the world were debating whether the words “family planning” and specific types of contraceptives could even be mentioned in public, Governments in Asia were subsidizing mass media promotion of smaller families and of specific contraceptive methods. The evidence is clear that Asia has led the world in family planning communication.

A detailed description of Indonesia’s efforts in the development of information for family planning requires a review of the history of the family planning programme and its information, education and communication (IEC) component, especially since the introduction of new activities such as “social marketing”

Information plays a critical role in changing people’s and Governments’ attitudes about population issues. Because information is considered one of the pillars upon which the success of population policies and programmes is based, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) made it a priority area of its population activities since the formation of its Clearing-house and Information Section as part of the Population Division.