In Uttar Pradesh (UP), India, a region facing high maternal and infant mortality rates and limited access to healthcare, World Vision implemented a three-and-a-half-year maternal and neonatal health project (MOMENT) to improve birth spacing and maternal health services. The project focused on educating rural communities and urban slums through various media and house-to-house contact about pregnancy timing, spacing, and the benefits of maternal and child health services, including immunization and family planning (FP).
A key component of the project was World Vision’s Citizen Voice and Action (CVA) strategy, which empowered Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) and local leaders in Hardoi to access government funds and improve social and health services. As a result, 40 VHSNCs were revived, local leaders secured government funds, and 17 non-functional Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) sub-centers were reopened. The project led to increased use of contraceptive services, with over 1,100 women opting for intrauterine devices and over 3,100 for oral pills, in addition to widespread distribution of condoms. This initiative helped integrate contraceptive services with other health services, improving accessibility and reducing costs for families, while demonstrating how social accountability can mobilize communities to improve local services.
