The 2nd Regional Meeting 2007 was held for the UNFPA-supported Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) Regional Project, Expansion of quality adolescent SRH information and services adequate for underserved young people, in Managua, Nicaragua on 30th July and 1st August 2007.

The meeting aimed to:

• Share best practices and lessons learned in communication strategy building developed at the first Regional Meeting in 2006 in Mexico
• Observe ASRH communication activities conducted by UNFPA and AMUNIC (the Municipal Association of Nicaragua) in Esteli
• Give input on development of examples of communication strategy application

JOICFP’s Power Models are templates that help the development of communication strategies. The meeting participants were introduced to the Communication Strategy Power Model and shown how it contributes to appropriate media development.

The four countries participating in the project; Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru, each gave presentations on communication strategies developed over the last year, such as brochures, and delivering messages through music and drama.

Youth representatives from each country
(here, from Ecuador) share their experiences
and materials at the meeting

In visiting Esteli, the participants could see first-hand how young people had taken the initiative to work for their health and develop media and youth-friendly material to involve adolescents in ARH.

Information sharing with other country’s
young people and Nicaraguan
young people at the field observation

In order to share best practices and lessons learned from the four countries, a booklet of lessons learned is expected to be published in November. The contents will be collected by a consultant, and JOICFP will compile them.

Group exercises to make
application examples by each country

UNFPA HQ and UNFPA Nicaragua were pleased with JOICFP’s contribution to the regional project. In addition, UNFPA Nicaragua asked that it further collaborates at the country level for communication strategy for young people throughout Latin America.