OBJECTIVES

To develop innovative mass media educational programs which educate people in the areas of sexuality, gender inequity and resulting domestic violence.

BACKGROUND

Puntos de Encuentro receives funding from both national and international sources—with the international ones including the Ford Foundation and the Global Fund for Women. La Boletina magazine was initiated in 1991, and El Sexto Sentido soap opera T.V. program, began in 1996.

SCOPE

The magazine and T.V. shows have a broad readership and viewership, including Nicaraguans from various educational levels and backgrounds.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

La Boletina magazine addresses women’s issues, sexuality and domestic violence. Its language is simple enough to be accessible to low-literate populations, and it is popular with young adults.

The radio show, Jovenes Sin Nombre combines a “talk show” approach with pop music.

El Sexto Sentido T.V. drama portrays youth dealing with complex SRH and gender-related issues, such as HIV/AIDS, sexual orientation and domestic violence.

MANAGEMENT FEATURES

Strategy

According to one of Puntos’ staff persons, Puntos is using one of the most effective methods to be able to get people to consider the sensitive topics associated with sexuality and gender relations, by “humanizing the issues, turning them into human dramas that people can relate to.”

Capacity-Building

Since this project utilizes mass media projects to reach the public with their educational messages, there is no specific capacity-building effort. However, through exposure to the various components, the project is helping to create greater awareness and openness in the area of gender inequity, domestic violence, and related topics.

Managerial Leadership

Mass media is a very youth-friendly educational medium, and Puntos has much to share from the lessons learned from this project. Their mass media efforts are planned for the long-term, with the view that they must be sustained if they are to be effective.

EVALUATION FINDING

La Boletina has reached a distribution of 150,000, and Jovenes Sin Nombre radio show has an estimated 75,000 listeners every night. Impact evaluation data was not available for this writing.