Media advocacy in Benin helps secure contraceptive security victories

Through advocacy workshops and digital advocacy campaigns, the Groupe de Recherche, d’Action, de Formation en Épidémiologie et en Développement (GRAFED) built a strategic alliance between local advocates, journalists, and government officials to promote family planning (FP) commodity financing in Benin. These efforts encouraged the Ministry of Finance to double its financial allocation for contraceptive commodities between 2019 and 2025, from $403,000 to $806,000, repositioning the Beninese government on track to meet its commitments to FP2030 and the Ouagadougou Partnership. By 2024, the government has already executed 84% of the planned budget allocation for contraceptive procurement. GRAFED received one of the Advocacy and Accountability Working Group’s Domestic Resource Mobilization and Expenditure awards in 2022, and over the past two years, has implemented an innovative media advocacy approach to strengthen financing for family planning commodities, improve the tracking of financial commitments, and ensure their transparency. The project leaves in its wake an increasingly favorable environment for FP financing in Benin and the commitment of the government and journalists to continue the collaboration.