Vaccination Challenges Have Long Plagued South Asia: Might Better Engagement With Faith Leaders Be a Solution?

Faith leaders are not just influencers, they are partners in this mission. Their involvement in the Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities initiative is crucial for creating a safer, healthier and more equitable future for children and families across South Asia.

But can better faith engagement help promote better vaccine adherence in a region where challenges keep so many at risk?

By tapping into the deep-seated trust that communities have in these leaders, the program promotes a future where positive change is not just possible. It’s inevitable.

FPCC’s partnership with faith leaders has proven essential in addressing a range of child protection and health issues in South Asia. Faith leaders have long been consulted by their followers on matters ranging from family planning decisions to other matters of healthcare, and education. Their endorsement or opposition to certain practices can have a profound impact on community behaviors.

Misinformation and deep-rooted beliefs have long been barriers to vaccine protection. However, through FPCC’s engagement, faith leaders have been equipped with accurate information about the benefits of immunization. This is particularly important in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, where polio eradication efforts have faced substantial challenges. Both countries have major gaps in routine immunization of under 5, the major death causes are pneumonia, measles and nutritional needs of children.

With their endorsement, faith leaders can help overcome vaccine hesitancy and promote life-saving practices. FPCC is also using the approach to address child protection issues such as sexual abuse, child labor, unaccompanied minors, corporal punishment and ensuring the rights of adolescent girls. Beliefs surrounding these issues can be deeply ingrained, and faith leaders play a pivotal role in changing perceptions and promoting protective behaviors.

Faith leaders have the moral authority to speak out against harmful practices and when they are well-informed and aligned with development goals, their influence can bring about lasting change.

Faith leaders are natural advocates for education and gender parity, and FPCC’s collaboration with them ensures leaders are equipped with the necessary tools to address contexts often beyond the reach of other social change programs: out-of-school children, child marriages, and the rights of adolescent girls. By engaging these leaders in dialogue and capacity building, FPCC is shifting mindsets and fostering long-term, positive change in communities that have historically been resistant to such initiatives.

The journey is ongoing, but with continued effort, FPCC has the potential to transform communities, uplift children, and create a better future for generations to come.