Type of Material: Guidance Documents

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Gender Equality Check-In Tool

Designed to promote gender transformative approaches within public health programming, this practical self assessment tool helps project teams evaluate their organizational and programmatic activities. The resource guides staff through structured reflection prompts to identify how gender dynamics influence activity implementation, team culture, and service delivery outcomes. It facilitates honest internal dialogue, enabling practitioners to address gender biases, strengthen equity, and refine social and behavior change strategies. SBC managers, gender advisors, and project teams can integrate this tool into routine monitoring and pause-and-reflect sessions to ensure continuous alignment with gender equality principles.

Vérification de l’égalité du genre

Conçu pour promouvoir des approches transformatrices en matière de genre dans les programmes de santé publique, cet outil pratique d’auto-évaluation aide les équipes de projet à évaluer leurs activités organisationnelles et programmatiques. La ressource guide le personnel à travers des questions de réflexion structurées afin d’identifier la manière dont la dynamique de genre influence la mise en œuvre des activités, la culture d’équipe et les résultats de la prestation de services. Elle facilite un dialogue interne sincère, permettant aux praticiens de traiter les biais de genre, de renforcer l’équité et de perfectionner les stratégies de changement social et de comportement. Les responsables de CSC, les conseillers en genre et les équipes de projet peuvent intégrer cet outil dans les séances de suivi de routine et de pause-réflexion pour garantir un alignement continu avec les principes d’égalité des genres.

Vérification de l’égalité du genre [PDF]

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: English, French

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Year of Publication: 2020

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Living and Working Safely with Animals in Ghana

This interactive flip chart is a visual and discussion-based tool designed to educate livestock owners, animal handlers, and community members in Ghana about safe practices when living and working with animals. Developed by Breakthrough ACTION Ghana in collaboration with the Veterinary Services Directorate and other One Health partners, the resource supports zoonotic disease prevention by highlighting key behaviors to reduce risks of infection. The flip chart addresses everyday practices related to animal handling, hygiene, vaccination, and injury response, making it ideal for use by veterinary officers, extension agents, and community health workers. Its engaging illustrations and local language adaptability ensure comprehension across literacy levels, promoting sustainable behavior change in both rural and peri-urban settings.

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: English

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Year of Publication: 2021

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Rabies and Anthrax Message Guide for Zoonotic Diseases in Zambia

Risk communication teams and community outreach personnel in Zambia can reference this standardized framework to deliver clear instructions on priority zoonotic threats. The document provides tailored messaging on post exposure rabies prophylaxis, livestock handling, and safe disposal procedures for suspected anthrax cases. By equipping frontline health workers and agricultural extension agents with consistent talking points, the guide helps prevent spillover events and supports prompt community reporting. National multisectoral One Health committees and local implementation partners can deploy these validated message sets during routine health education or active outbreak responses.

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: English

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Year of Publication: 2024

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One Health Risk Communication Training for Media Professionals and Public Health Communicators

Designed to build regional capacity for outbreak response, this comprehensive training package prepares journalists, broadcast reporters, and government communicators to report effectively on emerging health threats. The curriculum equips participants with foundational skills in One Health principles, risk communication strategies, and ethical reporting during public health emergencies. Through interactive modules and practical exercises, media personnel learn to translate complex epidemiological data into clear, accurate news coverage that prevents public panic. SBC specialists, media trainers, and public health agencies can adapt these training materials to foster strong partnerships between technical health experts and news organizations.

Annexes 1–3: One Health Risk Communication Training for Media Professionals and Public Health Communicators [PDF]

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: English

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Year of Publication: 2020

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Contraception Discontinuation Testing Toolkit

Contraceptive discontinuation among women and adolescent girls who want to delay or prevent pregnancy is a challenge in many countries; however, there has been little attention paid to identifying programmatic approaches to address this challenge. In 2021, Breakthrough ACTION, in conjunction with USAID ReachHealth Philippines, the Philippines Commission on Population and Development, and the Philippines Department of Health, used human-centered design to create solutions to reduce contraceptive discontinuation in that country.

The solutions were compiled into this Contraception Discontinuation Testing Toolkit, which guides social and behavior change and family planning (FP) practitioners on testing six solutions that address contraception discontinuation in their local context.

Tested once in the Philippines, these prototypes are meant to be tested again and adapted to the needs of FP providers and women in other countries. The toolkit provides step-by-step instructions for testing the prototypes, along with details on who should test them, and testing requirements.

INSIGHTS REPORT

Examining and Designing Women-Centered Solutions to Reduce Contraceptive Discontinuation in the Philippines [PDF]

TOOLKIT AND TESTING RESOURCES

1. Testing Toolkit

2. Capacity Strengthening Slides

3. Testing Summary

4. Prototypes for Testing

5. Questionnaires and Note-taking Templates

6. Analysis Tools

7. Prototypes for Adaptation

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: English

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Year of Publication: 2023

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Training Health Advocacy Committees in Liberia

Community leaders and influential members from faith-based, traditional, social, and civil society groups can often influence community actions that lead to change at the individual and community levels and even influence policy actions to improve health outcomes. Leveraging this potential, Breakthrough ACTION trained 736 influential community members and established 47 Health Advocacy Committees (HACs) in 12 supported counties.

Since their inception, the HACs have identified and resolved health-related challenges in their communities using the SMART advocacy approach. Examples include building new hand pumps, refurbishing damaged hand pumps, building toilets, building bridges and community roads, and repairing ambulances, among others. As the groups’ responsibilities continue to expand, many HACs have formalized their status as independent civil society organizations.

Explore the SMART Advocacy Training for Advocacy Core Groups: Facilitator’s Guide and Leadership, Resource Mobilization, and Budget Management Facilitator Guide.

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: English

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Year of Publication: 2021

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Community Empathways

The West Africa Breakthrough ACTION Community Empathways card deck is an activity designed to take young people and adult community leaders on a dynamic and engaging journey from awareness to empathy to action. The aim is to forge greater understanding between these groups and ultimately increase adult support for young people seeking reproductive health and family planning information and services.

Facilitator’s Guide

This facilitator guide includes an introduction to the tool, planning tips, and a sample script for a Community Empathways activity session leader.

How-to Video

This how-to video gives step-by-step instructions for organizing a community conversation using selected Merci Mon Héros campaign videos and the Empathways community cards. The video is for any group, organization, or collaborator that wishes to increase youth access to contraceptive, family planning, and reproductive health information and services.

Version Communautaire d’Empathways

Ce “paquet” de cartes est une activité conçue pour emmener les jeunes et les leaders adultes de leur communauté dans un voyage dynamique et engageant, de la prise de conscience à l’empathie, puis à l’action. L’objectif est de forger une meilleure compréhension entre ces groupes et, en fin de compte, d’accroître le soutien des adultes aux jeunes qui recherchent des informations et des services en matière de santé de la reproduction et de planification familiale.

Guide de facilitateur

Ce guide de facilitateur comprend une présentation de l’outil, des conseils de planification et un exemple de script pour l’animateur d’une session Empathways communautaire.

Vidéo tuto

Cette vidéo donne des instructions étape par étape sur l’organisation d’une conversation communautaire à l’aide de vidéos sélectionnées de la campagne Merci Mon Héros et des cartes de la version communautaire d’Empathways. La vidéo est destinée à tout groupe, organisation ou collaborateur qui souhaite améliorer l’accès des jeunes aux informations et aux services de contraception, de planification familiale et de santé reproductive.

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: French

Source: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

Year of Publication: 2021

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Living and Working Safely with Animals for Healthier Communities: Community Discussion Guide

This community discussion guide supports health promoters, extension agents, and local leaders in educating Zambian communities on how to live and work safely with animals to prevent zoonotic diseases. Developed by Breakthrough ACTION in collaboration with the Zambia National Public Health Institute and key One Health stakeholders, the tool blends engaging visuals with dialogue prompts and practical prevention tips. It covers diseases such as rabies, anthrax, brucellosis, and zoonotic tuberculosis, and promotes actions like safe animal handling, vaccination, personal protection, and proper disposal of dead animals. Designed for participatory learning, the guide helps communities understand their role in building resilience and preventing outbreaks that threaten human and animal health.

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: English

Year of Publication: 2025

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Key Message Guide on Priority Zoonotic Diseases in Niger

This guide serves as a strategic communication tool developed to support behavior change efforts related to zoonotic disease prevention and control in Niger. Intended for public health and veterinary professionals, community leaders, and media partners, the guide presents harmonized, audience-tailored messages on 19 priority zoonoses. It equips actors across the One Health platform with standardized, culturally appropriate messages to improve knowledge, shape positive health behaviors, and coordinate risk communication in outbreak contexts. Developed with technical and financial support from Breakthrough ACTION Niger, the guide operationalizes a key recommendation from Niger’s Joint External Evaluation (2018) and builds on insights from a 2021 formative study on zoonotic disease risk behaviors.

Guide de messages clés sur les maladies zoonotiques prioritaires au Niger

Ce guide est un outil de communication stratégique conçu pour soutenir les efforts de changement de comportement liés à la prévention et au contrôle des zoonoses au Niger. Destiné aux professionnels de la santé publique et aux vétérinaires, aux leaders communautaires et aux partenaires des médias, le guide présente des messages harmonisés et adaptés au public sur 19 zoonoses prioritaires. Il permet aux acteurs de la plateforme One Health de disposer de messages standardisés et culturellement appropriés pour améliorer les connaissances, façonner des comportements sanitaires positifs et coordonner la communication sur les risques dans les contextes d’épidémies. Élaboré avec le soutien technique et financier de Breakthrough ACTION Niger, le guide met en œuvre une recommandation clé de l’évaluation externe conjointe du Niger (2018) et s’appuie sur les conclusions d’une étude formative réalisée en 2021 sur les comportements à risque vis-à-vis des zoonoses.

Last modified: July 31, 2026

Language: English, French

Year of Publication: 2023

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