"Facts For Life" (FFL) is a communication and mobilisation programme for child survival and development based on distilling and communicating the universally agreed, practical actions that will have maximum impact. "Facts for Life" communication initiative is active in 86 countries across all regions.

In concise, easily understood language the main items of information the general public and workers at community level need to know and act on for improvements in child survival and development; undertaken in a way that mobilises and maintains organisational partnerships for children

FFL is based around the production of booklets in local languages that explain the main pieces of information, complemented by communication through radio and TV PSA's, inserts in newspapers and magazines, story books, comics, literacy primers, community theatre and drama on FFL themes and a variety of other approaches.

The issues addressed include: Timing Births; Safe Motherhood; Breastfeeding; Child growth; Immunisation; Diarrhea; Coughs and Colds; Hygiene; Malaria; HIV/AIDS; Child Development.

FFL has involved almost all sectors of society on partnership basis – actual partners depend on the country.

Example: Uganda – Health-related NGOs, Churches, Media, Ministries of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ministries of Education, Ministries of Gender, and Ministries of Community Development.

15 million copies of Facts for Life in circulation in 215 languages, making it one of the world's most widely distributed books.

Progression

• 1986 - Facts for Life idea
• 1988 - First draft
• 1989 - First edition – English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic
• 1990 – 80 language versions in use
• 1992 – 6.5 million copies in circulation
• 1995 – 213 national versions and/or translations in 86 countries; 12 million copies printed and a version of FFL being used in 200 countries
• 1996 - 234 national versions/translations

Comment and Opinion

• FFL has been the catalyst for a wide range of advocacy, information, and communication activities
• Provided many UNICEF country office communication staff with clear focus and a means of integrating communication activities into the country programme
• Story books, literacy primers, school texts, comics, animation based on FFL messages
• FFL messages incorporated into health worker, medical, teacher and mass media training
• FFL provided catalyst for developing new partnerships for children and engaging inter-sectoral collaboration

Strategic Recommendations for the Future development of FFL

Develop special new edition of FFL for the 21st Century

• Retain the predominant Health focus and restrict to 12 topics
• [more strongly] relate FFL to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
• ‘Re-invent' in new and innovative ways how FFL is packaged and promoted
• Give greater attention to monitoring and evaluating FFL

Looking to the Future – A global review of UNICEF's Facts for Life Initiative, UNICEF DOC Working Paper, by Pamela Thomas (1997).