Durex-led The Birds and Bees Talk launches ‘Let's Talk About It' campaign to empower adolescents in Northeast region

Reckitt, the global leader in consumer-healthcare today launched Year 2 of the The Birds and Bees Talk programme, which is directed towards the adolescents between the age group- 10 to 19 Years in the six states of North-Eastern India- Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram with the aim to reach 2 million children in three years. The programme has launched its theme song- ‘Let’s talk about it’, to mark its second year, and to celebrate Pride Month.

Launched last year with the support of the state governments of Manipur, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, the Birds and Bees programme has a 2-level interactive, animated curriculum that covers growing up and life skills, to promote the core principles of inclusion, awareness, consent, awareness and protection. In year 2, the programme is building and launching its digital ecosystem to ensure that the COVID pandemic does not hinder learning and development. The digital ecosystem of the programme includes an e-learning platform to deliver sessions to students across the states, with a rewards and recognition programme linked to encourage schools, teachers and students to intensively engage with the content. Supporting the e-learning platform is an AI-enabled chatbot, and a podcast channel, along with a website that gives a complete overview of the programme. The holistic approach of the program envisages celebrating special days and important health days across the states leveraging its rich music, art and culture ensuring that knowledge is not limited till the restraints of physical classes.

The film:

Pride month is an opportunity for the programme to promote inclusivity and awareness about the LGBTQIA community, and help adolescents and youth overcome the challenges of the lack of information, knowledge, stigma and discrimination that forces them to suppress their queries in the absence of correct information.

Gaurav Jain, SVP, SoA, Reckitt, said, “The Birds and Bees Talk campaign is a colourful campaign that leverages the power of arts, music and culture to engage adolescents and youth in fun-filled and positive manner. The TBBT anthem intends to convey that growing up can be fun and safe and sends a positive message that communicates the importance of the knowledge of power, protection and pleasure Through this campaign we aim to raise awareness and make adolescents and the young LGBTQI population in the Northeast feel included and encourage community engagement.”

Mohammed Asif, Executive Director, Plan India, said, “Plan India has been working for more than two decades to improve sexual and reproductive health services and rights for all children, adolescent girls and young women and men in different parts of India. In sync with the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) of the Government of India, we believe adolescents and young people must be enabled, equipped and empowered for their holistic development. They should be aware of their sexual and reproductive rights, make informed choices for themselves and lead healthy lives, free from violence, discrimination and abuse. I am happy to share that the “The Birds and The Bees Talk” Project seeks to enable and equip millions of adolescents and young people with awareness and access to the sexual and reproductive health services and rights, which is important for strengthening gender equality in our country.”

The voices behind the song who are successfully bringing the flavour of North East are Andrea Tariang- actor in path-breaking movies like PINK, a performer at key venues around the country and grazed some festival stages as well including CALM Festival 2015, Bacardi NH7 Weekender 2016, 2017, 2019 Nowhere is Here festival 2018; Arsenal Jamir- Hailing from the hills of Nagaland, a Fashion Stylist and also a designer and creative director for her sustainable clothing brand ‘Otsü Clothing Co’; and Rahul Rajkhowa- Vh1, and Rolling Stone featured Singer/Songwriter having toured 35 cities in India and abroad. Rahul is also the most written about artist from Northeast India for his music addressing social and environmental issues.

Music has been the best source of communication since the beginning of time and the TBBT theme song helps to set a strong foundation for this initiative, sharing the crucial message of acquiring the right knowledge of power, protection and pleasure to ensure healthy development and wellbeing. The song strongly promotes inclusivity and also encourages adolescents to make the right choice.

The campaign will also be rolled out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, shared with key influencers to help reach the masses. The campaign will include a series of digital content that will focus on reiterating the issue and will be used to help reach a larger audience.