Strategic Plan

Transcription

1 Strategic Plan June, 2011

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3 Message from the current Chair of EARHN Since 2007, when Uganda assumed the Chairmanship of the Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN), significant growth has been realized by the Network. We revised EARHN Strategic Plan ( ) and gained stakeholder support towards increased collaboration among Eastern African countries in the areas of reproductive health, population and development. The Strategic Plan, , has guided the work of EARHN and has been basis for monitoring and evaluation of EARHN activities. Among the achievements of the Network was the expansion to include Burundi, Ethiopia and Rwanda. The Network worked hard to address reproductive health concerns in the region as well as in member countries through the vibrant capacity building efforts and advocacy targeting stakeholders at various levels including Members of Parliament. The growth in scope and advocacy initiatives has necessitated the Network to put in place structural changes that will lead to better and efficient operations, among which, is the revised Strategic Plan, and the creation of the EARHN Secretariat. Looking forward, the future for EARHN is very promising, building on the good work and experience this far. The Networks capacity is now much stronger. The successor Strategic Plan should lead the Network to greater heights. EARHN will continue to cherish the support and partnerships with the Country Member Governments. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the EARHN Member countries, our partners and development partners for their continued support. It is through collaboration and building strategic partnerships that we have managed to realize the achievements this far. We look forward to working together with all of you to improve the health and welfare of the vulnerable women and children in the region whom we are committed to serve. Charles Zirarema Chair of EARHN and Ag Director, Population Secretariat (Uganda) E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

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5 Table of Contents List of Abbreviations and Acronyms 5 Executive Summary 6 1. INTRODUCTION Background About EARHN Historical Note Achievements Challenges Funding EARHN STRATEGIC POSITIONING Mandate Vision Mission EARHN Core Values EARHN STRATEGIC DIRECTION Goal Strategic Focus FOCUS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships Coordination of South-South Learning Institutional Strengthening IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION STRATEGY Implementation Strategy Monitoring and Evaluation RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIC RESULTS FRAMEWORK 29 Appendix I: 32 EARHN Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats 32

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7 List of Abbreviations and Acronyms AIDS AFP AU CHW CPR CSO EARHN EAC ECSA-HC DSW HIV FP ICPDPoA IMR IUD MDG MPoA MMR MoH MSI NCPD NDP NGO PAI PGR PPD ARO SRHR STI REC RH TFR UNFPA USAID Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Advance Family Planning African Union Community Health Worker Contraceptive Prevalence Rate Civil Society Organization Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network East Africa Community Eastern, Central and Southern Africa Health Community German Foundation for World Population Human Immuno-deficiency Virus Family Planning International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action Infant Mortality Rate Intrauterine Device Millennium Development Goal Maputo Plan of Action Maternal Mortality Ratio Ministry of Health Marie Stoppes International National Council for Population and Development National Development Plan Non-Governmental Organization Population Action International Population Growth Rate Partners in Population and Development, Africa Regional office Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Sexually Transmitted Infection Regional Economic Community Reproductive Health Total Fertility Rate United Nations Population Fund United States Agency for International Development E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

8 Executive Summary The Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) is a South-South intergovernmental initiative currently comprising six countries coming together to address population, reproductive health and development priority concerns in the region. The Network s vision is: an Eastern Africa Region free from sexual and reproductive health burdens. EARHN s programme activities have been guided by a series of Strategic Plans, the first of which covered the period while the second one covers the period Following the fourth EARHN Coordination Meeting held on April 2011, in Kampala, Uganda which attracted high profile participants from member countries and development partners, the Network reviewed and revised the current Plan to a successor Strategic Plan to cover the period The successor plan builds on the significant achievements made so far, which include: Expansion of membership to include Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and shortly, Southern Sudan; Development and dissemination of policy briefs, newsletters and sharing good practices in the region using South-South cooperation modality; Successful convening of three Annual Coordination Meetings in which best practices, opportunities and challenges were shared including strategies for resource mobilization; Development of strong institutional partnerships; Facilitation of exchange visits between EARHN member countries to share good practices; Establishment of a functional EARHN website; Constructive and productive dialogue with key FP/RH Champions to enhance their role, focus and resource allocation to the SRHR Agenda; and Collaboration and strategic networking with Members of Parliament within countries and in the region. EARHN s overall goal of contributing to the improvement of the SRHR situation in Eastern Africa will be pursued by focusing on strengthening three key areas: Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships; Coordination, exchange and South-South Learning; and Institutional Capacity Building. EARHN will implement innovative and collaborative strategies aimed at achieving clear objectives. 6 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

9 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) is a South-South initiative established in It is comprised of government ministries responsible for advocacy for addressing population, reproductive health and development issues. Its geographical coverage includes Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda (South Sudan is expected to join shortly upon becoming an independent nation in July 2011). EARHN s Strategic Plan ( ) noted that Eastern Africa countries share similar social, political, demographic and geographic environments 1. The challenges, which remain current to this day, include: a high disease burden not matched with adequate national resources for health, to address the prevailing poverty and poor reproductive health (RH) outcomes. The major reproductive health problems include: High fertility and high population growth rates (averaging 6 children per woman, and 3%, respectively) which pose a big threat to economic growth and poverty reduction efforts; Poor infant and maternal health; Low contraceptive prevalence rates; High unmet need for FP services; and Large numbers of vulnerable adolescents who are often unable to access appropriate information and services. The table below summarizes some of these demographic and RH indicators by member country. 1 Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network: Strategic Plan E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

10 Table 1: Selected demographic and RH indicators for EARHN Member Countries Country Pop (m) PGR TFR IMR MMR CPR Unmet need for FP HIV/AIDS Burundi Ethiopia Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Uganda S. Sudan* (Source: Country reports (April 2011) * South Sudan is a prospective member Gender inequity also continues to impede women s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) status in the Region. Women continue to endure low socioeconomic status and are unable to achieve their sexual and reproductive health needs or protect themselves, their partners and their children. Women in Eastern Africa, like in the rest of the Continent, bear more children than they may desire largely because of poor access to education and FP information and services. Without access to FP and safe delivery services and emergency obstetric care, women in Africa die during childbirth at more than 100 times the rate in developed nations. The risk of maternal death in the course of a woman s lifetime is 1 in 16 in Sub Saharan Africa, compared to 1 in 3,800 in developed countries. It is impossible to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the region without guaranteeing SRHR. Other problems include: High STI/HIV prevalence; Programmes within and among sectors that are vertical, uncoordinated and duplicative; Inadequate human resources for reproductive health service delivery; Inadequate training; and Inappropriate deployment of health personnel. In the region, 1 out of 3 deaths and disabilities among women of reproductive age and 1 out of 5 of the total global burden of ill-health have been attributed to poor reproductive health. It is estimated that ill-health among women reduces productivity 8 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

11 of the female labour force by as much as 20 percent, resulting in significantly diminished impact of women s potential contribution to both domestic and national output and development. Improvements in RH can contribute to gender equality, child health, universal education, reduction of the spread of HIV, and reduction of the incidence of poverty. Evidence shows that investment in FP creates savings in other development areas such as education, immunization, water and sanitation, environment, maternal health, malaria in the magnitude of three to thirty times the original outlay for FP 2 EARHN s agenda over the next five years seeks to promote more effective, comprehensive, and timely mapping of member countries SRHR policies and programme interventions to regional, continental and international frameworks and commitments such as the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (ICPD PoA), Maputo Plan of Action (MPoA), and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), among others. The network will take advantage of the apparent improving political will, national ownership and prioritization of SRHR, reflected in member countries National Development Plans (NDPs) or Frameworks, to advocate more effectively and enhance resource allocation to SRHR, and more effective implementation of policies and programmes to achieve improved health outcomes based on agreed SRHR targets. Experiences shared by member countries during the 4 th EARHN Coordination Meeting held April 2011, in Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda, show that innovative actions in the SRHR arena can generate gains that have significant impact on a country s overall socio-economic development (see box below). Selected experiences shared during the 4 th EARHN meeting Advocacy with political leaders with a focus on economic arguments is an effective approach to building political will so that policies are internally supported (Rwanda) Transforming remote health centres into training centres for IUDs, and initiation of PBF with focus on RH (Burundi) Massive training of Community Health Workers (CHWs) to scale up 2 World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, Countdown to 2015 Decade Report ( ): taking stock of maternal, newborn and child survival E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

12 service delivery of RH commodities at community level (Ethiopia) A decentralized training process training a team of district level trainers and using on-the-job training facilitates national coverage and minimizes disruption to service delivery (Rwanda) Conditional loan approval by Parliament to secure resource allocation to RH (Uganda) Mobilizing multiple sources of funding for effective programmeme implementation (Kenya) Top level championship of RH advocacy is crucial to national ownership and diffusion (Rwanda) Parliament and Government ownership of programmemes is a key success factor (All EARHN countries) Innovative methods of providing motivation and incentives for performance, including performance-based-financing, performancebased-contracts and district incentive funds, produce results (Rwanda) Community health insurance scheme that provides incentive to CHWs to expand FP services including distribution of injectable contraceptives; innovative follow up tools for missing clients ( echeancier ) using a card and calendar system that keeps track of clients and their schedule for resupply (Rwanda) Increased government funding to FP/RH through national budget (Uganda) Active involvement of civil society, religious and cultural leaders, youthful celebrities as well as media for broad based RH advocacy (Uganda) Women empowerment through micro credit, skill development and Functional Adult Literacy (Uganda) Effective coordination of SRHR stakeholders interventions and resource tracking led by Government (Tanzania) FP repositioned as a key strategy for social and economic development; FP incorporated into the pre-service training curriculum; task shifting on obstetric and neonatal care has led to improved antenatal care (Malawi) South-South cooperation in both efficacious and cost-effective (EARHN) 10 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

13 EARHN will continue to build upon the good practices and experiences within and outside the network to create positive change in both policy and programme implementation. The Network will disseminate widely the good practices and successful developments within the context of encouraging South-South Cooperation. South South dialogue and cooperation is proving to be a particularly effective mechanism for holding leaders and countries accountable on the commitments they have made at regional, continental and international levels. 1.2 About EARHN Historical Note The Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) is a south-south initiative, which begun its collaboration between Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania in November The three founding agencies were: the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD) located in Nairobi, Kenya; Uganda s Population Secretariat, under the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the Population Planning Unit under the Ministry of Planning, Economy and Empowerment (former Planning Commission in Tanzania s President s Office). EARHN s original objective was to enable the three countries undertake a set of advocacy actions aimed at improving RH services, programmes and information within the member countries. EARHN s coordination role is rotational, and each of those countries has led the network at least once. The first coordinating office was located at the NCPD in Nairobi, Kenya. In the earliest phase of work, activities for the network included provision of technical assistance, coordination of programmes, experience sharing among the countries, and production and distribution of EARHN newsletter/brochure. UNFPA, Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD- ARO), USAID s REDSO/ESA, Population Action International, DSW and Pathfinder International have supported the network in the past. In 2000, EARHN members recognized the need for a long-range blueprint to guide it in expanding and strengthening its programmes. As a result, EARHN Strategic Plan was developed. The Strategic Plan focused on four key issues: Programme development and expansion; strengthening EARHN as an institution; advocacy, outreach and coalition building; and resource development and sustainability. EARHN s second Strategic Plan covering sought to reinvigorate the network and catalyzing and managing positive change based on clear vision, E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

14 mission, mandate, strategic focuses and objectives developed at the 2007 EARHN Coordination Meeting shortly after Uganda had assumed the Chair from Kenya. During this meeting, the network also agreed to expand the coverage of the network to embrace the whole of Eastern Africa, with membership now including Burundi, Ethiopia, and Rwanda. The new nation of Southern Sudan is expected to join shortly while the network also maintains very close linkages with Malawi and Ghana, as observers, in the spirit of broadening South-South cooperation, a major principle underlying the Network s vision and mission. EARHN s third Strategic Plan ( ) builds on the achievements made during the last four years with the aim of consolidating the gains in improving SRHR service delivery and access by the populations of member countries. The successor Plan benefited immensely from the experiences and ideas shared at Munyonyo during which participants undertook a critical review of the performance of Strategic Plan , and made proposals for building on the achievements registered so far. (Note: while the current Strategic Plan ends in 2012, the successor Plan covers this year as well in order to take into account emerging developments in the regional and international RH/FP environment) Achievements Some of the key achievements noted during the implementation of EARHN Strategic Plan are summarized below: Holding of constructive and productive dialogue with key FP/FP Champions 3 including Parliamentarians, First Ladies and other policy makers to enhance focus, resource allocation to, and visibility of, the SRHR Agenda in Eastern Africa Expansion of membership to include Burundi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and shortly, South Sudan (with strong linkages developed with Ghana in West Africa, and Malawi in Southern Africa) Development and dissemination of policy briefs and newsletters as well as sharing good practices in the Region 3 An RH/FP champion is an influential person who uses his or her position or expertise or knowledge or skills to advocate for prioritizing of reproductive health and family planning at various levels e.g. community, district, national, regional and globally (Champions include: Political leader; Government Minister; Parliamentarian; Policy maker; Eminent personality e.g. First Lady; Senior government personnel; Celebrity, media or entertainment person; Cultural or religious leader; Professional; or any other figure). 12 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

15 Successfully convened three Annual Coordination Meetings Development of strong institutional partnerships ((PPDARO, UNFPA, AFP, PAI, MSI, DSW, among others) Built` capacity of Members of Parliament to effectively advocate for improved RHCS and services. Some modest but important progress in resource mobilization Facilitation of Exchange Visits between EARHN member countries to share good practices Member countries developed, implemented, and shared Advocacy Strategies and Annual Work Plans Established functional EARHN website Challenges The main challenges facing the Network include: Sustaining the momentum of change in terms of political commitment and visionary leadership Sustaining increased budgetary allocation to SRHR by member countries in the face of competing demands Wide spread poverty and low literacy rates High population growth rates High unemployment especially among the youthful population Faith based opposition to FP/RH Socio-cultural perceptions and gender inequality Poor infrastructure (health infrastructure, roads, etc.) Lack of a full-time secretariat to spearhead implementation of the Network s programme activities Limited funding for EARHN program activities EARHN will consolidate the existing productive partnerships and expand them to harness the rich opportunities that exist for addressing SRHR challenges to promote the attainment of agreed SRHR goals and targets that are clearly elaborated in the East African Community Reproductive Health Strategy, the Maputo Plan of Action, and the ICPD PoA as well as the MDGs. EARHN is collaborating with Advance Family Planning (AFP) Project, PPD ARO and the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health and has E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

16 formulated the network s FP/RH Advocacy Strategy and Work Plan for the period , in line with its strategic objective for this primary area of focus Funding EARHN programme activities are largely supported by development partners with whom the network shares similar aspirations. Member countries do provide a range of support services through the national coordinating agencies responsible for EARHN matters in their respective countries. The development partners that have supported EARHN include: Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPDARO); German Foundation for World Population (DSW); Population Action International (PAI); United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); Advance Family Planning (AFP) Project, Pathfinder International, USAID, MSI, among others. 14 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

17 2. EARHN STRATEGIC POSITIONING EARHN s strategic positioning is defined by the Network s Mandate, Vision, Mission and Core Values as elaborated below. 2.1 Mandate EARHN s Mandate 1. Promoting South-South cooperation in the field of SRHR 2. Conducting evidence based advocacy for sound policies and programmes 3. Facilitating need-based and demand-driven capacity building 4. Compiling, publishing and disseminating best practices to enhance knowledge and influence behavior 5. Mobilizing resources for SRHR 2.2 Vision EARHN Vision An Eastern Africa Region free from sexual and reproductive health burdens 2.3 Mission Mission To promote sound SRHR policies and programmes across borders through strategic partnerships, effective coordination and sharing of best practices 2.4 EARHN Core Values Accountability: encompassing integrity, transparency, and professionalism Gender equality: entailing equity, fairness and mutual respect Human rights: belief that access to RH/FP services is a fundamental human right E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

18 Underpinned by its core values, EARHN will innovatively exploit its unique character as an inter-governmental network to step up its advocacy and lobby for increased SRHR funding and promotion of universal access to FP/RH services among the network s member countries. 16 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

19 3. EARHN STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3.1 Goal EARHN s goal is to contribute to the improvement of the SRHR situation in Eastern Africa. 3.2 Strategic Focus The participants at the 4 th EARHN Coordination Meeting adopted the following three priority areas of focus as the basis for the network s third Strategic Plan ( ): Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships for improved RH, FP and Population & Development Policy environment Coordination of South-South Learning to foster sharing of evidence-based best practices and improving Network effectiveness Capacity Strengthening of both EARHN Member Countries and the Network itself. E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

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21 4. FOCUS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS 4.1 Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships Country experiences shared in Munyonyo, Kampala brought out some commendable progress being made by EARHN member countries towards fulfillment of their commitments within regional and international SRHR frameworks. In particular, the meeting noted with appreciation the growing awareness and championship of SRHR issues and agenda amongst Parliamentarians across the Region. Despite these trends, FP/RH is still not high enough on the agenda in Eastern Africa. This has resulted in poor SRHR indicators in the region and inadequate knowledge and commitment among many policymakers. EARHN recognizes this situation and the obligation of the Network to work collaboratively, at national and regional level together with allied partners, to enhance advocacy for wider and deeper sensitization and consensus building among policymakers and SRHR programme implementers using evidence based arguments. Countries within the Eastern Africa region are at various stages of both policy commitment and programmematic experience. EARHN will continue to act as the link between policymakers and technical staff in different countries in order to advocate for stronger SRHR policies and implementation of comprehensive SRHR programmes to improve SRHR outcomes in member countries. The network will continue facilitating learning and sharing of good policies and practices amongst member countries as an important method of work in its advocacy efforts. Despite the efforts initiated over the years, there is still limited collaboration and partnerships between EARHN and many potential advocacy partners. These include Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the Private Sector, RH Divisions in country Ministries of Health (MoHs), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Cultural and Traditional Institutions and other networks. During the next five years, EARHN will step up efforts to build greater coalition and space for collaboration among all of these partners working in the field of SRHR and related fields of health, development, gender, and economic planning. Specific efforts will be made by EARHN to enhance collaboration with the Secretariats of the East African Community (EAC) and the East, Central and Southern Africa E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

22 Regional Health Community (ECSA-HC) with a view to fostering better synergies, avoid duplication of efforts and wastage of scarce resources. In addition, EARHN will work with different partners to build capacities for FP/RH champions (including using tools like Spitfire, East African RAPID, etc.) so that they can play their advocacy role in the region more effectively. In this regard, the champions capacities will be built to appreciate the linkages between FP/RH and sustainable development. The advocacy skills of champions will be enhanced so that they become effective advocates to influence RH/FP policies and increased and new funding in real terms. Furthermore, opportunities at national, regional and international levels will be identified and champions deployed and facilitated to effectively participate in such advocacy opportunities Objectives and Strategic Interventions Strategic Objective 1: To increase awareness and support for SRHR among key policy and decision makers in the region through: Promoting better RH status in the region and ensuring better implementation of MDGs, ICPD PoA and Maputo PoA. Increasing national government resources for family planning activities, supplies and services. Uptaking of programmematic and policy innovations related to reducing the unmet need for family planning in the region; and Promoting EARHN as an effective and sustainable Network. Strategic interventions: i) Develop and implement EARHN FP/RH Advocacy Strategy. EARHN will, with support from partners, finalize and implement an RH Advocacy Strategy. The aim of the strategy is to raise awareness and the profile of SRHR as a priority health agenda in the region, and secure commitment and accountability on the implementation of agreed SRHR policies and programmes at country and regional levels; ii) Build members capacity for advocacy. The network will continue to arrange appropriate meetings, seminars and mentoring sessions for imparting and sharing innovative advocacy, lobbying and networking skills; and 20 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

23 iii) Regular tracking of SRHR resource allocations and expenditure at national and regional level. Country budget allocations, disbursements, impact and lessons learned will be widely disseminated to influence SRHR policy, programme and value-for-money. Strategic Objective 2: To strengthen strategic linkages with like-minded partners to strengthen voices for SRHR advocacy and resource mobilization in the Region. Strategic Interventions: i) Consolidate existing partnerships and expand EARHN linkages with other national, regional and international partners including research institutions; ii) Identify, build capacity of FP/RH champions to promote FP/RH agenda at the national, regional and global levels; iii) Reinforce collaboration and coordination among EARHN member and collaborating countries. iv) Engage additional countries in membership of EARHN; 4.2 Coordination of South-South Learning One of the major reasons behind the establishment of EARHN is to foster South- South cooperation, strengthen coordination of SRHR policies and programmes among member countries and facilitate sharing of good practices that would result in improved health outcomes for the people of Eastern Africa. EARHN is particularly concerned about the enduring gaps in effective implementation of otherwise good policies and programmes, even where there is political will at national and regional level. The network recognizes that South-South cooperation is a cost effective way to address these gaps within the context of Eastern Africa. South-South knowledge transfer is often more effective in developing capacity than one-way knowledge transfers from the North. South-south cooperation has untapped potential for approaching new opportunities and sharing good practices in SRHR. Unfortunately, success stories and good practices within East Africa and other developing countries are not as widely disseminated as they should be. Having started on this process over the last few years, EARHN believes that a sustained exchange of ideas, experiences E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

24 and technologies from within the region will enhance the quality and impact of SRHR policies and programmes at member country level. EARHN sees the need to focus on the sharing knowledge of effective policies and programmes as well as on health systems that must deliver them. EARHN will continue to build upon its members and partners experiences in order to enhance political commitment and forge strong coalitions across programmes, sectors, professions, and countries Objectives and Strategic Interventions Strategic Objective 1: To enhance capacity of partner organizations to offer integrated FP/RH programmes Strategic interventions: i) Document and disseminate good FP/RH policies and practices across the region; ii) Facilitate south-south learning opportunities for EARHN member countries iii) Facilitate the replication of successful interventions; and iv) Regular monitoring, evaluation and reporting of EARHN and Member country SRHR Work Plans. Strategic Objective 2: To facilitate the strengthening of health systems, in particular with regard to provision of FP/RH supplies and their procurement and distribution Strategic Interventions: i) Facilitate information sharing among member countries on FP/RH supplies (provision, procurement, distribution); and ii) Document and disseminate good practices. 22 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

25 4.3 Institutional Strengthening Hitherto, EARHN governance and management has rotated amongst the respective Country Coordinators or member country designated persons who assume the responsibility for coordinating the affairs of the network on voluntary (2-yearly) basis. EARHN does not have an established Secretariat. This presents a serious bottleneck in performance effectiveness. Weaknesses in institutional structures and technical capacity has limited EARHN s ability to implement programmes, strengthen relationships between members, and secure predictable financial resources that would enable EARHN to be sustainable. EARHN s lack of capacity and structures also weakens its visibility at international, regional and national levels, which compromises its effectiveness as a network. Without the requisite capacity, EARHN cannot carry out effective advocacy campaigns, and resource mobilization, undertake planned activities and live up to the expectations of partners or meet the needs of intended beneficiaries. In order for EARHN to assist its membership in effectively operationalizing and implementing programmes, it must develop its own internal capacity. To fulfill its mandate, EARHN will establish a permanent Secretariat, as a matter of urgency with assistance from its development partners (PPD ARO was requested to spearhead this undertaking). The EARHN Secretariat will develop and implement annual work plans and budgets for the network and spearhead resource mobilization to support planned Network activities in member countries and regionally. Strategic Objective: To promote EARHN as an effective and sustainable Network Strategic Interventions: i) Put in place mechanisms for good governance (a functional structure, systems, procedures and work culture); ii) Build capacity of EARHN secretariat and members; Train FP advocacy entities in fund-raising and proposal development iii) Implement a resource mobilization strategy iv) Document and share EARHN experience. E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

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27 5. IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION STRATEGY 5.1 Implementation Strategy The Strategic Plan shall be operationalized by a series of detailed work plans and budgets to be prepared annually. These work plans will address emerging priority actions within the framework of the broad Strategic Plan as well as other programme activities to which EARHN is already committed, under ongoing project agreements. 5.2 Monitoring and Evaluation EARHN recognizes its responsibility to all of its stakeholders (network members, partners, donors, governments, and particularly, the women and men of Eastern Africa) to undertake work effectively and efficiently in order to achieve set objectives. Accordingly, EARHN attaches great importance to effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the performance of the Strategic Plan. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are important management tools for measuring accomplishments and detecting the need for adjustment in the course of implementing the Strategic Plan. To ensure that implementation of this Strategic Plan is on course and relevant to the needs of all members, monitoring and evaluation will be made more systemic and systematic. The overall vision of success for EARHN is an Eastern African region free from sexual and reproductive health burdens. That is a long-term outcome beyond the sole control of EARHN. Yet, EARHN hopes to contribute to progress in this area and the impact of the network can and should be assessed, in both the short-term and intermediate time period. Monitoring and Evaluation will be the responsibility of the EARHN Coordinating Country supported by the Secretariat, and will be facilitated through regular reports and updates from Country Coordinators. Progress of implementation of the Strategic Plan (and the consecutive approved work plans) will be monitored by means of key output and outcome indicators, which will form the basis for periodic reporting and performance reviews. These indicators are given in the Results Matrix (Logical framework). E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

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29 6. RISK MANAGEMENT EARHN anticipates facing a number of risks, both internal and external, that might compromise successful attainment of planned objectives. One internal risk pertains to the successful leveraging of the network s funding base and remaining focused on its core business, thereby avoiding mission drift and/or responding to partners programme priorities. This risk is best managed by sustaining capacity for strategic focus. The external risks include: Insufficient commitment to implementation of agreed SRHR policies, plans and programmes by member governments; Donor fatigue and/or changed priorities; Political instability (nationally or regionally) The network will endeavor to mitigate the external risks through innovative networking, lobbying and advocacy that deliver tangible results. E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

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31 7. STRATEGIC RESULTS FRAMEWORK Strategic Focus: Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships Objective 1: Increase awareness and support for SRHR among key policy and decision makers in the region Strategic Action Expected Output Outcome Indicator Means of Verification Approved EARHN Advocacy Strategy Improved SRHR outcomes as a Strategy document Annual Work Plans result of increased knowledge, appreciation and receptivity Periodic activity & Develop and implement EARHN Advocacy Strategy Arrange appropriate meetings, seminars and mentoring sessions for imparting and sharing innovative advocacy, lobbying and networking skills; Regular tracking of SRHR resource allocations and expenditure at national and regional level. At least 1 major EARHN intervention targeting policy makers per year At least 50 policy makers in member countries reached per year At least 2 advocacy materials developed over course of Strategic Plan among policy makers in Eastern Africa At least 2 capacity building sessions held per year Evidence based account of At least 50 members trained per year improved SRHR outcomes at At least 3 non-earhn advocacy resources shared with members At least 10 Parliamentarians from each member country equipped with advocacy skills per year country level attributable to effective lobbying by members Evidence based increases in SRHR allocations towards meeting regional and global commitments Annual SRHR Allocation and Expenditure Reports Improved integration of SRHR into development funding mechanisms including national health budgets annual reports by EARHN and member countries Country reports EARHN reports Periodic reports E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

32 Strategic Objective 2: Strengthen strategic linkages to strengthen voices for SRHR advocacy and resource mobilization in the Region Consolidate existing partnerships and expand EARHN linkages with other national, regional and international partners including research institutions; Engage additional countries in membership of EARHN; At least 2 current partners increase and sustain programme support At least 2 new development partners secured per year Cultural and Traditional Institutions co-opted to address socio-cultural barriers that impede SRHR (e. g. SGBV, FGM/C) At least 2 additional countries join EARHN over Strategic Plan period Strategic Focus: Coordination of South-South Learning Objective 1: Enhance capacity of partner organizations to offer integrated FP/RH programmes EARHN visibility and programme impact steadily improving Resistance to SRHR agenda minimized to improve outcomes Improved regional SRHR environment Documentation and dissemination of good SRHR policies and practices across the Region At least 1 major fact finding mission to document good SRHR policies and practices conducted in the Region per year At least 1 dissemination meeting held per year EARHN website regularly updated to share good practices EARHN Newsletter published biannually Member countries evidently benefiting from South-South cooperation to improve SRHR outcomes in their respective countries Regular monitoring, evaluation and reporting of EARHN and Member country Work Plans. At least 2 mentions of EARHN in other organizations materials per year At least 1 coordination meeting held per year EARHN activities effectively and efficiently coordinated At least 2 new organizations participating in EARHN meetings per year Memoranda of Understanding Periodic reports Periodic reports Periodic reports Periodic reports Mission reports Websites, newsletters/ websites of other organizations Periodic reports 30 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

33 Strategic Objective 2: Facilitate strengthening of health systems (provision of RH supplies and their procurement and distribution) Facilitate information sharing among member countries on FP/RH supplies (provision, procurement, distribution) Document and disseminate good practices. Strategic Focus: Institutional Strengthening Advisory mission to at least 1 member country conducted per year At least 1 dissemination meeting held per year to address improvements in SRHR commodity supplies Improved environment for SRHR commodity supplies Objective: To promote EARHN s sustainability as an effective Network Put in place mechanisms for good governance (a functional structure, systems, procedures and work culture) Build capacity of EARHN Secretariat and Members; Train FP advocacy entities in fund-raising and proposal development Implement a resource mobilization strategy Document and share EARHN experience Develop and implement framework for monitoring, evaluating and reporting EARHN performance Well functioning EARHN structure, systems, procedures and work culture Staff trained in advocacy, fund-raising and proposal development Adequate office space & equipment secured Annual Work Plans & Budgets prepared and approved Approved EARHN Resource Mobilization Strategy & Plan Simple M&E format for use by Country Coordinators and Secretariat Improved organizational capacity to coordinate networking and implement activities EARHN effectively supporting implementation of EARHN Strategic Plan to achieve set objectives At least $500,000 secured per year to support planned activities Improved progress reporting and accountability by EARHN Chair and Country Coordinators Mission reports Annual Reports Annual reports Comments by stakeholders Comments by stakeholders Annual reports Annual reports Annual reports E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

34 Appendix I: EARHN Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats Experiences shared by participants during the 4 th EARHN Coordination Meeting convened by EARHN and sponsored by PPD Africa Regional Office, DSW, and UNFPA, April 2011, in Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda, revealed the under mentioned profile of Network strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) facing EARHN as it completes implementation of the current Strategic Plan and embarks on the successor Plan. Strengths: Unique inter-governmental alliance with committed members Clear strategic focus based on Strategic Plans Growing country membership Growing proven track record of sharing evidence based good practices Opportunities: High level political commitment (Heads of State, MPs, First Ladies) Shared SRHR concerns and agenda with many institutional stakeholders including NGOs/ CSOs South-South cooperation and support including RECs Global SRHR commitments ICT for efficient communication (e-fora, etc) Weaknesses: EARHN is not a registered organization (problem engaging other organizations) Volunteer administrative arrangements/ loose arrangement (lack of a full-time secretariat affects institutional sustainability due to rotational/ situational leadership) Weak advocacy and resource mobilization skills; tools and materials No annual work plan (no prioritization of activities) Weak follow up mechanisms Weak, donor-dependant, funding base Threats: Weak strategic linkages with AU, other RECs Religious and cultural resistance to SHRH agenda Competition for scarce budgetary resources Countries have no obligation to EARHN (no legal framework that ties member countries to EARHN) Weak coordination offices in some member countries Overlaps in mandates between networks Focus on HIV/AIDS as opposed to RH programmes Donor fatigue Poor infrastructure 32 E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

35 Development Partners: 1. Member Countries 2. Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPD ARO) 3. German Foundation for World Population (DSW) 4. Population Action International (PAI) 5. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) E A R H N S t r a t e g i c P l a n,

36 Partners in population and Development Africa regional Office (PPD ARO) Statistics House, 3rd Floor, 9 Colville Street P.O. Box 2666, Kampala, Uganda Tel: , Fax: aro@ppdafrica.org