Session 3 strengthening policy engagement in imcha ppd

1. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
An Inter-Governmental Organization Promoting South-South Cooperation
Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa (IMCHA)
Mid-Term Workshop
“Strengthening policy engagement in IMCHA efforts”
Patrick Mugirwa
Programme Manager,
Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office
April 24- 27, 2017
Dakar, Senegal
Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
An Inter-Governmental Organization Promoting South-South Cooperation

2. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Different definitions of policy engagement
1. …..participating effectively in the policy-making
process in order to achieve positive impact on
society.
2. ……..engaging policymakers and a wide array of
stakeholders to increase their influence for
positive change.
3. ……..means directing evidence based actions
towards policy/decision makers to cause policy
changes that improve on the lives of people

3. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Definitions of policy engagement underpin…
• Societal and community wellbeing
• Staying true to the evidence and moving evidence to
policy actions
• Engaging early, consistently, and tactfully with
policymakers – on issues whether controversial or
commonplace
• Policy engagement NOT as “a one-do- it for all” but
requires building coalitions and partnerships

4. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Policy engagement
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5
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5. Attributes of policy engagement …..
• Diplomacy
• Informed with
credible evidence
• Strategic and Flexible
• Good mobilizer
• Patient but Persistent
• Appealing and
Resourceful

6. PPD ARO is part of the global PPD
• Southern-led
• Southern -run
• Presence in 14
African member
countries

7. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
VISION AND MISSION OF PPD ARO
Vision
“ A continent that meets its reproductive health needs, promotes
the population and development agenda and thereby addresses
poverty, through south-south cooperation”
Mission:
“PPD Africa, as part of the global south-south inter-governmental
alliance, provides a platform for the promotion of and resource
mobilization for Reproductive Health, Population and
Development in Africa

8. Policy engagement is anchored around four
mission elements
1. Funding and
policy
2. Accountability
for RHR including FP
commitments
3. Networking and
strategic partnerships
4. Good practice
transfer through
South-South
cooperation

9. Advocacy and engagement are policy maker centric
• ……. issues are informed by global,
continental and regional commitments
/frameworks as well national priorities.
• ICPD PoA
• Maputo PoA
• Abuja Declaration
• MDGs ( and now SDGs)
• London FP Summit (FP2020)
• National commitments (eg. CIP FP,
national roadmaps to reduce MMR &
IMR)
• IMCHA objectives for policy engagement
must link with frameworks that countries
have signed on to.

10. Partners in Population and Development (PPD) 10
Field visit
Policy engagement is evidence based

11. Policy engagement is driven by champions
(Identify, build capacity and deploy)
• The influential, passionate and
crusaders supportive of FP/RH
• Demonstrate knowledge and are
active participants in FP/RH
• Have integrity, credibility and ability
to lead by example.
• Can sustain the debate and interest
among the public.
• Show willingness to elevate the
FP/RH debate at country, regional
and international levels

12. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Examples of Champions
• Former Government Presidents;
• Government Ministers (retired and serving);
• Retired government and civil society executives;
• Good Will Ambassadors;
• Politicians;
• Cultural and religious leaders;
• The media (journalists);
• Respected senior citizens;
• Celebrities;
• Opinion leaders.

13. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Advocacy and policy engagement approach
• Quick wins –results/decisions that occur in a
short time
• Categories of quick wins:
– Increased funding
– Change in law, policy, regulation, etc.
– Improved implementation, accountability, etc.

14. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Advocacy and policy engagement opportunities
• Network of African Parliamentary Committees of Health meetings
(NEAPACOH) – since 2008
• RH/FP champions - Women MPs – Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana, Uganda
• High level meetings for African Ministers of Finance and Health –
organized on the sidelines of FP International conferences
• Annual PPD inter-ministerial conferences
• Regional RH network meetings (EARHN, WARHN) meetings
• Several country level advocacy and policy engagement meetings-
(mainly in Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Malawi and Senegal)

15. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Some of the policy engagement achievements
• Developed parliamentary leadership for, and commitment to, RH/FP in the region (NEAPACOH);
• Built First Lady Champions for reduction of maternal and child mortality. The organization of
African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OFLA) widened its mandate to include RH in their
advocacy agenda;
• In Uganda, increase in the budget for FP, from $0.5 million in FY2009/2010 to $7.6 million in
FY2014/2015) and 100% utilization of the FP/RH budget;
• In Ethiopia, increase in national budget for FP/RH from $30 million in 2013/2014 to $47 million
in 2015/16 representing a 57% increase. First ever parliamentary forum of population, FP/RH
and development formed;
• In Malawi, a budget line for FP created with a total of $139,000 for FY 2015/2016 increasing to
$162,000 in the FY2015/16. At the policy level, a bill on raising the age of marriage for girls
from 15 to 18 years was passed;
• In Ghana, a total of 4714 community health nurses trained to deliver a comprehensive package
of FP services during FY 2014/2015;
• In countries e. g Rwanda, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, etc parliamentarians
are increasingly making strong statements in support of FP/RH in their parliaments.

16. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Challenges of engaging policy makers
• Different backgrounds (e.g. education, profession, experiences
and capacities).
• Different levels of appreciation of (sometimes) complex issues
• Frequent and/or high turnover of elected policy makers
• Environment of scarce resources with competing needs
• The implementation RH commitments may sometimes not
necessarily be the top priority of policy makers
• Societal influences- policymakers need to be convinced that
championing RH has minimal political risk
• Handling the perceived expectations – where is money ??
• Lack of resources to support country and regional level policy
engagements
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17. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Data-related challenges
Concerns with population-related data:
• Quality
• Reliability
• Packaging
• Presentation - who is presenting the data?
• Credibility
• Mind your language (language sensitivity e.g.
SRHR, abortion, Comprehensive sexuality
education.. etc)
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18. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Data-related challenges (cont’d)
Presentation of Data
• Is the meaning clear? Compared to what?
– Examples:
• MMR of Uganda is high at 336 per 100,000 live
births
• Uganda’s high pop. growth rate of 3 % per annum
• Uganda’s high fertility rate of 5.4
• Linkages of FP/RH with Poverty
– Have we made a compelling case?
– Is the causality relationship clear to everyone?
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19. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Data-related challenges (cont’d)
Is the data relevant to the local situation?
For example,
– Does it address a topical issue?
– Is it striking? – how can we make data/evidence
speak like an ebola outbreak?
– Does it address a large proportion of the
population?
– Does it have impact (at relatively low cost)?
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20. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Other challenges
 Lack of conclusive, definitive evidence for decision
 Decision making processes that do not fully embracing
use of evidence to influence policy direction
 Resistance by interest groups and desire of policy
makers to maintain the status quo
 Complex or conflicting policy issues and mandates
touching on deeply held values, beliefs or vested
interests
 Absence of personal contact between researchers and
policy makers, mutual distrust, poor quality research

21. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Opportunities
Entry points to managing data for policy engagement:
• Re-packaging of data/information e.g. Policy briefs
• Remember politicians like to be informed and look
smart!
• What is the policy maker focused on currently? Is it
Universal Primary Education, Poverty Eradication,
Gender, HIV/AIDS, etc
• Policy makers feel ‘good’ when they make a difference
in peoples’ lives
• Does it give political mileage? As policy makers, what is
in there for them? E.g. Does it attract votes?
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22. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Overcoming challenges with policy engagement
• An external scan of what is happening outside the
organization that may impact strategy is a MUST
– Political situation and policy processes
– Socio economic environment
– Timing of the issue and ongoing events
– Activities of other organizations
– Policy and decision makers knowledge about the issue
– Influential actors who may oppose or support your
advocacy issues
– Other potential obstacles or opportunities

23. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Overcoming challenges cont’d…
• Engaging policy makers right from programme design
• Personal contact between researchers and policy
makers
• Evidence that is localized and makes a compelling
case
• Evidence that is generated and presented (or co-
presented ) by government agencies – partnerships
• Positioning as partners and not activists
• Engagement for “quick wins”
• Up-to-date, timeliness and relevant evidence

24. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
26 July 2010 First Ladies Meeting “Achieving the MDGs through
Accelerated Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality in Africa”

25. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Ministers of Heath and Ministers of Finance at a meeting on “Realizing the Demographic
Dividend for the Health and Wealth of Nations” Dakar, November 30, 2011

26. The 22nd Executive Committee meeting of PPD Board held
in Kampala, Uganda, March 2013.

27. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Parliamentarians at the June 2016 NEAPACOH meeting, Uganda

28. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Parliamentarians in sessions for developing country
specific action plans at NEAPACOH meeting
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29. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
Meeting with parliamentarians and key
stakeholders in Nairobi, June 2014
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30. 30
Meeting with Members of Parliament, MoH and MoF
Malawi, April 2015

31. Partners in Population and Development (PPD)
1. Facilitating and working with policy makers is an investment worth
undertaking.
2. Investing in a critical mass of SRHR/FP champions yields results
3. Working through strong partnerships and cross-sector collaborations with
national, regional and international organisations presents useful synergies
and a wide range of opportunities
4. Policy engagement is not necessarily a long-term process but should be
backed by coherent short-term action plans that deliver short- term objectives
(quick wins)
5. Advocacy approach using AFP SMART portfolio is effective
http://advancefamilyplanning.org/portfolio
Looking at the past: What have we learned?

32. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING