October 24, 2014
Mexico City, Mexico
Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition Annual Meeting


The Pros and Cons of Decentralization for Increasing Contraceptive Access and Use
At the RHSC Annual Meeting, held October 20th-24th 2014 in Mexico City, Advance Family Planning hosted a panel discussion on the pros and cons of decentralization for increasing access to contraception. The main section of the presentations focused on how district leaders have taken action, the challenges they face in supporting family planning for their constituencies and the pros and cons of a decentralized system when it comes to improving access to contraceptive services. Presentation of the experiences of Uganda, Tanzania, and Indonesia in adapting to decentralization and Mexico’s experience in returning to a centralized system highlighted the pros and cons of devolution. A lively discussion ensued on how national and district policymakers work together on health, finance and family planning issues and the authority given to subnational leaders.

Panelists:
Mr. Maurice Hiza
, National Family Planning Coordinator with the Tanzania Ministry of Health. 
Dr. Izhar Muhammad Fihir, consultant for John Snow Incorporated (JSI) and the Indonesian Ministry of Health to develop a Supply Chain Management (SCM) strategy.
Esperanza Delgado Herrera of MEXFAM, a civil society organization with the goal of promoting and defending sexual and reproductive rights and health (SRRH) among the Mexican population.
Beth Fredrick, Executive Director of AFP, a multinational advocacy initiative of The Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, within the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

Link:
Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition