Originally posted on Connecting the Dots -- a regular Global Financing Facility update from the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC).
The Global Financing Facility (GFF) was officially launched in July at the Addis Ababa Third Financing for Development Conference. As the four “front-runner” countries – Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia and Tanzania – put the final touches on their country investment plans, a second wave of eight countries are in line to benefit from the GFF: Bangladesh, Cameroon, India, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda. Key concerns for our community at the moment include the following:
- How best to apply the experience of the front-runner countries to help second wave countries manage the GFF process more effectively and efficiently?
- How best to advocate for the engagement of civil society in the development of the new country investment plans?
- How to ensure that family planning remains high on the agenda in the development of investment plans?
Efforts underway to learn and share lessons
Efforts are now underway on multiple fronts to help the second wave of GFF countries benefit from the experience of those who came before them.
With support from the Innovation Fund, IPPF has been working to assist global and country stakeholders to understand and engage more effectively in GFF discussions. So far, all IPPF member associations, Advanced Family Planning (AFP) partners, and RHSC members in the second wave of GFF countries have been contacted and presented with briefs, presentations and summaries of best practices. A manual for country level advocates is being finalized for wider distribution. For more information please contact Erica Belanger (ebelanger@ippf.org)
Efforts are also underway to glean lessons directly from the ministers of finance in the four front-runner countries. The ministers will meet in Washington, DC on the 3rd of November to present the reviews and share lessons learned. More information on possible civil society participation will be shared as it becomes available.
Civil society engagement in GFF to be discussed on margins of UNGA
The GFF Global Investors Group will meet on the 28th of September in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly. The group includes two CSO representatives: Joanne Carter (Results) and Mesfin Teklu Tessema (World Vision International Kenya). To ensure broader CSO input and incorporate accountability issues into the discussions, the Global Health Council will host a preparatory meeting on the 24th. For more information, or to contribute to the preparatory meeting, please contact Danielle Heiberg (dheiberg@globalhealth.org).
The RHSC has a new Program Officer in place to follow the GFF discussions. Please contact Emilie Peeters (epeeters@rhsupplies.org) with any further questions.
View the attached briefing paper aiming to share lessons learned for national advocates during the GFF country-level process in Kenya and Tanzania.
Ce document a pour but de partager les leçons apprises pour les défenseurs nationaux pendant le processus national du GFF au Kenya et en Tanzanie.