Small Grants to Support Civil Society Advocacy and Accountability Announced

Awards totaling nearly $600,000 to improve women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health made to civil society coalitions in nine countries.

Management Sciences for Health (MSH), the Global Financing Facility (GFF), and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (PMNCH) are pleased to announce the recipients of the first round of funding from the Small Grants Mechanism to support civil society engagement, alignment, and coordinated action for improved women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health (WCAH), particularly in relation to the GFF. 

Civil society organizations (CSOs) significantly contribute to improved health outcomes through inclusive and meaningful participation of marginalized and vulnerable populations, advocacy for increased service availability, equity and access, and their role in holding all actors accountable for delivering on their promises. However, CSOs do not often have the capacity or resources to align priorities and plan effectively as a group in order to increase their efficiency and impact. The Small Grants Mechanism aims to improve civil society coordination and ensure meaningful participation in multi-stakeholder platforms to support national efforts to improve health outcomes for women, children, and adolescents. 

With the funding from the Small Grants Mechanism, civil society coalitions from Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda will support increased civil society engagement in national planning for improved health outcomes for women, children and adolescents. These coalitions will also work to increase civil society engagement in multi-stakeholder platforms, and support coordinated advocacy and accountability efforts for increased resources and improved WCAH and nutrition outcomes in their countries, particularly in those countries with ongoing GFF processes.

Funding for the Small Grants Mechanism is made possible through the generous support of the Global Financing Facility and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health. Management Sciences for Health hosts the Small Grants Mechanism. 

A second call for proposals for small grant applications will be issued in mid-2020.

For questions, please contact GFFCSOgrants@msh.org.

For information about the grant recipients for 2019-2020 and the work that civil society coalitions (represented by a lead organization) will undertake in these countries, see below:

 

Burkina Faso

Coalition: GTSR-RESONUT

Lead organization: SOS Jeunesse et Défis

Contact: Harouna Ouédraogo, ouedharouna@gmail.com

Project overview: Strengthening national resource mobilization and accountability for improving the health and nutrition of women, children, and adolescents in the context of Burkina Faso’s investment case for the GFF in 13 regions

The GTSR-RESONUT coalition’s mission is to play a leading role in social mobilization and shaping policies in support of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of adolescents and young women in West Africa, particularly in Burkina Faso. Active since 2018, the coalition also works to improve the nutritional status of women and children. The coalition is composed of the Groupe Technique Santé de la Reproduction (GTSR) and the SUN Civil Society Network for Nutrition (RESONUT). SOS Jeunesse et Défis, an organization that focuses on promotion of SRHR of adolescents and young people, advocacy, and social mobilization in support of women and young girls, serves as the lead organization for the Small Grants Mechanism.

The project aims to strengthen national resource mobilization and accountability for improving the health and nutrition of women, children and adolescents, in the context of the national investment case, in thirteen regions of Burkina Faso. In particular, the coalition will work to strengthen communication and ownership of actors, communities, and the media in priority regions of the GFF; mobilize domestic resources at the national level to finance the GFF investment case; and improve the accountability of stakeholders.

Cambodia

Coalition: Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Alliance (SUN CSA Cambodia)

Lead organization: Helen Keller International

Contact: Gwyneth Cotes, GCotes@hki.org

Project overview: Mobilizing civil society for increased resources to scale up nutrition

Established in 1995, SUN CSA Cambodia aims to create an effective, strong, vibrant, and well-coordinated civil society alliance that promotes sustainable improvement in the nutritional status of the Cambodian people, so that they will be resilient to shocks and stress over time. Helen Keller International serves as the chair of the coalition’s executive committee and is the lead organization for the Small Grants Mechanism. 

Through funding from the Small Grants Mechanism, Helen Keller International will assess the current funding landscape for nutrition in Cambodia and build the capacity of member organizations to gather and use this information for advocacy. This project directly contributes to the priorities of the national investment case for reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH-N), which identifies nutrition as a key priority area for increased domestic resources.

Cameroon

Coalition: Cameroon Civil Society Health Alliance (CCSHA)

Lead organization: Positive-Generation

Contact: Cyril Achidi, achidi.cyrille@positive-generation.org

Project overview: Communities at the heart of sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (SRMNCAH) services: community mobilization for improved access to SRMNCAH services in the regions of Far North and Adamaoua

The mission of the CCSHA is to implement strategies and actions related to universal health coverage, including RMNCAH, by undertaking activities to influence development policies at the local and national levels. CCSHA currently has 52 members and is led by a general assembly, a steering committee, and a permanent secretariat. CCSHA was founded in 2017 by Positive-Generation and the Association Femme, Santé, Développement (FESADE) in response to the need for a coalition in Cameroon that brings together CSOs working in the area of health, with a particular focus on SRMNCAH. Positive-Generation, a health promotion and human rights organization, serves as the current secretariat and is the lead organization for the Small Grants Mechanism.

With funding from the Small Grants Mechanism, CCSHA will undertake activities to improve access to SRMNCAH services in the Far North and Adamaoua regions. The project aims to strengthen the CCSHA to enable them to effectively promote demand for SRMNCAH care and services for women, children, and adolescents, and to monitor the quality of care and services.

Kenya

Coalition/Lead organization: Health NGO’s Network (HENNET)

Contact: Mercy Onsando, Director@hennet.or.ke;mercy.onsando@hennet.or.ke

Project overview: Building capacity for advocacy and accountability for family planning at national and sub-national levels to improve women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health

Established in 2005, HENNET serves as a forum for health NGOs to collaborate, share experiences, and conduct coordinated advocacy. HENNET brings together different health-oriented CSOs with diverse interests with the common goal of developing a healthy Kenyan society. HENNET aims to stimulate linkages and strategic partnerships among health NGOs, the government, and the private sector to enhance their responses toward the health needs of Kenyans.

Through the Small Grants Mechanism, HENNET will strengthen the capacity of civil society to support advocacy and accountability at national, sub-national, and community levels to increase access to and use of quality family planning services among women, adolescents, and young people in Buia and Isiolo counties. Specifically, HENNET will work with its network members to support CSOs to advocate for increased domestic resource mobilization and social accountability for family planning by engaging decision makers through budget advocacy and SMART advocacy approaches.

Malawi

Coalition: GFF Civil Society Coalition Malawi

Lead organization: Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organizations (MANASO)

Contact: Abigail Dzimadzi, dzimadzia@manaso.org

Project overview: 3rd Wave CSO Capacity and Participation Strengthening in GFF Processes in Malawi

The GFF Civil Society Coalition Malawi ensures that civil society are meaningfully engaged in the GFF, from sub-national to national to global levels, and can contribute to determining and achieving mutual goals and targets, including those laid out by the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health and Sustainable Development Goals. MANASO serves as the secretariat for the coalition.

Through the Small Grants Mechanism, MANASO will enhance knowledge of civil society and community groups on GFF related processes; develop and continuously update the mapping of GFF processes in Malawi and opportunities for CSO engagement; develop a CSO advocacy action plan and/or joint communication strategy for civil society engagement in GFF; and support the participation of CSOs in critical writing and investment case development processes.

Mozambique

Coalition: Rede de Defesa dos Direitos Sexuais e Reprodutivos Moçambique (Rede DSR)

Lead organization: Centro Internacional para Saúde Reproductiva (ICRHM)

Contact: Sally Griffin, s.griffin@icrhm.org.mz

Project overview: Strengthening civil society monitoring and advocacy in relation to adolescent, sexual, and reproductive health and rights in Mozambique

The overall objective of Rede DSR is to promote and defend the sexual and reproductive rights of Mozambicans, in particular women and girls, through advocacy for increased access to high-quality information and services, including safe abortion and family planning, and through fighting traditional harmful practices, discrimination, and violence. Rede DSR brings together 21 CSOs in Maputo and 5 provinces and is the only network active in Mozambique focusing broadly on reproductive and sexual rights. ICRHM is an active member of Rede DSR and will serve as the lead organization for the Small Grants Mechanism.

Through the Small Grants Mechanism, ICRHM will build the organizational capacity of coalition members at national and provincial levels to monitor and advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights and increase participation of CSOs in Ministry of Health technical and decision-making bodies related to sexual and reproductive health, including the multi-stakeholder platform.

Nigeria

Coalition: Novel Association for Youth Advocacy (NAYA)

Lead organization: Women Friendly Initiative

Contact: Francis Eremutha, winitiative@yahoo.com

Project overview: Strengthening Youth-Serving Coalition for the Implementation of Adolescent and Youth-Friendly Health Services (AYFHS) in four states of Nigeria

NAYA is a coalition of youth-serving organizations to advance adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights, based on principles of human rights and gender equality. NAYA works toward this mission through advocacy; providing information and services; economic and social engineering; and strengthening members’ institutional capacity. Women Friendly Initiative has played a major role in the coalition since its inception and helped in its registration as an independent entity.

With support from the Small Grants Mechanism, Women Friendly Initiative, serving as the lead organization for the coalition, will scale up advocacy efforts to four states in Nigeria by strengthening the technical skills of coalition members through capacity building for effective advocacy, including for domestic resource mobilization, and accountability. These capacity-building activities will equip members of the coalition with skills to advocate and hold stakeholders accountable for implementing the National Guidelines for Integrating Adolescent and Youth Friendly Health Services into Primary Health Care Facilities in Nigeria and the National Guidelines on Promoting Access of Young People to Adolescent and Youth Friendly Health Services in Primary Health Care Facilities in Nigeria in three states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Rwanda 

Coalition: GFF Civil Society Coalition for Rwanda

Lead organization: Association de Solidarite de Femme Rwandaise (ASOFERWA)

Contact person: Muhamyankaka Venuste venustemu@gmail.com

Project overview: Strengthening Rwanda Civil Society coalition to meaningfully participate in GFF multisectoral country platform and stimulate results

Established in October 2018, the GFF Civil Society Coalition for Rwanda aims to contribute to the design, implementation and monitoring of effective accountable national multi-stakeholder multi-sectoral policies and plans for scaling up women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ Health at national and sub-national levels. With 35 members, ASOFERWA provides secretariat support to the coalition and serves as the lead organizations for the small grants work.

ASOFERWA will use the small grant funds to strengthen the coalition’s ability to contribute to the design, financing, implementation and monitoring of effective and accountable national multi-stakeholder, multisectoral policies and plans for scaling up women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health at national and sub-national levels.

 

Uganda

Coalition: Northern Uganda Human Rights Partnership (NUHRP)

Lead organization: Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalisation (GWED-G)

Contact person: Pamela Judith Angwech, gwed-g-uganda@hotmail.com

Project overview: Strengthening Women and Community Led Accountability for Improved Service Delivery in Northern Uganda

NUHRP is a human rights coalition that brings together seven NGOs and community-based organizations in northern Uganda that are working together to contribute to a human rights culture and a life of dignity for all people in northern Uganda. NUHRP seeks to support civic activism aimed at promoting citizen’s participation in local and national development agendas and to influence such debates and processes in favor of local needs in service delivery, human rights, and transitional justice processes. GWED-G has been an active member of the coalition and will serve as the lead organization for the Small Grants Mechanism.

Through the Small Grants Mechanism, GWED-G will work with coalition members to hold the local government accountable for delivery of quality health care services by increasing citizen awareness and demand for high-quality health care. Key project outcomes include increased accountability of service providers and government officials to citizens for quality health care services; and improved citizen voice and participation in governance, including in the management and oversight of public resources.