RESOURCE MOBILIZATION FOR FAMILY PLANNING SUPPLIES An Advocacy Work for Political and Financial Commitment in Tanzania

BACKGROUND In July 2008 : partners formed an advocacy network for FP (Project RMA) The network include government agencies and non-governmental organizations To date the network has 15 members The network advocates for “increased political and financial commitment for family planning in Tanzania”

Network Composition Government Agencies – Reproductive and Child Health Section of MOHSW – Tanzania Commission for HIV/AIDS Local NGOs – Tanzania Media Women Association – Tanzania Midwives Association – Legal and Human Rights Centre – Tanzania Public Health Association – Kiota Women Health and Development – Medical Women Association of Tanzania

Network Composition……….. INGO – Marie Stopes (Tanzania) – PSI Participating Partners – JSI/Deliver Project – Pathfinder International – UNFPA – Media Houses (The Guardian, The African, The Citizen, Tanzania Daima, TBC, ITV)

Situational Analysis Researched on – FP situation in the country – Who does what on family planning – Any on-going advocacy efforts for family planning in the country – Identification of advocacy opportunities – Identification of champion(s) – Identification of advocacy target

Identified Financing Mechanisms Donors basket fund for health through District Council Comprehensive Health Plans (CCHPs) – Formed CSOs networks in five districts – Developed advocacy strategy – Sensitized the decision makers on the FP importance Mid Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) – Formed a national advocacy network – Undertook research and developed a strategy for advocacy

Identified Targets At Central Level – Primary targets: MoF and MOHSW – Secondary targets: Parliamentarians and media At District level – Primary target: District Council – Secondary target: Council Health Management Teams (CHMT)

Implementation of the Strategy at District Level Organized sensitization meetings with CHMTs who in turn assisted to mobilize and organize sensitization meetings with the councilors The councilors assisted to address the sensitivity of decision makers (at sub- district level) to family planning

Implementation of the Strategy at National level – Trained the media on reporting RH/FP issues The importance of FP to reduction of maternal deaths The importance of FP to achieving our national development goals The importance of FP to achieving MDGs FP a key gender strengthening factor – Organized advocacy meetings with parliamentary committees that are influential to our primary targets Emphasized the importance of FP (as above)

Implementation of the Strategy at National level Held dialogue with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance respectively

Lessons Learnt More efforts are to be directed to the Ministry of Health That in the CCHPs there are three key indicators (immunization, malaria, HIV/AIDS) Decentralized health/political system versus the reality

Lessons Learnt Thus, PMO-RALG became another key advocacy target i.e. to influence the district authorities to include FP as one of the key indicators in the District Councils’ Comprehensive Health Plans (CCHPs)

Outcome Stimulated a public debate on the role of family planning to achieving national development goals. This may, in a long run, impact on the weight family planning carries in public agenda, Increased pressure by MPs and the media to push for government’s increased budget for FP

Outcome……….. The government (Deputy Minister for Health) vowed to increase allocation for contraceptives budget from Tsh 3.5billion ($2.65million) for 2008/09 to Tsh. 9.6 billion ($7.26 million) for (2009/10) for FP Recruited the Deputy Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs as a network ‘s champion

Challenges……………… Government domestic revenue down by 7.79% (2009/10) Donors cutback in their pledges for 2010/11 by about $220 million in General Budget Support Donor intervention to rescue – CIDA (2009) – UNFPA, USAID (2010) – German Government (2010)

Way Forward To strengthen advocacy network by bringing in different experiences and skills – advocacy – networking, – budget tracking, etc Advocacy for FP into national development strategies, e.g. PRSP, CCHPs Step up advocacy efforts to the Ministry of Health

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