Contribution de programme Allianz Iamaneh-MdM-Women’s Hope Süd/Ost 2023 - 2024

In the 19 countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, where the GEH Alliance works in partly very fragile contexts, improvements in the field of sexual and reproductive health have hardly reached the most vulnerable population groups. In 2017, every day about 800 women died from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, and three times more children die before the age of 5 years in the poorest communities (UNICEF).

Gender inequality and discrimination against women are at the root of SGBV and of poor access to SRHR. Unequal power relations and patriarchal structures deprive women of their basic rights, as to make self-determined decisions about their body and their lives. In many of the Alliance’s intervention countries, men still decide about women’s access to maternal and health services, while prevailing masculinity perceptions prevent them from taking responsibility for SRH, care work and fatherhood.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance for prevention of SGBV and domestic violence as well as protection and support to survivors of violence became even more essential. In addition to the ongoing support to services for sexual and reproductive health, local and national health authorities asked for support in the prevention and response to Covid-19. Furthermore, in light of government failure to respond to provide a comprehensive response, civil society actors were overrun with requests for SGBV support, counselling and protection of victims of violence.

The alliance started its new joint programme as planned. By December 2021, important achievements can be observed for outcomes 1 to 3, and visible albeit more moderate progress for outcomes 4 and 5.

• For outcome 1, the Alliance and its partners have supported 49 national initiatives, policies and political processes to identify, address and/or remove barriers to information and to equitable and affordable SRHR and SGBV services (up from a baseline of 24). Additionally, the Alliance and its partners have supported 38 specific measures taken by national / local authorities for balanced participation and consideration of the interests of women and vulnerable groups.
• Several results for outcomes 2 and 3 show high achievement ratios. For example, 76% of the facilities supported by the programme now use the partogram during deliveries. Also of note: on average, 94% of individuals who took part in the respective surveys, report perceiving positive changes within their communities with regards to attitudes and behaviours relating to SRHR, SGBV and gender norms/equality.
• Outcomes 4 and 5 call for new or more focused interventions – interventions which should build on pooling expertise – which need time to be launched and then take off. However, good results have, for example, been achieved regarding the engagement of men during pregnancy and birth. 34% of births taking place in health facilities have been attended by the male partner and 91% of surveyed women living in union report perceiving a positive change in the distribution of decision-making power within their families and more balanced sharing of care work between men and women.

• Strengthening local civil society is a major component of the Alliance members’ individual organisational strategies and at the core of the Alliance’s programme. All three Alliance members have adopted different models of collaboration along their organisational principles and mission, as well as according to the contexts in which they work. This allows for cross-analysis and valuable sharing of experience.
• As a strong part of the programme focuses on women’s and child health, alliance interventions generally align with national policies, regulations and plans. On the other hand, alliance members support local actors to hold governments responsible for implementing existing policies and ensuring fundamental rights related to the health and wellbeing of women, girls and children.
• A survey conducted amongst a representative number of Alliance partner organisations showed that many have introduced policies but have yet to mainstream PSEAH within their organisations. Thanks to SDC’s learning journey, the Alliance was able to take up this topic again with its partners, identify gaps and develop an action plan to work on closing these gaps over the course of the programme phase.

In addition, the Alliance members have set up specific working groups to work on operationalizing the learning journeys internally and advance on each topic.

• Laws and policies: Relevant international and national entities develop and implement quality standards on the promotion of health, gender equality and the elimination of violence.
• Systems and services: Relevant systems are strengthened to provide quality, accessible, inclusive and sustainable services.
• Communities accept and promote SRHR, recognise and condemn SGBV as well as other forms of discrimination.
• Women and children know and claim their rights and are actors of their own sexual and reproductive health & well-being.
• Men and boys take on increased responsibility for SRHR and engage in prevention of SGBV and the promotion of gender equality systems and services.

By joining forces as an Alliance, GEH partners bring together and share innovative practices and experiences they are applying as individual organisations moving towards joint programming. While in 2021, basic alliance structures needed to be established, from 2022, the Alliance focuses on intensifying work on programmatic content and mutual learning.

• GEH Alliance strengthens civil society and country ownership in accordance with the provisions of the “OECD-DAC Recommendations on Enabling Civil Society” and relevant “GPEDC principles”.
• Enhanced gender equality through transformation of unequal gender relations, including PSEAH, among partner organisations and citizens / beneficiaries with whom they work.

Phase 8 01.01.2023 - 31.12.2024   (Completed)