Best Practices in Africa for Advocacy and Outreach for Maternal and Child Health presented at InterCoutry Workshop for development of the Accountability framework in the Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO 2-4 September 2012 Cairo-Egypt
Presented by Dr. Amany Asfour Member of Steering Committee of African Coalition for MCNH Secretary General of african cociety for Scientific Research and Technology Chairperson of Human Resources, Science & Technology Cluster (ECOSOCC-African Union) President of African Alliance for Women Empowerment (AFRAWE) President of Business and Professional Women Egypt (BPW- Egypt) President of Egyptian Business Women Association (EBWA) Chair of FEMCOM (Federation of Business Women Associations of COMESA) Vice Chair of COMESA Business Council (CBC)
MDGs 1-Eradicate Extreme Poverty & Hunger 2-Achive Universal Primary Education 3-Promote Gender Equality & Empowerment Women 4-Reduce Child Mortality 5-Improve Maternal Health 6-Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Diseases 7-Ensure Environmental Sustainability 8-Develop a Global Partnership for Development
Mainstreaming Maternal and Child Health in policies and advocate with all sectors -African Leaders and Heads of States Decision and Policy Makers and parliamentarians Ministers including Ministers of Finance International leaders Civil Society Organizations Private Sector and philanthropists
Strategy for Advocay and Outreach Women Empowerment as a package to achieve the MDGs including 3,4,5 -Maternal and child Health
Triad of Empowerment 3 Ps 3 pillars People and Personality Policy & Procedures Women Empowerment POWER Product
1. 1-Raising Awarness and Change of Mind Set 10-Project Development 9-Advocacy 8-Technical Assistance and Support services 2. Education 3. Capacity Building 4. Training 7- Access to Technology 5. Networking and Building Allainces and coalitions 6 - Access to Financial Resources
Partners of Development Government and Political Will Civil Society Organizations CSOs Private Sector and Philathropists Media
African Union Initiatives in Collaboration with CSOs
African Women Decade 2010-2020 African Union
African Women Decade 2010-2020 1-Fighting Poverty and promoting economic Empowerment of Women and Entrepreneurship 2-Agriculture 3-Health 4-Education,Science and Technology 5-Environment
African Women Decade 2010-2020 6-Peace and Security 7- Governance and Legal Protection 8-Finance 9- Women in Decision Making Positions 10- Young Women Movement
SOLEMN DECLARATION ON GENDER EQUALITY IN AFRICA (SDGEA) (African Union) Member States The thematic points are: - Health - Education - Economic empowerment - Human rights - Peace and security - Governance
SOLEMN DECLARATION ON GENDER EQUALITY IN AFRICA (SDGEA) ASSEMBLY OF THE AFRICAN UNION Third Ordinary Session 6 8 July 2004,Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA We, the Heads of State and Government of Member States of the African Union
SDGEA Reaffirming our commitment to the principle of gender equality as enshrined in Article 4 (l)of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, as well as other existing commitments, principles, goals and actions set out in the various regional, continental and international instruments on human and women s rights
SDGEA Deeply concerned about the status of women and the negative impacts on women of issues such the high incidence of HIV/AIDS among girls and women, conflict, poverty, harmful traditional practices, high population of refugee women and internally displaced women, violence against women, women s exclusion from politics and decision-making, and illiteracy, limited access of girls to education;
SDGEA Aware of the fact that low levels of women s representation in social, economic and political, decision making structures and feminisation of poverty impact negatively on women s ability, to derive full benefit from the economies of their countries and the democratization process;
HEREBY AGREE TO: 1. Accelerate the implementation of gender specific economic, social, and legal measures aimed at combating the HIV/AIDS 2. Ensure the full and effective participation and representation of women in peace process
4. Initiate, launch and engage within two years sustained public campaigns against gender based violence 5. Expand and Promote the gender parity principle that we have adopted regarding the Commission of the African Union to all the other organs of the African Union
6. Ensure the active promotion and protection of all human rights for Women and girls including the right to development by raising awareness or by legislation where necessary 7. Actively promote the implementation of legislation to guarantee women s land, property and inheritance rights including their rights to housing;
8. Take specific measures to ensure the education of girls and literacy of women, especially in the rural areas, to achieve the goal of Education for All (EFA); 9. Undertake to Sign and ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa
11. Accept to establish an African Trust Fund for Women for the purpose of building the capacity of African women and further request the African Union Commission to work out the modalities for the operationalisation of the Fund with special focus on women in both urban and rural areas;
SDGEA 12. Commit ourselves to report annually on progress made in terms of gender mainstreaming and to support and champion all issues raised in this Declaration, both at the national and regional levels, and regularly provide each other with updates on progress made during our Ordinary Sessions;
Implementation of Decisions African Women Fund A reality on the Ground
CARMMA African Union Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal and Infant Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) Africa Cares: No Woman should Die while giving Life
What is CARMMA? The Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality (CARMMA) is a major initiative driven by the Department of Social Affairs(DSA) and launched in May 2009 on the theme: Africa Cares: No Woman should Die while Giving Life
The goal of CARMMA is to contribute to further advancement of social development in the continent through proactive support to national efforts and national leadership aimed at reducing maternal mortality. Its main objective is to accelerate the availability and use of universally accessible quality health services
including those related to reproductive and sexual health which are critical for reducing maternal mortality. This would be achieved through strengthening health systems with a view to reaching the MDG and other targets and related national goals, and recognizing maternal mortality as a key indicator of health system effectiveness.
CARMMA raises awareness and builds links with international campaigns, and strengthens and integrates health systems through high-impact interventions in selected countries. It will promote sustainable financing and publicize the issues through media and other support. It will also set up monitoring and evaluation frameworks and work with partners including health
The African Union DSA is working with Member States, RECs, UN Agencies and a wide range of other stakeholders. Member States are encouraged to build their own strategies, mobilize all key stakeholders including at community level, and launch CARMMA in their respective countries. I.
High Level International Group In promoting CARMMA, the AU has also built international collaboration. In this regard, a new international leadership group to tackle Maternal Mortality was launched on the 12 March 2009 in London, with Bience Gawanas (African Union) and Sarah Brown as the cochairs.
This high level group - initiated by grassroots organizations and backed by the Network of Global Leaders - will help lead the global fight against maternal mortality. The group announced as Maternal Mortality campaigners will be made up of activists, academics, heath care professionals and first ladies from around the world. That catalyze efforts at a national and international level to
African Union Summitt on Maternal and Child Health July 2010 in Uganda The main theme of the Summitt was on Materanl and child Health with presence of 53 Heads of States a debate was conducted interactive with Media and CSOs and all stakeholders present
First ladies Organization against HIV/Aids First ladies across Africa meets every African Union Summitt and advocate for the Maternal Health and recently adopted CARRMA in their plan of action so they are now the advocators for it
International Parliamentarians Union IPU held in Kampala- Uganda 2012 A special session on Maternal and Child Health
African Parliaments for Health Development the organization of the meeting of the Network of African Parliaments for Health Development and Financing held on 9 September 2009 which adopted a resolution in support of CARMMA urging the PAP, REC Parliaments and all national parliaments to formally adopt CARMMA.
Conference of African Ministers of Finance in Addis Ababa A special session and interaction on Maternal and Child Health Health
African Civil Society Coalition on Maternal,Child and Newborn Health AMCNH A Group of Civil Soceity orgaizations across Africa for the advocay and Outreach for Maternal and Child Health
Africa Gender Award An award for African Leaders who promote Women Empowerment and Gender Equity One of the score evaluation is Maternal Health and the indicators for reduction of Maternal Mortality and efforts for access to Health care
Africa Gender Award
Patnering with women Icons of Africa for Advocay for Maternal and Child Health
Women Icons of Africa Wangari Mathai Nobel Peace Laureate
H.E Mrs Graca Machel ( Wife of President Mandela )
Mrs Gutrude Mongola
H.E mrs Zuma Chair of the African Union Commision
Prof Ellen Johnson Sirleaf President of Liberia
Mrs Bachlet of UN Women
Mrs Ban Ki Mon
3 Cs for Advocay and Outreach Communication Commitment Concrete Actions
Awarness sessions for University Students
Workshop for Rural Women in South of Egypt
AfroArab Congress for Women Entrepreneurs to meet the MDGs Cairo Egypt April 2011