REGIONAL NETWORK WORK PLANS Africa, Asia and Eastern Mediterranean 2012 and 2013 pdf

REGIONAL NETWORK WORK PLANS Africa, Asia and Eastern Mediterranean 2012 and 2013 Prepared for HMN Executive Board Meeting, 8 November 2012 2 INTRODUCTION In accordance with the approved HMN Corporate Plan 2012–13, three networks have been established centred in Africa, Asia–Pacific and the Eastern Mediterranean. At the HMN Executive Board Meeting of 1 June 2012, the Executive Board approved the HMN Regional Network Hub Strategy. These regional work plans have since been developed in collaboration with the key regional partners in each of the three regions, to outline how HMN will support the strengthening of CRVS in collaboration with regional partners in 2012–13. In accordance with the possible funding cessation in March 2013, activities are only identified to March 2013, even though the regional programmes will continue. BACKGROUND HMN has actively pursued the Executive Board–approved transition from a centralized secretariat to a decentralized secretariat function, as approved by the Executive Board on 1 June 2012. The now- lean secretariat of three persons provides a streamlined overhead to support regional partner activities. To consolidate relationships with key network partners, as agreed by the Executive Board on 1 June 2012, HMN has negotiated memorandums of understanding with ASSD and UNECA in Africa, UNESCAP in Asia and technical partners University of Oslo and University of Queensland. These partners are now actively engaged in the technical and implementation work. This characterizes a true and lively network. As mandated by the UN Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health (COIA), and approved by the HMN Executive Board, the focus of HMN regional networks is on civil registration and vital statistics. REGIONAL NETWORKS AND PRIORITY COUNTRIES Since the approval of the HMN Corporate Plan 2012–13, HMN has been actively engaging with partners in the following regions to develop a regional plan for HMN support and engagement: (i) Africa (ii) Asia and Pacific, including central Asia (iii) Eastern Mediterranean. These three networks cover a majority of the priority countries identified by the UN Commission on Information and Accountability for Women and Children’s Health as shown in Table 1 below. Table 1. Priority countries for UN Commission on Information and Accountability for Women and Children’s Health covered by the HMN hubs HMN hub WHO Regional Office Country HMN hub WHO Regional Office Country Africa AFRO Angola Africa AFRO South Sudan Africa AFRO Benin Africa AFRO Swaziland Africa AFRO Botswana Africa AFRO UR Tanzania Africa AFRO Burkina Faso Africa AFRO Togo Africa AFRO Burundi Africa AFRO Uganda Africa AFRO Cameroon Africa AFRO Zambia Africa AFRO Central African Republic Africa AFRO Zimbabwe 3 Africa AFRO Chad Eastern Mediterranean EMRO Afghanistan Africa AFRO Comoro Eastern Mediterranean EMRO Djibouti Africa AFRO Congo Eastern Mediterranean EMRO Egypt Africa AFRO Côte d’Ivoire Eastern Mediterranean EMRO Iraq Africa AFRO DR Congo Eastern Mediterranean EMRO Morocco Africa AFRO Equatorial Guinea Eastern Mediterranean EMRO Pakistan Africa AFRO Eritrea Africa EMRO Somalia Africa AFRO Ethiopia Africa EMRO Sudan Africa AFRO Gabon Eastern Mediterranean EMRO Yemen Africa AFRO Gambia Asia EURO Azerbaijan Africa AFRO Ghana Asia EURO Kyrgyzstan Africa AFRO Guinea Asia EURO Tajikistan Africa AFRO Guinea-Bissau Asia EURO Turkmenistan Africa AFRO Kenya Asia EURO Uzbekistan Africa AFRO Lesotho Asia SEARO Bangladesh Africa AFRO Liberia Asia SEARO DPRK Africa AFRO Madagascar Asia SEARO India Africa AFRO Malawi Asia SEARO Indonesia Africa AFRO Mali Asia SEARO Myanmar Africa AFRO Mauritania Asia SEARO Nepal Africa AFRO Mozambique Asia WPRO Cambodia Africa AFRO Niger Asia WPRO China Africa AFRO Nigeria Asia WPRO Lao PDR Africa AFRO Rwanda Asia WPRO Papua New Guinea Africa AFRO Sao Tome and Principe Asia WPRO Philippines Africa AFRO Senegal Asia WPRO Solomon Islands Africa AFRO Sierra Leone Asia WPRO Viet Nam Africa AFRO South Africa The status of country CRVS assessments is shown in attachment 4. HMN AFRICA REGIONAL NETWORK PLAN HMN support to Africa in 2012–13 is directed to the Africa Programme on Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (APAI-CRVS). This allows HMN to leverage the work of the MOVE-IT initiative, support the acceleration of Recommendation One of the UN Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health and use tools that have been developed immediately in country. The APAI-CRVS and the regional medium-term plan (MTP) (2011) are outcomes of the recommendations from the regional workshop on CRVS in Dar es-Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, in June 2009. The proposed plan was discussed during the meeting of experts for the organization of the conference of African ministers responsible for civil registration in August 2010 and was endorsed by the ministers. The MTP is a guiding tool for countries, regional and 4 international organizations for managing interventions and monitoring achievements in civil registration and vital statistics systems in Africa from 2010 to 2015. The African ministers responsible for civil registration met in Cape Town on 3–5 September 2012 and recommended that all African states should conduct comprehensive assessments of their CRVS systems and develop national plans to guide national improvement processes. This is consistent with Recommendation One of the COIA. Goal The medium-term plan is aimed at supporting African governments in building sustainable and accountable institutions and measure and monitor their respective development efforts. Objectives and targets The overall objective of the medium-term plan is two-fold: 1. improve the capacity of national government administrations in managing the recording and service provision of vital events 2. capacitate national vital statistics compiling offices in the production and dissemination of flow of demographic and health statistics for subnational/local, national, regional and international consumption. The specific objectives and targets of the plan are to: 1: improve coverage of civil registration in Member States 2: improve completeness of birth and death registration in Member States 3: improve completeness of marriage and divorce registration in Member States 4: improve completeness of birth and death vital statistics in Member States 5: improve completeness of marriage and divorce vital statistics in Member States 6: improve timeliness, quality and use of vital statistics in Member States 7: improve accessibility and use of civil registration records in promoting good governance 8: establish integrated population registers/databases. Regional partners The APAI-CRVS programme is steered by UNECA as the secretariat, with the support of a CRVS core group composed of the AfDB, AUC, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Health Metrics Network (HMN) and the secretariat of the African Symposium on Statistical Development (ASSD), representing African countries. HMN Africa work plan 2012–13 The HMN contribution to the Africa network work plan is summarized below. 1. Provide leadership on a common agenda for CRVS strengthening and mobilize partners, regional organizations, donors and stakeholders working with and supporting CRVS strengthening to build a network of partners to strengthen country CRVS 1. Memorandums of understanding negotiated with UNECA and ASSD to collaborate on APAI- CRVS. 2. Participation in the APAI-CRVS core group. 5 3. Participation in East African Inter Parliamentary Union Retreat on Improving Information to Secure Women’s and Children’s Health and Health Related MDGs, Arusha, 26–27 May 2012 (attachment 1). 4. Participation in Africa Ministers Meeting, Durban, September 2012 (attachment 2). 5. Mobilization and funding of health sector representatives to the Africa Ministers Meeting. 6. Hosting of a technical meeting between UNECA and HMN in Geneva on support for the APAI-CRVS programme on 8 and 9 October 2012 to discuss follow-up on recommendations of the Ministers Meeting for all countries to undertake comprehensive CRVS assessments and plans. 7. “Improving cause of death and AIDS mortality surveillance in Africa”, 15–16 November 2012, Cape Town, South Africa. The meeting is organized by WHO in collaboration with the South Africa Medical Research Centre, the ALPHA Network, INDEPTH Network and Health Metrics Network. 8. Support in the organization and technical contribution to the ASSD Meeting on Death and Cause of Death, 27–29 November 2012, Côte d’Ivoire. 9. HMN Global Partners Forum, March 2013, followed by Africa resource mobilization meeting. 10. Draft information sheet linking COIA country workshops with APAI-CRVS prepared (attachment 3). 2. Technically support country CRVS progress, develop analytical capacity to assess data quality and interpret CRVS for policy, advocacy and resource mobilization 1. Support for comprehensive CRVS assessments in Egypt and Burkina Faso. 2. Africa data repository on CRVS commenced in collaboration with UNECA. 3. Provide capacity development for countries to improve their CRVS and the tools to guide them including: dissemination of tools in CRVS assessment, planning and strengthening and tracking of their CRVS systems; dissemination of evidence, lessons learned and innovations; and development of regional and country capacity to support and strengthen CRVS 1. Support to the young statisticians programme to build CRVS capacity. 2. Translation of CRVS assessment tools into French and Arabic. 3. Draft modules developed on marriages and divorces. 4. Module on CRVS ICT assessment under development in collaboration with WHO KMS. 5. CRVS country facilitators training completed in Pretoria (10 countries); another is planned in March 2013. 6. Sponsorship for CRVS short course, University of Queensland, Australia (10 participants from Africa). 4. Foster and accelerate innovation in CRVS 1.Systematic review of eCRVS and mCRVS innovations. HMN ASIA–PACIFIC NETWORK (INCLUDING CENTRAL ASIA) HMN support to Asia–Pacific aligns with and supports the Regional Strategic Plan for the Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Asia and the Pacific (attachment 3). This allows HMN to leverage the work of the MOVE-IT initiative, support the acceleration of Recommendation One of the UN Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health and use tools that have been developed immediately in country. 6 The Regional Strategic Plan for the Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Asia and the Pacific will be presented to a high-level meeting of representatives from statistics, civil registration and health in December 2012 in Bangkok. Goal The goal of the Regional Strategic Plan is, through improved civil registration and the increased availability and use of reliable vital statistics derived from civil registration systems, to contribute to the improvement of evidence-based policy-making, efficiency in resource allocation and good governance, as well as the progressive realization of the basic rights of all individuals. Outcomes The Regional Strategic Plan has the following outcomes. Outcome A. Public awareness Enhanced public awareness of the value of civil registration and vital statistics systems and actions taken to remove barriers to registration at all levels. Outcome B. Political commitment Sustained political commitment to support the development and improvement of civil registration and vital statistics systems. Outcome C. Investments Sufficient and sustainable investments towards incremental improvements in civil registration and vital statistics systems. Outcome D. Policies, legislation and implementation of regulations Improved and strengthened policies, legislation and implementation of regulations for civil registration and vital statistics systems. Outcome E. Legal documentation Improved availability and quality of legal documentation for all individuals. Outcome F. Statistics on vital events Increased technical capacity of countries in Asia and the Pacific to record, compile, analyse and disseminate complete and reliable statistics on vital events. Outcome G. Coordination among key stakeholders Mechanisms established for effective coordination among key stakeholders within civil registration and vital statistics systems. Outcome H. Use of vital statistics Increased technical capacity of countries in the region to effectively use vital statistics. Regional partners The Asia–Pacific regional programme key partners are: 1. UNESCAP Statistics Division 2. Asian Development Bank (ADB) 3. Heath Metrics Network 4. University of Queensland Health Information Systems Knowledge Hub 7 5. World Health Organization (WPRO, SEARO, EURO and HQ) 6. Secretariat for the Pacific Community 7. Australian Bureau of Statistics 8. UNICEF 9. UNFPA. A core group has been convened to support the development of a draft work plan to implement the draft regional medium-term plan for discussion at a high-level regional meeting of decision-makers from national statistical organizations, civil registration offices, ministries of health and other relevant stakeholders to raise awareness and increase political will and commitment to improving civil registration and vital statistics in December 2012 (to be funded by HMN). The high-level meeting will provide the springboard for a ministerial level meeting in early 2013, the goal of which will be to catalyse political commitment, mobilize resources and provide the impetus for the launch of a regional plan for CRVS. Other regional partners and subregional networks will also be engaged as the implementation programme proceeds, particularly the consortium of development and implementing partners currently enabling an intensive CRVS strengthening effort in the Pacific (i.e. the Brisbane Accord Group) led by the Secretariat for the Pacific Community and the University of Queensland Health Information Systems Knowledge Hub. HMN Asia–Pacific work plan 2012–13 The HMN contribution to the Asia–Pacific work plan is summarized below. 1. Provide leadership on a common agenda for CRVS strengthening and mobilize partners, regional organizations, donors and stakeholders working with and supporting CRVS strengthening to build a network of partners to strengthen country CRVS 1. Memorandum of understanding negotiated with UNESCAP to collaborate on the CRVS regional programme. 2. Participation in the regional programme core group. 3. Support for the high-level meeting on CRVS, 10–11 December in Bangkok. 4. Preparation of background papers on CRVS for the high-level meeting. 5. STC to work with UNESCAP to support preparations for the high-level meeting. 6. Partial funding for a WHO technical officer in WPRO to provide the technical lead for HMN activities in the Asia–Pacific region. 7. HMN Global Partners Forum, March 2013. 2. Technically support country CRVS progress, develop analytical capacity to assess data quality and interpret CRVS for policy, advocacy and resource mobilization 1. Support for CRVS assessments in SEARO, WPRO and EURO. 2. Asia data repository on CRVS commenced in collaboration with UNESCAP. 3. Translation of CRVS assessment tools into Russian. 3. Provide capacity development for countries to improve their CRVS and the tools to guide them including: dissemination of tools in CRVS assessment, planning and strengthening and tracking of their CRVS 8 systems; dissemination of evidence, lessons learned and innovations; and development of regional and country capacity to support and strengthen CRVS 1. CRVS facilitator training Bangkok for 12 countries, October 2012. 2. Central Asia Death and COD meeting October 2012 in Bishkek. 3. Draft modules developed on marriages and divorces. 4. Module on CRVS ICT assessment under development in collaboration with WHO KMS. 5. Sponsorship for CRVS short course, University of Queensland, Australia. 4. Foster and accelerate innovation in CRVS 1. MOVE-IT investigators Asia meeting, May 2012. 2. Systematic review of eCRVS and mCRVS innovations. 3. HMN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN NETWORK The recent political changes in the region have highlighted the importance of having effective policies and processes to ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency in all sectors. The urgency and opportunity for interventions for more effective governance in the region has never been more evident than it is today. Effective governance means competent management of a country’s resources that is demonstrated in the way policies are developed and decisions are made at all levels in a manner that is open, transparent, accountable, equitable and responsive to people’s needs. This can never be achieved without a strong country information system that is comprehensive, integrating all sectors, including health. Improving health systems represents a common policy goal in the region, hence, institutions are expected to assume responsibilities to promote and deliver equitable and effective health services. Strengthening information, transparency and accountability is a key facet in this process. Also, within the context of the current upheavals, the region has attracted strong global political attention and willingness of donor countries to provide financial support to the restructuring of the region. Therefore, the region has a pressing need for information and accountability to support the aid effectiveness process, policy development and evidence-based decision-making in several sectors, including health, health information systems and civil registration and vital statistics. The WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO RD) has committed his leadership to the CRVS agenda in EMRO. He has already engaged HMN in a briefing of all country representatives in the region on CRVS and has requested them all to work with countries to undertake rapid assessments in 2012. HMN has provided support for these rapid assessments. The EMRO RD has reached out to UNESCWA, UNESCAP and UNECA to actively promote collaboration in the region. HMN will support the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in holding a multi-country stakeholder meeting on CRVS in the first quarter of 2013. Eastern Mediterranean work plan 2012–13 The HMN contribution to the Eastern Mediterranean work plan is summarized below. 1. Provide leadership on a common agenda for CRVS strengthening and mobilize partners, regional organizations, donors and stakeholders working with and supporting CRVS strengthening to build a network of partners to strengthen country CRVS 9 1. Memorandums of understanding discussions commenced with League of Arab States. 2. HMN Global Partners Forum, March 2013. 2. Technically support country CRVS progress, develop analytical capacity to assess data quality and interpret CRVS for policy, advocacy and resource mobilization 1. Support for rapid CRVS assessments in the Eastern Mediterranean Region in 2012. 2. Translation of CRVS assessment tools into Arabic. 3. Provide capacity development for countries to improve their CRVS and the tools to guide them including: dissemination of tools in CRVS assessment, planning and strengthening and tracking of their CRVS systems; dissemination of evidence, lessons learned and innovations; and development of regional and country capacity to support and strengthen CRVS 1. CRVS facilitator training in Bangkok for four representatives from Egypt, October 2012. 2. Draft modules developed on marriages and divorces. 3. Module on CRVS ICT assessment under development in collaboration with WHO KMS. 4. Sponsorship for CRVS short course, University of Queensland, Australia. 5. CRVS country facilitators training planned for EMRO in January 2013. 4. Foster and accelerate innovation in CRVS 1. Systematic review of eCRVS and mCRVS innovations. 10 LIST OF ATTACHMENTS 1. Concluding Statement, East Africa Inter Parliamentary Union Meeting, Tanzania, 2012 2. Ministerial Statement, Conference of Ministers for Civil Registration, 6-7 September, Durban, 2012 3. Information sheet on APAI CRVS for COIA country roadmap workshops 4. Draft regional plan on CRVS for Asia and Pacific 5. Country CRVS assessment update 6. Revised HMN Budgets for regions [...]... Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Asia and the Pacific (the Regional Strategic Plan”) represents a commitment by countries and development partners to make sustained and coordinated efforts to improve the coverage and completeness of civil registration and the availability and quality of vital statistics in Asia and the Pacific by 2020 2 The impetus for the Regional Strategic Plan arises... twenty partners are contributing to the regional initiative that surrounds the Regional Strategic Plan Annex 3 presents the mandate and contributions of partners for the Regional Strategic Plan 32 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS); Asian Development Bank (ADB); Health Metrics Network (HMN); International Organization for Migration (IOM) Asia and Pacific Regional Office; Office of the High Commissioner... with, and contribute to existing country and regional health, statistical and development strategies; f 27 Countries take the lead: The Regional Strategic Plan supports country efforts to build political commitment, assess current status of CRVS systems and develop and implement multi-sectoral national action plans; Partnerships and coordination: The Regional Strategic Plan relies on partnerships and. .. period 2012- 2020, processes and actions to 34 generate political commitment for, assess the current status of, develop and implement multi-sectoral action plans for improving, disseminating and using vital statistics for policy and programming, and monitoring and evaluating the quality, completeness, and timeliness of CRVS systems Development partners commit to support these actions in a cost-effective and. .. for realizing human, legal and economic rights, and for social protection and integration; b Many countries in Asia and the Pacific do not have adequate CRVS systems and some are in urgent need of improvement; and c Concerted improvement is most definitely achievable Bearing the opportunities and challenges in mind, the Regional Strategic Plan aims to achieve eight 3 feasible and measurable outcomes:... stakeholders at national, regional and international levels, and across all sectors, including business, education, health, labor, social insurance, etc.; and See footnote 18 30 g Harmonization and alignment: In order to avoid risks of duplication and overlap, the Regional Strategic Plan fosters harmonization among national, regional and international development partners, and alignment of support around... action plans and activities O U TC O M E S A N D A C T I V I TI E S 37 The Regional Strategic Plan will be implemented through a combination of national and regional activities While multi-sectoral national action plans will be developed within the framework of the Regional Strategic Plan, each country will determine its own priorities and may choose not to pursue all eight outcomes of the Regional. .. nationality; and d Increase national capacity to assure the safe and secure long-term management and archiving of legal records 52 Regional support activities: a Through the regional platform, facilitate the exchange of knowledge and good practices that ensure accuracy and completeness in the reporting of vital events and in the compilation, management and archiving of registration records; b Through the regional. .. identify, review and compile good practices in the coordination of civil registration and vital statistics functions, and facilitate the exchange of good practices in coordination mechanisms, documentation and online/offline dissemination; Through meetings of the Regional Steering and Coordination Group and interim support from the Regional Support Office, coordinate and cooperate on on-going and planned... responsive to local needs and circumstances; d Consistency with international legal principles: The Regional Strategic Plan is consistent with the relevant international legal framework and the principles of non-discrimination; e Building on local expertise and strategies: In recognition of regional diversities, the Regional Strategic Plan seeks to harness local knowledge and expertise and ensures that CRVS . REGIONAL NETWORK WORK PLANS Africa, Asia and Eastern Mediterranean 2012 and 2013 Prepared. (COIA), and approved by the HMN Executive Board, the focus of HMN regional networks is on civil registration and vital statistics. REGIONAL NETWORKS AND