BetterAid and the Open Forum have developed this toolkit for use in the run up to and during the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF4) (29 November-1 December 2011 in Busan, Korea) and the Busan Civil Society Forum that precedes it. The Toolkit is intended to support national advocacy and media activities, which can be conducted by concerned civil society organisations (CSOs). For CSOs, HLF4 is a particularly significant milestone as it marks the first time that CSOs will participate as full and equal stakeholders in aid effectiveness negotiations alongside governments and external funders. The objectives of this media tool kit are to: attract and focus media attention to effectively communicate the CSO perspective on aid and development effectiveness and reaction to the meeting outcomes to the widest audience possible; and support the lobby initiatives of CSOs with governments and official representatives on the Draft Outcome Document at the HLF4. The Toolkit has a number of templates that can be used and adapted according to national activities.
Useful Resources
A laboratory that will research and monitor emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) such as yellow fever and dengue has been set up in East Africa in an attempt to tackle growing vector-borne health threats in the region. The Martin Lüscher Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases was launched with support from the German and Swiss governments at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Kenya on 16 September 2011, and is expected to add capacity to respond to disease outbreaks. According to a researcher at ICIPE, the laboratory will improve risk detection, response capacity and research capability for key insect-transmitted diseases in Kenya and the region. It will also train MSc and PhD students under the centre's capacity building programmes.
This paper describes a new financial planning tool developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to assist low- and middle income-countries in scaling up a core set of interventions to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs).The tool can be used to forecast resource needs at national and sub-national levels. It can enhance traditional budgeting mechanisms in countries and provide new information to development agencies about the resources needed to tackle the growing burden of NCDs. The tool has been used to produce a ‘price tag’ for a combined set of population-based and individual level ‘best buy’ NCD interventions that have been identified as priority actions by WHO. The average yearly cost for all low- and middle-income countries is estimated to be US$11.4 billion over the period 2011-2025. The cost per head of population is low, representing an annual investment of under US$1 in low-income countries and US$1.50 in lower middle-income countries. Expressed as a proportion of current health spending, the cost of implementing such a package amounts to 4% in low-income countries and 2% in lower middle-income countries. Population-based ‘best buy’ interventions address tobacco and harmful alcohol use, as well as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.
Every Saturday at 12 noon Eastern Standard time, African Views Radio holds regular discussions on health care systems in Africa in a show called African Health Dialogues. The forum is accessible to online audiences live on air and also via podcast. There is also an opportunity for people to call in via phone to participate in the discussions from any part of the world. The first show aired on 30 July 2011 and explored the status of healthcare systems in Africa with respect to the past, present and future. The producers of the programme are inviting participants to call in and join the discussions.
The People's Health Movement Students' Coalition (PHMSC) is an international, broad-based students' movement representing students' voices within the wider People's Health Movement and beyond. Its primary goal is health for all, i.e. a socially conscious, grassroots approach to health and human rights. The mobilisation of students is crucial to overcoming social, educational, environmental and other injustices that undermine the indivisible health rights of people the world over. PHMSC invites all students and student organisations who believe in a healthier future for everyone (regardless of their background or where they come from), to join the movement. You can sign the People's Charter for Health, join PHMSC’s mailing list or join their Facebook group.
The World Health Statistics report is an essential resource for policy-makers and researchers working on the identification and reduction of health inequities. A dedicated section in the 2011 report presents data from 93 countries using three health indicators - percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel, measles immunisation coverage among 1-year-olds, and under-five mortality rate - disaggregated according to urban or rural residence, household wealth and maternal education level. The data presented refer to ratios and differences between the most-advantaged and least-advantaged groups.
The Sub-Saharan African Medical Schools Study (SAMSS) website is a portal for information on medical education in Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights reports and articles that shed light on the current state of medical education in the region and describes innovations and trends that will shape the future of medical education in Africa. Links to relevant resources are also provided, as well as information about the pioneering work done by the SAMSS team. SAMSS is committed to addressing the extremely low physician to population ratio (13/100,000) in sub-Saharan Africa, arguing that any efforts to stabilise and improve health in the region must address this shortage of physicians. The primary goal of SAMSS is to increase the level of practical knowledge about medical education in Sub-Saharan Africa in order to inform educators, policy makers, and international funders about the challenges and opportunities for increasing the capacity of African medical schools and the retention of their graduates.
This guide sets out the legal responsibilities of South African local government and our rights under the Constitution and in law. It shows how to engage government from inside, by participating in formal processes, and from outside by going public through complaints, petitions, protest action, the media and the courts.
This toolkit is published by the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) with the support of UNESCO. It provides guidance for women’s organisations in Africa on how to organise around freedom of information. It has compiled five case studies from five African countries, namely, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia under different scenarios. As women continue to remain one of the most marginalised groups in African countries, the guide can assist NGOs in adopting new tools in ensuring gender rights and equality. The five case studies discussed in the book provide ideas and experiences faced by organisations lobbying for drafting and passing of a law where ordinary citizens have access to governmental information. From countries like Ghana and Cameroon, where no such law has even been drafted to countries like South Africa where such legislation exists. Studying these case stories from different countries can assist organisations to lobby for such a law and if it exists, how it can be used to create awareness within the community, especially for women empowerment. In general, the toolkit aims to mobilise women’s NGOs to take up freedom of information for ensuring rights and justice for women.
The World Health Statistics report is an essential resource for policy-makers and researchers working on the identification and reduction of health inequities. A dedicated section in the 2011 report presents data from 93 countries using three health indicators - percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel, measles immunisation coverage among 1-year-olds, and under-five mortality rate - disaggregated according to urban or rural residence, household wealth and maternal education level. The data presented refer to ratios and differences between the most-advantaged and least-advantaged groups.