*Y.C.* Leveraging National Business Coalitions for Maternal Health
Location
Summary:
I propose a systematic development of partnerships between national business coalitions on HIV/AIDS (NBCs) and established family planning and maternal health organizations, culminating in the extension of family planning and maternal health education and referrals to the thousands of companies already engaged with NBCs. The initiative would be piloted in Nigeria, with in-country FP/MH partners such as EngenderHealth and PSI, and the 35 SME companies already active with the Coalition. With proven success and lessons learned, the project would then be replicated and scaled to other sub-Saharan African countries (starting with Malawi and Rwanda, and then throughout the Pan-African Business Coalition network) and beyond.
Context:
Less progress has been made on Millennium Development Goal 5 - Maternal Health - than on any other MDG. The average annual decrease of less than 1% is abysmal and embarrassing, far below the 5.5% decline required to meet the goal; in sub-Saharan Africa, the annual decline has been an estimated 0.1%. Every day, 1500 women continue to die from pregnancy- or birth-related complications.
In contrast, funding has significantly increased for MDG 6 (Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria & other diseases), while remaining unchanged for other goals [WHO, Dec 2009]. The global response to HIV/AIDS has received relatively high funding and political/popular support, across global health sectors and stakeholders. This has translated into notable (though still insufficient) progress on MDG 6. The US Government (via PEPFAR) and the global private sector have been active in the fight against HIV/AIDS, mobilizing resources and partnering as they have on few other global health issues.
Fourteen countries have maternal mortality rates of at least 1000 per 100,000 live births, and three of these overlap with PEPFAR's focus countries: Nigeria, Malawi and Rwanda. All three have active, multi-sectoral responses to HIV/AIDS, including international and domestic government commitment and financial support, strong NGO/MLO presence and, to varying extents, strong private sector mobilization. There are active national business coalitions to fight HIV/AIDS (NBCs) in all three.
These three countries sit at a nexus of need and resources, none more so than Nigeria. Although Nigerians comprise 2% of the world's population, they account for 10% of all maternal deaths. However, the response to HIV/AIDS is strong in the country, across sectors. The Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA) is a particular well-established leader, with close connections to global and regional business coalitions including the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria (GBC) and the Pan-African Business Coalition (PABC), other NBCs, as well as global and national partners across sectors.
In recent years, NBCs around the world have begun integrating TB and malaria into their HIV education, testing and treatment efforts, and many/most programs already include sexual health and STI education beyond HIV. The systematic integration and inclusion of family planning and maternal health education and referral services is a logical and potentially cost-effective next step for improving health outcomes for NBC constituents, and for moving the needle on global maternal health.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Casey
Last Name
Levine-Beard
Website
Organization
Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria
Country
United States, NY
Are you an individual between the ages of 18 and 35 who would like to apply for a nine month Young Champions Program mentored by an Ashoka Fellow?
Yes
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria
Organization Website
Organization Phone
Organization Address
Organization Country
United States
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Your idea
Name Your Project
*Y.C.* Leveraging National Business Coalitions for Maternal Health
Country your work focuses on
Nigeria
Describe Your Idea
Summary:
I propose a systematic development of partnerships between national business coalitions on HIV/AIDS (NBCs) and established family planning and maternal health organizations, culminating in the extension of family planning and maternal health education and referrals to the thousands of companies already engaged with NBCs. The initiative would be piloted in Nigeria, with in-country FP/MH partners such as EngenderHealth and PSI, and the 35 SME companies already active with the Coalition. With proven success and lessons learned, the project would then be replicated and scaled to other sub-Saharan African countries (starting with Malawi and Rwanda, and then throughout the Pan-African Business Coalition network) and beyond.
Context:
Less progress has been made on Millennium Development Goal 5 - Maternal Health - than on any other MDG. The average annual decrease of less than 1% is abysmal and embarrassing, far below the 5.5% decline required to meet the goal; in sub-Saharan Africa, the annual decline has been an estimated 0.1%. Every day, 1500 women continue to die from pregnancy- or birth-related complications.
In contrast, funding has significantly increased for MDG 6 (Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria & other diseases), while remaining unchanged for other goals [WHO, Dec 2009]. The global response to HIV/AIDS has received relatively high funding and political/popular support, across global health sectors and stakeholders. This has translated into notable (though still insufficient) progress on MDG 6. The US Government (via PEPFAR) and the global private sector have been active in the fight against HIV/AIDS, mobilizing resources and partnering as they have on few other global health issues.
Fourteen countries have maternal mortality rates of at least 1000 per 100,000 live births, and three of these overlap with PEPFAR's focus countries: Nigeria, Malawi and Rwanda. All three have active, multi-sectoral responses to HIV/AIDS, including international and domestic government commitment and financial support, strong NGO/MLO presence and, to varying extents, strong private sector mobilization. There are active national business coalitions to fight HIV/AIDS (NBCs) in all three.
These three countries sit at a nexus of need and resources, none more so than Nigeria. Although Nigerians comprise 2% of the world's population, they account for 10% of all maternal deaths. However, the response to HIV/AIDS is strong in the country, across sectors. The Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA) is a particular well-established leader, with close connections to global and regional business coalitions including the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria (GBC) and the Pan-African Business Coalition (PABC), other NBCs, as well as global and national partners across sectors.
In recent years, NBCs around the world have begun integrating TB and malaria into their HIV education, testing and treatment efforts, and many/most programs already include sexual health and STI education beyond HIV. The systematic integration and inclusion of family planning and maternal health education and referral services is a logical and potentially cost-effective next step for improving health outcomes for NBC constituents, and for moving the needle on global maternal health.
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
Over the last decade, the private sector has become increasingly active in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and NBCs have demonstrated true impact via increased access to health information and services for employees, consumers and community members. In recent years, NBCs have begun integrating TB and malaria interventions into their work on HIV - at first on an ad-hoc basic, and increasingly systematically. However, to my knowledge, there has yet to be a systematic or large-scale leveraging of NBC platforms focused on improving maternal health and access to family planning services. The key to this proposed initiative is that it would be designed to be replicable and scalable, across regional and global NBC networks.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Although this initiative is in the idea phase, the impact of business coalitions on HIV/AIDS has been well documented at local, national and global levels. The private sector has mobilized unprecedented resources for this particular health issue, and beyond financial contributions has a vast reach with employees, communities and policy & advocacy platforms. The potential to leverage the expertise and infrastructure of existing business coalitions, now for maternal health -- beginning at the NBC level and extending to regional and even global coalitions -- is truly great. An initial pilot in only one country (Nigeria) would reach 35 companies and hundreds of employees and community members the first year; extended to Malawi and Rwanda in phase 2, we could reach another 60 companies in each country. Fully scaled, the project has realistic potential to reach thousands of employees and community members within a few years. With true commitment of resources, the full reach is of NBCs and GBC is enormous, with Coalition companies already representing a global workforce of millions.
Problem
Less progress has been made on Millennium Development Goal 5 - Maternal Health - than on any other MDG. The average annual decrease of less than 1% is abysmal and embarrassing, far below the 5.5% decline required to meet the goal; in sub-Saharan Africa, the annal decline has been an estimated 0.1%. Every day, 1500 women continue to die from pregnancy- or birth-related complications.
Fourteen countries have maternal mortality rates of at least 1000 per 100,000 live births, including Nigeria, Malawi and Rwanda (PEPFAR focus countries). Although Nigerians comprise 2% of the world's population, they account for 10% of all maternal deaths. This extreme need coexists with active NBCs and international support for fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemics -- platforms that are not being systematically leveraged to their full potential for improving maternal health, beyond prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV.
Actions
Proposed pilot in Nigeria:
1. MH/FP Resource assessment: Identify MH/FP organizations active in-country; inventory expertise, skills and services available. [Leaders incl. EngenderHealth and PSI are active and have experience with company partnerships; the MHTF maps others within Nigeria- http://maternalhealthtaskforce.org/].
2. Secure buy-in and commitment from NBC & company partners: Develop relationships and educate NIBUCAA on the importance of MH/FP, and the relationships between current work and these additional/related issues.
3. Needs assessment: identify current NBC initiatives and their constituents' MH/FP knowledge and access to services. NBC constituents include employees and community members- and it is vital that initiatives are designed to reach (and appropriately target) BOTH sexes. Men & women have a vital role in improving maternal health.
4. Implementation: MH/FP education and referral services integrated into existing NBC programs. These include workplace and community trainings, events, advocacy efforts, etc.
5. Monitoring & evaluation (ongoing).
6. Replicate/scale with partner NBCs.
Results
Initial results will include increased access to MH/FP information and services for all employees and community members associated with NIBUCAA - including the staff of over 35 member companies, and recipients of existing HIV/AIDS programs and events throughout the communities in which they operate. The increase in knowledge and access to services will be rigorously monitored, with specific indicators (disaggregated by sex and age) including but not limited to: knowledge of contraceptive methods, incl. permanent methods; past/current use of contraception; informed choice of FP methods (including abortion); number and components of antenatal care visits; place of and assistance during delivery.
Beyond increased MH/FP knowledge and access to services on an individual level, company commitment to these causes comes with potential for increased funding and advocacy efforts towards these under-resourced and under-acknowledged health and development issues.
Moving forward, these results should be replicated on a larger scale across other NBC audiences, accumulating to regional and global impact on maternal health.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
In the first year, the key components of success will center on cross-sectoral partnership and commitment. Developing trust across stakeholders will be key, including all organizations--NIBUCAA, companies, NGOs/technical partners, and funders--and reaching into the communities and ultimate program recipients. Clear role definition and open, ongoing communication across partners will be instrumental in getting the pilot off the ground and building a firm foundation upon which the initiative will develop.
Success in the second year will hinge on continued program improvement, based on sound monitoring, evaluation and documentation of impact. Accountability is key but so is flexibility for allowing and admitting mistakes and miscalculations. Again, trust and honesty will be needed to ensure that stumbling blocks are identified without blame, and can be admitted, learned from, and used as opportunities for increased effectiveness and efficiency.
By the third year, there should be preliminary results and significant lessons learned. Sustained commitment of human and financial resources will be key in the third year, as it becomes time to access potential to expand and scale. The 3rd/4th years will involve expanding to additional countries/NBCs, and bring a new set of challenges, including funding and adapting systems across cultures and languages.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
NBCs must already fight to mobilize resources and secure support for their core mission of fighting HIV/AIDS through the private sector, with small budgets and hard-working staff stretched thin for a massive problem. Asking these organizations and individuals to take on more will be a significant challenge. However, there are clear connections between the work already being done - particularly around SRH education, condom distribution, etc. - and the extension of broader FP and MH services, and if additional education and referral services are offered with minimal effort required by the NBC, they are likely to take advantage of the opportunity.
Funding is (always) the other key challenge. However, funding already exists for existing MH/FP programs and for the work in which NBCs are already engaged - combining these interventions could ultimately prove extremely cost-effective. Of course, additional funding would be required, particularly to coordinate partnership & program development and rigorous M&E throughout.
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Idea phase
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
(PROPOSED pilot project with) Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA)
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have a non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Partnerships are the single most important foundation for the proposal: they include co-investment, but go far beyond. "Public-private partnerships" have evolved dramatically in recent years, from business financing of others' programs to collaborative actions which combine infrastructure, influence, expertise and human resources. Businesses, NGOs, governments and multi-lateral organizations all have unique strengths to bring to the table, and the existing partnerships between NBCs and these other stakeholders have demonstrated consistently that the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts. Leveraging and extending these existing partnerships to include maternal health and family planning organizations and objectives has incredible potential to improve maternal health outcomes in Nigeria and everywhere that NBCs operate - in dozens and dozens of countries around the globe.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1. Ensure stakeholder buy-in (particularly at NBC level)
This is the first step to ensure success, and is closely related to Action 2 below. Stakeholders must be assured that their already scarce resources (of time and money) are not at risk, and that the benefits of providing MH/FP resources and referrals is a cost-effective opportunity to improve and increase the impact of current programs.
2. Secure sustainable funding
Some (relatively minimal) funding will be necessary for pilot development and proof-of-concept, and if/when it proves successful is demonstrated, funding will become increasingly accessible to grow the project. The key to sustainability is the potential for cost-effectiveness: significant resources are currently available for and allocated to all components of the project (GTZ and IFC support NBC work; companies fund CSR and employee health programs; the Gates Foundation and GHI have committed to improving maternal health in the developing world). If combining forces and leveraging existing platforms through new partnerships saves money, donors to existing projects will be much more likely to dedicate funds (without needing to entirely divert them, or find entirely new sources).
3. Measure and document impact and cost-effectiveness.
This will be key not only to ensure evidence-based success, and continually improve the initial program, but to ensure replicability. Only with well-documented qualitative and quantitative results will we secure funding and commitment to grow the initiative.
The Story
What was the defining moment that you led to this innovation?
Throughout the last few years, while working at the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, I have been amazed time and again at the potential for impact that comes with multi-sectoral partnership. I could wax poetic about countless success stories I've witnessed, as unlikely collaborators and even competitors have come together warily and emerged with deep, lasting partnerships, achieving real impact and improving health outcomes for individuals and communities.
But I'll spare you: the defining moment for this particular innovation came when I developed an interactive, online workspace and resource hub related to the so-called "feminization of HIV/AIDS," as women and young girls are increasingly becoming the demographic most infected and affected by the epidemic. The research I became deeply engrossed in (outside of working hours) opened my eyes to global health disparities between men and women. In addition to increased biological risk (including susceptibility to disease such as HIV and incredible risk related to pregnancy and childbirth), women and girls suffer due to global policies, social norms and funding priorities that penalize and overlook their unique vulnerabilities and important contributions.
As I developed guidelines and recommendations for how companies could take action to mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS on women, broader related and underlying issues kept surfacing. Family planning, reproductive and maternal health, and social and economic empowerment for women all emerged as logical and even necessary issues to address in coordination with HIV/AIDS interventions for women.
From that point in time on, whenever I guide companies in their response to HIV/AIDS, or support GBC initiatives--such as the National Connections Initiative, supporting and connecting NBCs--integration of family planning and maternal health is at the front of my mind, as a priority for increasing impact and improving health outcomes.
(For more information, please visit:
http://www.gbcimpact.org/gender
http://www.gbcimpact.org/national-connections)
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
I have been passionate about human rights and global issues for years, and an activist since age 11 (to my parents' surprise and occasional chagrin). A background and interest in mental health led me to volunteer at a public psychiatric clinic in Ghana, and subsequent experiences working with an NGO fighting HIV/AIDS and a local orphanage cemented my commitment to global health issues including infectious disease and maternal health.
My personal and professional journey as an activist dedicated to innovative health approaches led me to my current role at the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria (GBC). As a Knowledge, Evaluation & Performance Officer, I provide technical and programmatic support and guidance to companies engaged in global health. We focus on strategic partnerships and knowledge sharing between the private sector and key stakeholders in health and development - including governments, international organizations, NGOs and community groups - and push the boundaries of what collective action can accomplish.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
EngenderHealth
 | jsewall said: Hi Casey, You have a great idea to replicate the use of business partnerships that has been effective in addressing HIV/AIDS. What ... about this Competition Entry. - 685 days ago read more > |
| CaseyLB updated this Competition Entry. - 694 days ago |
| CaseyLB updated this Competition Entry. - 694 days ago |
| CaseyLB updated this Competition Entry. - 695 days ago |
| CaseyLB submitted this idea. - 695 days ago |
