Anglophone West Africa Social Norms & Agency Learning Collaborative’s Post

In my few years of involvement in development research, the rapid pace of our work often prevented me from fully appreciating the profound impact our efforts have on societal betterment. Recently, however, I've taken moments to reflect on the significance of our work in uncovering societal anomalies and catalyzing positive changes. Contributing to a wide array of thematic areas including financial inclusion, food safety, agriculture, corporate reputation, societal norms, and public health has been deeply fulfilling. However, while reviewing reports, I was struck by the sobering reality that Nigeria continues to grapple with alarmingly high maternal and infant mortality rates, as well as preventable deaths among children under five due to illnesses like diarrhea. Despite the strides made in the health sector through collaborative efforts between research and development organizations, there remains much ground to cover. As we observe International Women's Day, I am hopeful that our collective efforts will pave the way for a future where research-driven interventions create a safer birthing journey for women in our country. It's imperative that we continue striving for progress, ensuring a healthier and more equitable society in the years to come.

As countries work to achieve universal health coverage, there are promising opportunities for social accountability and social and behavior change efforts to work together to increase #equity and efficiency. The Accelerator is examining different ways to promote a productive partnership between citizens and governments in Togo. They recently held virtual workshops with the Togolese Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Task Force and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to identify barriers to engagement for civil society and develop action items for the national UHC workplan. This summary provides an overview of the workshops, including the challenges addressed, the approach taken, and key insights gained. #Togo #UHC

Our AMR publication empowers Tanzanian youth to effectively advocate against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It provides comprehensive knowledge on AMR, including its causes and effects, and emphasizes responsible antimicrobial use. By involving youth in its creation and dissemination, the publication instills a sense of ownership and responsibility while developing critical skills like research and communication. It serves as a networking platform, connecting young advocates with peers, experts, and organizations, fostering collaboration and a unified approach to tackling AMR. Distributed widely through schools, community centers, and online platforms, the publication stimulates community discussions and encourages behavior change. Youth are equipped to influence policymakers with evidence-based arguments, driving impactful policy changes. Highlighting stories of young leaders within the publication inspires others, demonstrating the significant impact of informed and passionate youth in combating AMR in Tanzania. #holelaholelaitakukosti Breakthrough ACTION Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs USAID Ntuli Kapologwe Ummy Mwalimu

Demographic dividend in sub-Saharan Africa: towards an enhancement of social inequalities? A critical analysis of the enabling environment. The analysis showed that governance with good leadership should be the first pillar to ensure sub-Saharan African countries reap the benefits of the Demographic Dividend.

This discussion provided valuable insights into the contributions that women can make to the digital health space. I found Snider Mugese points particularly compelling, highlighting the crucial role of collaboration for entrepreneurs in digital health and the pitfalls of working in isolation. She underscored the tendency for women to wait for perfection before presenting their ideas or projects. Additonally, she stressed on the importance of embracing vulnerability and seeking assistance when needed. This is what fosters growth. Stephanie Watson-Grant , on the other hand, advocated for encouraging women to pursue careers in tech-related fields. She pointed out flaws in the recruitment and hiring processes, noting that women often only apply for positions they believe they perfectly fit. 🔑🔑 key takeaway from the discussion : Hey ma'am 🙋🏽♀️...yes you! Apply for those digital health related jobs. Thank you Adrianne Ochieng' #openforwork

🌍 A new report on Current Health Expenditure in Guinea-Bissau – a country with which Portugal cooperates in various fields, through bilateral and multilateral agreements, to combat poverty and promote sustainable development – is now available.   At the beginning of the 21st century, public domestic expenditure was the largest component of current health expenditure in Guinea-Bissau (46.68%). However, in 2010 there was a sharp decrease in domestic public current health expenditure per capita (a reduction of 60.76%), partly due to political instability. The reduction in public spending on health translated into an increase in direct household spending on healthcare. This, in turn, contributed to an increase in the percentage of the population placed in extreme poverty due to health spending. Despite the reduction in domestic public spending on health in Guinea-Bissau over the last two decades, universal health coverage has increased, partly due to the collaboration of external donors. 🌐 You can now download the report here: https://lnkd.in/ddaMpm6M This report is part of the Social Equity Initiative , a partnership between Fundación ”la Caixa”, Banco BPI, and Nova School of Business and Economics. ✍️ Authors of the study: Pedro Pita Barros and Carolina Borges da Cunha Santos   #novasbe #socialequityinitiative #knowledgedrivenprogress 

Today, Africa Resource Center for Excellence in Supply Chain Management (ARC_ESM) celebrates the remarkable achievements and contributions of the Nigerian woman. As we honor their invaluable impact, we also reflect on the critical need to invest in women to accelerate progress. In Nigeria and beyond, women play pivotal roles in shaping societies, driving economies, and nurturing communities. Yet, too often, they face barriers that hinder their full potential. One such barrier is access to essential medicines. It's a fundamental right for every woman to have access to quality healthcare, including life-saving medications. However, in many parts of Nigeria, women continue to struggle to obtain the medications they need to thrive and survive. This inequity not only affects individual women but also undermines the health and well-being of entire communities. Investing in women's access to essential medicines is not just a moral imperative; it's a strategic investment in the future of our nation. When women are healthy and empowered, they can express their full potential, driving progress in all areas of society. As we commemorate the International Women's Day, let us recommit ourselves to breaking down barriers and ensuring that every woman in Nigeria has access to the medicines she needs to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. Let us advocate for policies that prioritize women's health, allocate resources to improve healthcare infrastructure, and empower women with the knowledge and resources to take control of their own health. Finally, we must collectively invest in women to accelerate progress, and build a more equitable and prosperous future for all. Happy International Women's Day! #IWD2024 #InvestInWomen #HealthForAll

I have so many questions with our South Africa NHI bill being enacted, or signed as an Act today. Where can I see the roadmap, capability, roll out, funding, etc.! Can one refer me to some few articles or open a space to clarify how society can contribute to make this a success. Societally, this is the right thing to do, however do we have the right governance structures, and implementers to ensure the success of an initiative that bridges the inequality gap. Don’t come for me! I have questions ✌️#Goal 3: Good health and well being. We have a young population but we have a productivity issue, in my head part of it is poor health services available to our people.

Catch NTV Kenya series from White Ribbon Alliance Kenya "Mothers Lost, Newborns Lost, Fathers Left Behind." These powerful narratives reveal the heart-wrenching realities faced by families who have lost #mothers and #newborns to #PreventableMaternalDeaths, leaving a lasting impact. By amplifying these voices, we aims to mobilize communities and policymakers to develop localized solutions towards #EndingPreventableMaternalMortalities, ensuring #quality, #equitable, and #dignified care for all. We believe in the power of stories to drive systemic change. #WhatWomenWant #EPMM #QED #MNH #ReproductiveRights #FathersLeftBehind #WomenRights 📺 Watch the series below: https://lnkd.in/drm9kvZC USAID MOMENTUM USAID's Kenya Investment Mechanism NTV Kenya MOH_Kenya World Health Organization Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Angela Nguku

𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒚 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒇 06: 𝑹𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑶𝒖𝒕-𝑶𝒇-𝑷𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒕 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑰𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒍 𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑸𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒆 The Universal Health Care envisages that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need those, without being impeded by financial and other obstacles. Here there are many challenges though: rapid rural-to-urban migration, changing disease patterns, changing needs and expectations of patients/clients as a result of increased economic capacity and lifestyle changes and needs, a burgeoning private sector primarily motivated by profit and a host of other social, economic, climatological and geographical factors. These are pressing challenges that stand in the way of achieving UHC through the prevailing health sector system. Achieving the ambitious goal of UHC by 2030 is indeed going to be a formidable challenge also in view of the limited time span to the target timeline, resource constraints and the complexity of the issues that will need to be addressed. Consequently, hard choices will have to be made. In this backdrop, programmes targeting the most vulnerable with the highest impact will need to be prioritised in sequencing the actions to be taken. The Policy Brief has been developed on the basis of existing knowledge, literature review and expert opinion, and aims to review the relevant issues and identify the challenges and opportunities. The Brief puts forward a set of concrete proposals to attain UHC in Bangladesh in alignment with SDG 3. To read the 11 policy briefs under 11 themes: https://lnkd.in/giDEjfZd The initiative was led by Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya and Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellows at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), the Secretariat of Citizen's Platform. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ActionAid Bangladesh Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Concern Worldwide Manusher Jonno Foundation The Asia Foundation Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) WaterAid Bangladesh #ReformBD #PolicyRecommendations #Health #DevelopmentPolicies #Bangladesh #Act4SDGs #LeaveNoOneBehind