Working in pilot low and middle income countries, the Project RMA seeks to improve political and financial support for reproductive health (RH) supplies.
More specifically, at country level we looking to achieve the following:
- A strong, functioning coordination mechanism for RH supplies in the country with appropriate representation and decision making power;
- The inclusion of a range of RH Supplies on the National Essential Drugs List and the use of that list to improve the availability of supplies;
- The existence, funding and use of a Government Budget Line for RH Supplies;
- Meaningful consideration and integration of RH Supply issues into financing processes, in particular into new financing mechanisms such as Direct Budget Support, Poverty Reduction Strategies, and Country Strategy Papers.
The first priority countries, which were selected based on need and readiness for supply advocacy, existence of civil society networks and convergence of other complementary work on the supply issue are the following:
- Ghana
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Bangladesh
- Mexico
- and Nicaragua*
* The list of countries is pending final confirmation by the IPPF regional Office and Member Associations.
Countries were selected in a collaborative effort, based on need and readiness for supply advocacy, existence of civil society networks and convergence of other complementary work on the supply issue undertaken by other Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition members, partners and working group initiatives. The United Nations Population Fund's Global Programme to Enhance RH Commodity Security developed a Dashboard of Indicators that the Project used in selection as well.
