ICPD Africa Civil Society Organizations Review

IPPF Africa Region with support from UNFPA, has mobilized NGOs and community based organizations (CBOs) working in the reproductive health field to form RHANA. The network will “speak in one voice” in actively advocating SRHR and also enhance exchanging and sharing of information, and the culture of collaboration. In September IPPFAR will be hosting Civil Society Organizations on 26 - 27 September in a pre-conference event ahead of the  ICPD Africa Review from 30 September - 4 October.

ICPD Beyond 2014 Review

The ICPD Beyond 2014 Review is an opportunity to influence the future of global population and development policy at national, regional and global levels. It provides a once in a generation chance to define what needs to be done to deliver a more equal, more sustainable world for the 7 billion people - and more - who share it. 

Ahead of the ICPD Beyond 2014 - African Regional Conference on Population and Development in Ethiopia, there will be a preparatory conference for civil society in which RHANA will participate.

This meeting will provide a platform for consensus building and ensure that civil society organizations adopt a common position on the ICPD post-2014 priorities. 

IPPFAR has committed to leverage the necessary efforts and partnerships to convene and facilitate Civil Society Organizations consultations and contribution to this endeavour. 

To this end IPPFAR will host a two-day CSO pre-conference on 26 – 27th September 2013.

Focus of RHANA Advocacy interventions

RHANA’s vision is a continent where there are no deaths that are attributable to sexual and reproductive health.

The main objective of the Network is to advocate for ownership and implementation of the Maputo Plan of Action by African governments by ensuring the 15 per cent budgetary allocation to health.

The focus of RHANA’s advocacy interventions are adolescent sexual and reproductive health; Safe motherhood and newborn care; safe abortion and family planning;

It promotes the prevention and management of sexually transmitted Infections including HIV/AIDS, infertility and cancers of the reproductive system.

The network’s advocacy also focuses on reduction of gender-based violence, addressing mid-life concerns of men and women, counselling; and health education as well as fundraising for SRH in Africa.

History of RHANA

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) field in Africa operate in a complex environment with increasing demand for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, collapsing health systems and declining resources.  

At the same time there is increasing public demand for the right to participate in policies and processes that affect people’s lives and growing demand for government accountability and responsiveness to citizen’s needs.

Greater coordination and strengthening of (NGOs) to contribute effectively towards developing and shaping health policies and systems is paramount.

NGOs play the watchdog role and complement government’s efforts in ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

IPPF Africa Region with support from UNFPA, has mobilized NGOs and community based organizations (CBOs) working in the reproductive health field to form a network that will “speak in one voice” in actively advocating SRHR and also enhance exchanging and sharing of information, and the culture of collaboration.

The network advocates among others the implementation of the Maputo Plan of Action Continental Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Policy Framework.

This Framework seeks to take the continent towards the goal of universal access to comprehensive reproductive.

Today RHANA has evolved and is now a regional coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) from diverse constituencies relevant to SRHR advocating for the advancement of SRHR in Africa. 

About Reproductive Health Advocacy Network for Africa (RHANA)

Reproductive Health Advocacy Network for Africa (RHANA) was established following a meeting held in March 2009 in Nairobi Kenya. 

IPPF Africa Region office serves as the Secretariat for the Network.

The Goal of RHANA is to advance a rights based and people-centered development in Africa through reducing maternal deaths and ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). 

The objectives of the network are to:

• To promote, advocate and mobilize support for sexual and reproductive health rights as human rights and central to development
• To strengthen RHANA membership for more inclusion and representativeness of the diverse SRHR and development constituencies
• To demand accountability from governments on implementation of SRHR commitments
• To influence and support relevant African policy development process
• To amplify African voices in relevant global policy development process