Transcript Africa Network on Medical Abortion

04 March, 2010
Lisbon
Date of Establishment: March 2009, Joberg,S.A
Founding members:
54 participants from 20 African countries
+ 7 other partners from other regions
Governance Structure:
-General Assembly – the founding members
-SC 9 representing the 5 sub-regions of Africa
-Advisory Board (31)
+Coordination office -R Coordinator + 2 P/T
+F/T staff- in Bamako/Mali
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ICMA’s Catalytic role – The initiative was NOT
because it was fashionable to create another RN but
Compelling factors/enabling environment:
 Unsafe abortion takes its greatest toll in Africa
>30,000/yr (44% of global UA-related M deaths) = 90/day
 The inherent features of MA -as a breakthrough
technology to address the incidence and
consequences of UA particularly in low resource
and legally restricted settings like Africa
 Regional legal and policy frameworks: Protocol
to the ACHPR on the RWA (2005), MPoA (2006)
 The Global strategic frame works: ICPD PoA, MDGs
 Hence: a regional response to a global challenge
Goal:
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To contribute to the reduction of
maternal mortality and morbidity in
Africa arising from unsafe abortion
Overall Objective:
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To provide a common platform to
increase access to Medical Abortion in
Africa
Organised the Coordination Office
Developed
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Terms of Reference for the RN
Plan of Action/strategies and Budget
the Network Logo
Prospectus (NOT yet printed)
Website (NOT yet launched)
Promoted ANMA /MA (through regional and
International Conferences)
Organised Sub-Regional Advocacy Workshop (DRC)
Conducted two bi-annual SC meetings
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Institutional development: New Coordination
Office/Coordinator, Capacity building,
Finalising incomplete activities -web site,
prospectus
Disseminating information in regional and
international conferences
Identifying existing SRHRs Networks in Africa
Compiling and disseminating basic documents- on
MA, Abortion laws/policies in Africa- thru the Web
Organising a sub-regional advocacy workshop &
the SC meeting
 Broader
recruitment and active engagement
of members
 Disseminating information on the major
working languages used in the continent
 Facilitating training on MA
 Working with partners for registration of MA
drugs
 Forging alliance to advocate for change of
laws/policies
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Global- With ICMA
Guiding/Operating principles:
◦ Genuine partnership in the context of “affiliation”
◦ Appreciating regional specificities
◦ Complementarity (advancing a common agenda)
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Inter-regional: learning and experience
/information sharing opportunities
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Intra-regional :utilising existing resources
◦ Materials-No need to reinvent the wheel!
◦ People (Advisory Board, Regional/National Trainers)
◦ Institutions/systems (MoH,…)