Consultation on Options for Action: Strengthening Financing for RMNCH
3 FEBRUARY 2012 | LONDON
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and PMNCH co-hosted a consultation on Options for Action - Strengthening Financing for RMNCH at DFID in London on Feb 3, 2012. The consultation was attended by more than 50 senior representatives from low- and middle-income countries, donors and foundations, multilateral organizations and civil society. There were two main objectives of the meeting. First, to gather focused inputs from a wider group of stakeholders the findings and options for strengthening RMNCH financing presented in the PMNCH-commissioned report developed by SEEK Development. Second, to identify priority areas for further work on financing options/mechanisms by the PMNCH Task Team on Financing for RMNCH as it develops its recommendations, and ensure this work is linked up with that of key donors and other stakeholders.
The chair of the meeting Anders Nordstrom, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden, provided a background related to the rationale for and development of the PMNCH-commissioned report. Carole Presern, PMNCH, then summarized discussions related to the report at the PMNCH Board meeting in October 2011. This was followed by a presentation of the report by Christina Schrade, SEEK Development. Anuradha Gupta, Government of India, and Neema Rusibamayila, Government of Tanzania, were then invited to share their reflections from a country perspective on the key criteria/principles of a global financing arrangements that would mobilize increased and more effective funding to support accelerated progress on MDGs 4&5, as well as what an effective global financing arrangement for RMNCH would look like in countries.
Key donors and other stakeholders then shared their thoughts on the options outlined in the report, how they relate to on-going work and thinking in key organizations, and their interest in and ideas for joint action on RMNCH financing. There was agreement that there is much energy around this agenda and an appetite to move it forward. It was also recognized that there is significant on-going activities in this area and that PMNCH and the Task Team have an important role to move the agenda forward with partners and stakeholders.