The Partnership: Board members outline revised strategy for 2009-2011
Statement
17 December 2008, Geneva - The Partnership's new strategy reaffirms its commitment to maternal, newborn and child health and to global partners working together to accelerate progress toward Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5*. At a recent meeting, The Partnership Board also assessed the need for a revised strategic framework and structural arrangements.
"On behalf of the members, the Board expresses steady commitment to work together in a harmonized manner in our actions towards improving maternal, newborn and child health," said Joy Phumaphi, Vice President, Human Development Network of the World Bank and The Partnership Board Chair. "Based on ongoing consultations, we are shifting towards a "partner-centric" approach for implementing Partnership activities, within a revised strategic framework for 2009-2011," she said.
The Partnership roles and value-added functions were evaluated by an external team in May and June of this year. Findings were then discussed by the Board in July, leading to a review of the strategic priorities and structure in September and November 2008.
Responding to a changed global context and building on The Partnership’s achievements to date, especially in advocacy and awareness raising, Board members outlined key principles for the new strategic framework for 2009-2011. Important conclusions were that:
- The Partnership work plan will be implemented primarily by member agencies with the Secretariat playing a facilitation role to ensure coordination, communication, and knowledge exchange .
- The new three-year strategic framework for 2009-2011 will be aimed at 1) raising the profile of maternal, newborn and child health issues at the global and country levels and mobilizing needed resources; 2) harmonizing and scaling up coverage rates for effective essential interventions and 3) improving and enhancing leadership and governance.
The Partnership will continue to be hosted by WHO, a member agency. As part of the ongoing review and the development of the revised strategic framework, the Board is also reviewing mandate and functions of the Secretariat. The Board will announce further decisions on these issues after its next meeting in February 2009.
The Partnership was established in 2005 as an overarching global alliance from the merging of three pre-existing partnerships; it currently has more than 250 members. The Board consists of 22 members drawn from six constituency groups. For more information, visit www.pmnch.org.
*MDG4: Reduce child mortality
MDG 5: Improve maternal health