Capacity Development of WPF and Partners Working in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Pakistan

Background
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), the scope of work of WPF are in many countries, a sensitive and often ignored issue which is at the basis of many health and social problems such as early marriages, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV/AIDS.

Sexuality is part of everyone’s life. Sexuality can (and should) be a pleasurable, satisfying and enriching part of life, but it can also be painful, harmful and place one at risk of disease, violence and other unwanted negative consequences. Most of the messages people receive about sexuality evoke feelings of fear, shame or guilt. However, to encourage safer sexual practices, relationships and improved sexual well being, a perspective that positively affirms sexuality is required.

Moreover, progress made on the themes of SRHR affects the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 3 (gender equality), 5 (improve maternal health) and 6 (eradication of HIV/AIDS).

• MDG 3: Gender equality is intrinsically related to SRHR. It affects women’s access to services and plays a large role in sexual violence.
• MDG 5: Access to sexual and reproductive health is a target under MDG 5, and measured through indicators on contraceptive prevalence rate, antenatal care, adolescent birth rate and unmet need for family planning.
• MDG 6: The majority of new HIV/AIDS infections is a result of unsafe sexual intercourse. Safer choices in matters of sexuality will affect the achievement of MDG 6 (HIV/AIDS).

Although there are linkages between MDG 3, 5 and 6 and sexual rights, the original targets and related indicators of the MDGs do not contain explicit references to sexual rights. Even with the inclusion of the new targets on universal access to reproductive health in MDG 5 and universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS MDG 6 in 2007, sexual rights remain by and large absent in the Millennium Development Goals.

Objectives
Few people have sufficient knowledge and skills to address these issues. Therefore World Population Foundation, with support from PSO, through this project intends to enhance the capacity of partner organizations to safeguard Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. The overall objective of this capacity development project is thus to, ensure that WPF and her network of intermediary partner organisations/field offices show increased capacity to effectively and sustainably deliver evidence-based SRHR interventions.

This programme will focus on partners CSOs/NGOs and relevant government agencies in Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Kenya and Uganda.

It is at this specific programme objective level, where WPF expects that measurable outcomes can be observed at the end of the programme period that can be attributed to specific interventions and actions in this capacity development programme.

Intervention Strategies
WPF aims to offer partner organisations technical assistance in four key areas:

• SRHR methods and approaches (best practices)
• Intervention Mapping
• Project management
• Advocacy

These inputs will be made available to WPF’s partner organisations through an effective internal project organisation i.e. WPF head office and field offices in Pakistan, Indonesia and Vietnam. 5 partners per country in Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam and 2 partners per country in Uganda and Kenya (project offices) will be taken onboard.

Partner capacity needs assessment and programme inception (2010):
A preliminary step and activity needed in this capacity development programme is to conduct a process of dialogue between WPF, its field offices and local partners with the aims to:

(a) conduct a detailed needs assessment of partners as well as WPF Headquarters and Field Offices; and

(b) to initiate and plan capacity development steps by discussing roles, tasks and responsibilities.

Development of partner (self) assessment tool and ToR by MDF:
The process of (self)-assessment will be guided by international external consultants with support from local consultant and WPF Field Office. .After finishing all assessments the local consultants will provide the results to the international external consultant and committee consisting of WPF staff, field offices and partners. These will be responsible for the analysis of the results and the preparation of a capacity development content-specific proposal attached to this overall programme.

Expected Outputs

• Increased capacities of individual WPF partners to serve clients and target-groups
• Strengthened, southern led collaboration and networking of WPF and partners
• Preparation of a comprehensive partner-policy of WPF
• Increased capacities of WPF in project-cycle management, Monitoring & Evaluation and Management Information Systems.
• Sustained implementation of the approaches (best practices) developed in cooperation with WPF by the local public sector, local institutions and the ultimate clients; (and)
• Translation or reflection of such effective approaches in relevant national reproductive health policies and programmes.