1. INVESTING IN CIVIL SOCIETY
ORGANIZATIONS FOR SUSTAINED IMPACT
Presented by: Judith Omondi Anyona
Program manager GAVI CSO Project
GAVI CSO Constituency

2. Background of the GAVI CSO constituency
project:
 The project is funded by Global Alliance for Vaccines
and Immunization (GAVI)
 The Constituency draws membership from 300+
CSOs globally
 Their efforts are coordinated through a 20 member
Steering committee who are HSS, advocacy and
Immunization champions and professionals.
 The SC works with GAVI to ensure that CSOs are
engaged and fully utilized
 CRS was nominated by the SC to perform the role of
a grants manager
GAVI CSO Constituency

3. GAVI CSO constituency Project Goal:
Promote involvement of CSOs in the health sector
GAVI CSO Project Objectives:
(1) Facilitating organizations have established fully
functioning civil society platforms to engage in
immunization and health system strengthening processes
(2) CSO platforms apply new knowledge and skills to
engage in discussions around HSS-strengthening for
immunization
(3) CSO platforms work closely with governments and
development partners on immunization issues
(4) CSO platforms mobilize communities to participate in
immunization activities through education and
communication to create demand for vaccinesGAVI CSO Constituency

4. WHY IT IS NECESSARY TO INVOLVE
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS?
GAVI CSO Constituency

5. CSOs allow for services to be expanded to full
scale
 CSOs are based
in the
community.
 CSOs are
trusted by the
community and
are able to
influence health
seeking
behavior.
 CSOs conduct
community
mobilization, ser
vice delivery &
case follow up.
 CSOs will
remain in the
community
GAVI CSO Constituency

6. There is a global
recognition that CSOs
must work in
coordination with the
government.
One major barrier is
that some CSOs lack
the systems and
guidance to effectively
advocate on behalf of
the people that they
serve.
They may lack
coordination as a
unified body.
This can change with
focused capacity
strengthening.GAVI CSO Constituency
Investing in CSO

7. Capacity Building Needs of CSOs
How CRS responds

8. The CSO platform model implemented in 23
countries
GAVI CSO Constituency
FACILITATING
ORGANIZATION
(F.O)
MEMBER
ORGANIZATION
1
MEMBER
ORGANIZATION
2
MEMBER
ORGANIZATION
3
MEMBER
ORGANIZATION
4
MEMBER
ORGANIZATION
X
The F.O is the Platform
coordinator and sub-
grantee
 CRS selects F.O through
call for proposal
 Proposals are
reviewed, revised then
approved
 Approved F.Os are
assessed and sub-granted
 F.O invites other CSOs to
form a platform

9. Capacity building process for CSO:
 Training needs and resource assessments to determine
areas of strengths and weaknesses. (technical and
management)
 An action plan is developed to target skills improvement
 Through trainings, site visits, mentorship, peer
exchanges and other methods of sharing, CSO platforms
attain needed skills.
 CRS country programs provide mentorship to build
financial and program management systems
 External experts are linked to local experts for coaching
in advocacy, communication and variety of technical
areas
 CSOs carry out study visits to learn others’ best practices
 CSOs document and share their learning
 Skills assessment is repeated
GAVI CSO Constituency

10. Accomplishments to date
GAVI CSO Constituency

11. CSO platforms mobilize communities to
participate in immunization activities
 In the first year of
the project, 5,314
health
workers/volunteers
were trained to
deliver
immunization
services.
 20,453 community
volunteers and
15,142 health
workers were
trained in
community
mobilization
activities.
 More than 280 CSO
stories promoting
vaccination have
GAVI CSO Constituency

12. Facilitating Organizations have established
functioning CSO platforms
14 national level platforms
established; nine
strengthened and in the
process of establishing the
platforms
1050 civil society advocates
have been trained in
advocacy, social
mobilization and project
management.
More than 300 CSO
Platform members have
been trained in health
system strengthening
application processes.
CSOs linked to MoH, WHO
and UNICEF
GAVI CSO Constituency

13. CSO platforms applying new knowledge and
skills and engaging in discussions around HSS
for immunization
12 CSO platforms have a
seat on the appropriate
decision making board.
CSO platforms have held
131 meetings with
government and
development partners to
discuss immunization
issues.
CSO platforms have
carried out 134 advocacy
campaigns and 142
educational events on
health systems
strengthening.
GAVI CSO Constituency

14. CSO platforms work
closely with governments
and development partners
on immunization issues
 CSOs and governments are now planning
together.
 Ten GAVI HSS proposals were submitted
with CSO inputs.
 13 of the 23 CSO platforms carried out joint
immunization activities with government
partners.
 Additionally, CSO partners attended 31
regional and international HSS events to
shape the direction of HSS strategy
GAVI CSO Constituency

15. CSOs now have a role at each level of the
health sector
 Community level: CSOs advocate for
vaccine uptake at the community level
and share grassroots data with the
MOH.
 Sub-national level: CSO have
provincial level platforms to capture the
voices of those who live in hard-to-
reach areas
 National level: CSOs meet with MOH
and key development partners and
support them in the GAVI HSS
application process.
 Global level: CSO build relationships
with GAVI structures including the
GAVI CSO Constituency Steering
Committee, and regional and
GAVI CSO Constituency

16. The Ghana experience in CSO
COALITION formation and
coordination

17. Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health
represents 500+ partners from every part of
the country
GAVI CSO Constituency
 GCNH represents 500+ partners from every part of the
country
 To create space for CSOs to work together as a team
to be able to negotiate with government on health
issues
 To ease the burden of coordination that government
and development partners were facing
 To create streamlined funding and communication
channels
 To provide the evidence for advocacy from the grass
root for policy level engagement

18. Key accomplishments:
National and Global level:
 Permanent seat on
ICC, CCM, Partners meetings and
recognition by the Ministry of
Health
 Submitted the HSS proposals
jointly developed with GHS with a
defined role and earmarked funds
for CSOs
 They organized annual CSO health
forum for all CSOs and other
health partners at national and
regional levels.
 Members reached 100 hard to
reach communities with
immunization and maternal Health
services in Central and Volta
 Coordinate joint monitoring of
health facilities by Ministry of
Health, Ghana Health Services
and other development
partners
 Capacity building of members in
proposal
development, advocacy, etc
 Hosted the various platform for a
study visit
Community level
 Members reached 100 hard to
reach communities with
immunization and maternal Health
services in Central and Volta
 Partners trained 222 community
volunteers and 308 TAs as agents
of immunisation
 29,437 youth were reached with
HIV prevention interventions in
2013
 29,365 were reached with stigma
reduction activities
GAVI CSO Constituency

20. Conclusion:
 There is a role for INGOs in strengthening the capacity of
in country CSO partners
 CSOs are making an impact in increasing immunization
to underserved populations
 CSO platforms have shown that with a collective voice it
is possible to influence policy
 With strengthen capacity, the CSOs can be accountable
and produce results
 CSOs have the technical capacity to contribute to HSS
and other areas of child health services

21. What next for CSOs:
 CSO need to utilize the developed skills to influence
the health sector
 Collaborate more with stakeholders and ensure that
the relationship is working properly
 Continue to hold consultations and provide feedback
to stakeholders to shape their strategies
 to ensure that both local and global advocacy issues are
represented
 to improve stakeholders knowledge of what actually
happens at ground level and the real impact of the work
done; and
 to better align stakeholders actions with community
needs.

22. Finally:
 Voices of country platforms:

23. Thank you for your time and commitment to improving health outcomes in the
developing world.
For more information contact Judith Omondi at judith.omondi@crs.org
GAVI CSO Constituency

24. Questions (10 mins round table discussion)
1. How can we work better with Civil
Society?
2. Who is already working well with
Civil Society?
3. How can I/my organization work
better with Civil Society?

25. Current implementing countries
Phase 2
1. Chad
2. Guinea
3. Haiti
4. India
5. Liberia
6. Malawi
7. Nigeria
8. Pakistan
and
9. Uganda
Phase 3
1. Banglades
h
2. Benin
3. Cameroon
4. Madagasc
ar
5. Mali
6. Sierra
Leone
7. Togo
8. South
Sudan andGAVI CSO Constituency
Phase 1
(graduated)
1. Burkina
Faso
2. DRC
3. Ethiopia
4. Ghana
5. Kenya

26. CRS management support to F.O at two levels
 CRS Global Management
Unit
 Launches requests for
proposals from in-country
Facilitating Organization
 Coordinates the proposal
review process
 Manage communication with
the donor and CSO
constituency
 Coordinate technical
assistance (global
trainings, webinars, fact
sheets, linkage to
consultants)
 Linking FO to stakeholders at
various levels
 Reporting
 Supports project
performance to achieve set
indicators
 CRS at Country Program
level
 Conducts assessments for
the FO
(organizational and financial
capacity)
 Develops corrective plans and
mentors FO towards this
 Disburses, monitors and
reports on in-country grants
 Monitors FO workplan
implementation
 Provides M& E support using
Indicator Performance
Tracking Tool
 Supports FO at various high
level meetings