FPBAG meets to review the progress and discuss/ formulate strategies to advocate for FP financing in Uganda

Securing Health through Advocacy and People’s Empowerment is a three-year program to mobilize more and better funds from key European donors (Germany, EU) as well as from East African governments (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda). Over the next three years, DSW will build on its proven successes in advocacy and capacity building through previous grant phases in Germany, at the EU level as well as in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Tuesday Feb, 28^th 2017

Family Planning Budget Advocacy Group (FPBAG) had their first meeting to review their progress and to reposition themselves with new strategies to closing the gap of FP inadequate funding by government. The Group was established in August 2016 under the coordination of DSW.

The Director General, National Population Council Jotham Musiguzi who presided over the review and planning meeting at National Population Council said that the global FP2020 goal is to mobilize global policy, financing, commodity and service delivery commitments to support the rights of women and girls in the world’s poorest countries to use contraceptive information, services and supplies without coercion and discrimination by 2020.

He requested the participants to constructively engage the relevant authorities towards FP domestic financing in Uganda. Noting that it is high time that government and the public appreciated the importance FP in the country’s Roadmap towards harnessing Demographic Dividends.

The meeting was attended by representatives from DSW Uganda, plan International Reach Hand Uganda, National Population Council, the media fraternity, HEPS, PPDARO, Straight Talk Foundation, among others , and they  made the following resolutions.

1. Collectively conduct budget analysis capacity building for the relevant factors including legislators such as members of parliament, district counselors, and the technical government people
2. Support SRH/FP policy reviews and wide dissemination across the country
3. Support MoH to develop GFF work planning and other continuous engagements
4. Hold meetings under the coordination of the OPM on the multi- sectoral approach on FP-NPC, MoH
5. Produce the FP BAG newsletter-quarterly
6. Develop and share a comprehensive work plan to which members will allocate their strengths as well as financial support. 

By David Turyamusiima