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Maternal Health Task Force POPPHI Working Group Meeting , Washington DC, April 6, 2009. Background. July–November 2008: Advancing Maternal Health: Action, Architecture, Engagement
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Maternal Health Task ForcePOPPHI Working Group Meeting, Washington DC, April 6, 2009
Background July–November 2008: • Advancing Maternal Health: Action, Architecture, Engagement Meeting convened by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) seeking input on the development of a new coordinating and convening entity to advance maternal health agendas globally • BMGF invited EngenderHealth to submit a proposal to host the new entity (approved in Nov. 2008)
Background November 2008–February 2009: • Convened EngenderHealth Internal Advisory Group • Retained consultants • Officially announcedMHTFand survey sent to broad base of stakeholders • Conducted interviews with small number of critical partners • Recruited Director of the MHTF project • Developed draft Terms of Reference • Launched at meeting in DC, February 17- 18
A Unique and Valuable Opportunity to: • Add to the momentum already underway to position maternal health as a global and country level priority • Bring advocacy & policy, research & evidence, and application & evaluation closer together • Advance the global and country-level maternal health agendas and, therefore, contribute to improving maternal health
Challenges • Avoid unnecessary duplication • Elicit active participation of partners • Closely involve developing country organizations • Engage new players • Meet the unique requirements of a very diverse community • Prove value and impact within three-year project span. • Sustain the focus on maternal health beyond life of current project
Vision The MHTF aims to be a far-reaching, diverse, and dynamic community using evidence-based approaches to move the maternal health agendas forward
Core Values The MHTF will: Add value without overlapping or competing with existing initiatives Proactively involve developing country colleagues and organizations Operate collaboratively, transparently and inclusively Foster innovation, flexibility, respect for differences, and a willingness to compromise Communicate frequently with a broad community of partners Recognize and celebrate all participants’ accomplishments
Overarching Goal Build common, evidence-based agendas in… • research and evidence • application and evaluation • advocacy and policy …to advance maternal health at the global and country levels
Objective 1 and Project Activities Objective 1: To provide an inclusive, collaborative, and vibrant space for dialogue and consensus building on maternal health agendas • Identify and engage current stakeholders and new participants • Give a stronger voice to national organizations and individuals • Create face-to-face and virtual spaces of encounter
Objective 2 and Project Activities Objective 2: To guide identification of critical areas of debate and gaps in the maternal health field, and establish effective mechanisms to address them • Offer a safe and objective space for reaching consensus • Collect existing evidence to support an objective dialogue • Commission strategic research • Develop systematic reviews and knowledge management tools • Compile and conduct new case studies and examine lessons learned
Objective 3 and Project Activities Objective 3: To stimulate new thinking, approaches, and action to improve maternal health • Involve experts in fields traditionally not linked to maternal health • Develop innovative, engaging and relevant information sharing and knowledge management platforms • Stimulate novel approaches to advance the maternal health agenda • Establish a program for young champions in maternal health to identify and nurture a new cadre of professionals
Objective 4 and Project Activities Objective 4: To compile and develop instruments to empower constituents to carry out maternal health agendas • Compile existing effective and relevant tools • Develop priority and pertinent new tools • Disseminate a set of pragmatic, evidence-based, and user-friendly tools that provide clear and comprehensive guidelines on how to deal with challenges at the country and global levels
Next Steps • Finalize TOR • Establish the mechanisms required for collaboration and operation of the MHTF • Finalize work plan for the balance of year one • Recruit rest of MHTF team • Start implementation