FIGO LOGIC Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health

1. Building Organisational Capacity of Health Professional Associations ...to Assume Leadership FIGO LOGIC Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health

2. Health Professional Associations as Leaders “Individually and collectively, we have responsibilities as members of professional organizations and civil society to advocate for and contribute to progress by collaborative partnerships that will be more effective in improving the health and lives of women and children. Our strengths lie in our professional expertise as health providers, educators, advocates and advisors to policymakers and organizations.” Dr. D. Shaw, FIGO (2006)

3. Health Professional Associations as Leaders • Advocacy • Country-Level Support • Promotion of Effective Interventions • Capacity Building at Country Level Areas where national health professional associations can make a valuable contribution:

4. WHAT IS “CAPACITY”? “The ability of an entity (a person, an organization, a system) to perform planned functions effectively, efficiently and sustainably.” SOGC, OCIF (2007) This image represents the process of capacity building. Much of an association’s most important work, that of building its organisational capacity, is not visible to the outside world, but is crucial to establishing a solid foundation.

5. WHAT IS “CAPACITY BUILDING”? Capacity building is like building blocks… in the sense that capacity is built block by block… and each block consists of a different component which must be addressed/built to make the association strong and viable.

6. BUILDING ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY • Is possible • Requires time, patience and persistence • Has no magic recipes • Requires resources (human / financial) and leadership • Is country / association specific • Is association-led • Is on-going and incremental

7. WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE? The Five Core Organisational Dimensions

8. WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE? The sum total of values, beliefs, customs, traditions and meanings developed over years that make the association unique, governs its character and drives it forward.

9. WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE? What is needed for the association to operationalise its programs, projects and activities.

10. WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE? What is needed for the association to meet its goals and objectives and to become viable.

11. WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE? The environment (political, social, economic) in which the association functions and how it is perceived by others.

12. WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE? The ‘raison d’être’ of an association or the reasons for which they exist (registration, continuing professional development, etc.).

13. SOGC’s ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK Pre-cycle 3 – 5 year cycle

14. WHY ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY ASSESSMENTS ARE IMPORTANT • Focuses on the important organisational dimensions of an association • Identifies areas of strengths and weaknesses • Facilitates the implementation of a guided process in light of resources available and the reality of the country • Can be used to establish a baseline and measure progress

15. HOW TO GET STARTED… • Complete the assessment • Develop improvement plan • Have assessment and plan ratified by the Board/Executive Committee • Seek necessary technical and other resources to implement • Monitor and evaluate Proposed Process for the Organisational Capacity Assessment and Development of an Improvement Plan

16. Thank You