Advocacy Win for TAAC and AY Mechanism at National and Sub-national
REPORT
Date: 20th December 2023
Advocacy Win for TAAC and AY Mechanism
Introduction
For over two years, the Health Alert Sierra Leone (HASiL) and the RMNCAH+N (TAAC) coalition have been advocating for a dedicated budget line for Family Planning in the Ministry of Health’s budget. Their advocacy efforts have been focused on increasing investment in Family Planning, which has been historically low at 0.004%, far below the ICPD recommendation of 1%.
The Bilateral Budget Discussion
The bilateral budget discussion organized by the Ministry of Finance from October 9th to November 2nd, 2023 provided an opportunity for the 13 ( 4-w, 9-m) TAAC coalition member to continue their advocacy efforts. HASiL, in collaboration with the RMNCAH+N coalition, participated in the budget discussion and advocated for the following:
• Commitment of the FP 2030 to increase 1% on family planning budget to the ministry of health budget.
• Abuja Declaration Commitment of 15% on Health budget allocation to the Ministry of Health.
• The Government to focus on revenue tax collection to provide family planning commodities for adolescent young girls.
• To comply with the Compact Agreement signed by the Ministry of Finance and UNFPA to increase 1% on family planning budget with separate budget line.
Advocacy Win
After several months of advocacy engagement with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance, the TAAC coalition’s efforts have paid off. The Ministry of Health’s budget now includes a dedicated budget line for Family Planning/Reproductive Health. Additionally, a COMPACT agreement between the Ministry of Finance and UNFPA has been signed, committing 1% of the budget towards Family Planning. This advocacy win is a significant milestone for the TAAC coalition and the AY Mechanism. It demonstrates the power of sustained advocacy and the importance of engaging with key stakeholders to achieve policy change. The dedicated budget line and the COMPACT agreement will ensure that Family Planning receives the necessary funding and attention it deserves, ultimately improving the reproductive health outcomes of adolescents and youth in Sierra Leone.
Conclusion
The advocacy win for TAAC and the AY Mechanism is a testament to the power of collective action and the importance of advocating for policy change. The TAAC coalition’s efforts have resulted in a dedicated budget line for Family Planning/Reproductive Health in the Ministry of Health’s budget and a COMPACT agreement between the Ministry of Finance and UNFPA to allocate 1% of the budget towards Family Planning. This advocacy win will have a lasting impact on the reproductive health of adolescents and youth in Sierra Leone.
Lessons Learned
- Internal Auditors: The Ministry of Finance presented a loadable innovation for MDAs and line Ministries to have Internal Auditors to track the status of the MDAs, Line Ministries and Councils’ budget quarterly for mismatching without proper accountability in reconciling their bank statement.
- Resource Mobilization: Councils and some MDAs need to be strengthened on resource mobilization revenue tax collection.
- Big Five Agenda: Generally, all MDAs and line Ministries that presented in the Bilateral budget discussion are determined to move forward in the big five (5) agenda strive. As some asked for 30% to be allocated to them to increase the revenue mobilization tax collection.
Challenges - Late Disbursement: Late disbursement to MDAs line Ministries, City and District Councils as some only receive first tranche eg, Ministry of Health, City and District Councils, Youth Affairs and others.
- Duplication of Activities: Duplication of the same activities by some MDAs and lines Ministries which need to be harmonized.
- Delay in Payment: Delay in sending request to the Ministry of Finance to facilitate payment.
- Inadequate Accounting: 50% of the City and District Councils do not give proper accounting on own source revenue, development tax collection as they project in their presentation without coming out with strategies to increase resource tax collection, specifically on local tax, and payment of house rates.
- Unfulfilled Commitments: Ministry Of Finance has not yet fulfilled the 15% commitment budget allocation to the Ministry of Health. As it was envisaged, only 11.2% was allocated.
- Compact Agreement: Compact agreement signed with UNFPA by the government to increase 1% on family planning with separate budget line is still a challenge.
Recommendations - Internal Auditors: Ministry of Finance to ensure that all MDAs, Line Ministries, City and District Councils have Internal Auditors to ascertain and track their budget allocated to them.
- Subcontracting: Ministry of Finance to sub-contract specific CSOs, NSAs and DBOCs to monitor the second and third tranches to ensure that they MDAs, and line Ministries deliver for 2023 to enhance transparency and accountability.
- Health Alert and RMNCAH+N Coalition: Health Alert and the RMNCAH+N Coalition calling the attention of the Ministry of Finance to pay attention on the Abuja declaration commitment of the 15% budget allocation to the Ministry of Health and the compact agreement signed with UNFPA by Government to increase 1% on family planning budget with separate budget line.
- Prompt Payment: To facilitate prompt payment to MDAs and Line Ministries to achieve the big five (5) agenda strive specifically feeding Sierra Leone.
- Resource Mobilization: To strengthen the capacity of MDAs, Line Ministries, City and District Councils on resource mobilization tax collection.
- Private Investors: To encourage private investors, to establish companies without kickbacks to employ young people specifically on agriculture and others that bring foreign income into the country.
Next Steps - Implementation of Internal Auditors: Ensure that all MDAs, Line Ministries, City and District Councils have Internal Auditors to track the status of their budget quarterly for mismatching without proper accountability in reconciling their bank statement.
- Resource Mobilization Strategies: Strengthen the capacity of MDAs, Line Ministries, City and District Councils on resource mobilization tax collection and develop strategies to increase income generation, especially property rates and tax collection.
- Prompt Payment: Facilitate prompt payment to MDAs and Line Ministries to achieve the big five (5) agenda strive specifically feeding Sierra Leone.
- Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the budget and ensure that MDAs, Line Ministries, City and District Councils deliver on their key deliverables for 2023 and 2024.
- Private Investors: Encourage private investors to establish companies without kickbacks to employ young people specifically on agriculture and others that bring foreign income into the country