Freetown, Sierra Leone – A three-day workshop held February 21st-23rd, 2024, brought together civil society leaders, youth representatives, and government officials in Sierra Leone to collaboratively develop an Action Plan for the country’s Family Planning 2030 (FP2030) commitments.
The workshop, organized by Health Alert Sierra Leone with support from USAID’s MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership (MCGL) project and technical assistance from Samasha, utilized the Motion Tracker Approach (MTA). This approach fosters ownership and accountability by emphasizing process and multi-stakeholder engagement in tracking progress towards commitments.
Key Workshop Activities:
- Deconstruction of Commitments: Participants engaged in in-depth discussions to gain a clear understanding of Sierra Leone’s five FP2030 commitments, which include:
- Strengthening legal and policy frameworks for family planning.
- Increasing modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) to 32% by 2027.
- Enhancing supply chain management to reduce stockouts.
- Addressing social and gender norms that hinder family planning access.
- Allocating at least 1% of the national health budget to family planning and exploring innovative financing mechanisms.
- Presentation on the Country FP Cost Implementation Plan (FP-CIP) 2023-2027: This session highlighted key strategies aligned with the FP2030 commitments, such as increasing postpartum family planning uptake, reducing stockouts, and promoting a greater demand for family planning services.
- Group Discussions and Stakeholder Mapping: Participants actively participated in group discussions to deconstruct specific commitments, identify relevant stakeholders, and develop process indicators for tracking progress.
- Action Plan Development: Through collaborative efforts, a draft Action Plan for implementing and monitoring Sierra Leone’s FP2030 commitments was established.
Next Steps:
Following the workshop, Health Alert will
- Finalize the draft Action Plan through further consultations with stakeholders.
- Convene meetings with additional CSO groups to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the commitments and process indicators.
- Finalize the FP2030 Country Action Plan by April-May 2024.
Expected Outcomes:
The collaboratively developed Action Plan, informed by the Motion Tracker Approach, is expected to:
- Enhance transparency and accountability in achieving Sierra Leone’s FP2030 commitments.
- Foster stronger collaboration among government, civil society, and youth leaders in driving progress towards improved family planning access and reproductive health outcomes.
- Empower stakeholders to track progress and advocate for course correction as needed.
This workshop signifies Sierra Leone’s commitment to achieving its FP2030 goals and ensuring greater access to family planning services for all citizens. By working together, stakeholders can contribute to a healthier and more empowered future for Sierra Leone.
