the citizens’ hearings€¦ · world health assembly in may? remember that your outcome will be...

THE CITIZENS’ HEARINGS

A TOOLKIT to aid speaking up for Women’s, Children’s, Adolescents’ and Newborns’ Health

Contents • National Citizens’ Hearing 3

• Global Citizens’ Hearing 4

• Planning a National Citizens’ Hearing 5

• ReportingOutcomes 8

• Contacts For Sharing Outcomes 8

There have been huge advances in health, education, and the fight against poverty during the lifespan of the Millennium Development Goals; and although there have been big successes, many of the goals will not be reached.

There have been criticisms of the ownership and accountability for the goals – Members of Parliament, citizens and civil society had limited involvement in setting the agenda for the goals – and there was no clear accountability mechanism. We as members of civil society have a responsibility to hold governments to account for their failures and push for more successes.

During early 2015, IPPF, Save the Children, the White Ribbon Alliance and World Vision are joining with partners to host community and national Citizens’ Hearings - as well as a global Citizens’ Hearing during the World Health Assembly. We will call governments to account for their delivery on MDGs 4 and 5, and push for a strong accountability framework in the new Every Woman Every Child strategy and within the Sustainable Development Goals, with citizens and civil society taking a lead role in the process.

Join us in this exciting project helping civil society and citizens to hold governments to account!

THE CITIZENS’ HEARINGS

The Citizens’ Hearings will bring together communityandgovernmentleaderstolistento,andacton,theviewsofcitizensonnational priorities for women’s, children’s and newborns’ health.

2 | Citizens’ Hearings Toolkit

At the UN General Assembly in September 2015 the final Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets will be released and the new Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health will be announced.

Thepost-2015frameworkwillbeavoluntary,non-bindingsetofgoalsforgovernmentstodeliver.Howwelltheyaredelivered–indeed,eveniftheyaredelivered–dependsoncitizensandcivilsociety’sinvolvementinholdingthemtoaccount.

Thereareclearopportunitiesforinfluencingtheaccountabilitymechanisms for the next round of proposed goals and targets, bothatthenationalandgloballevels.

As the world transitions into the new framework, there are a numberofquestions:

- What do the proposed targets on women’s, children’s and newborns’ health actually mean in the national context?

- How does this fit with current commitments and roadmaps in each country?

- How do we learn from the shortfalls of the MDGs and the weak accountability framework?

Wewanttoensurethatcivilsocietyandchampionsofwomen’s,children’s and newborns’ health in parliament are answering these questions and setting the accountability mechanisms to keepgovernmentsontrackwiththeirpromises.

“Health should be at the centre of sustainable development (...) Accountability will be an important part of the new development agenda.” Ban Ki-Moon, May 2014

National Citizens’ HearingsWe will hold Citizens’ Hearings in communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America. We will show Heads of State and community leaders what civil society and citizens, in each country, want accountability to look like in the updated Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health and the SDGs. The Hearings will be public and ambitious – engaging people across the world in a transparent and accessible way.

Core objectives of national Citizens’ Hearings:

Discuss the new targets for women’s, children’s and newborns’ health being negotiated within the post-2015developmentframeworkandhowthesewillbe addressed nationally, with key recommendations includedintheintergovernmentalnegotiationprocess

Informnewnationalaccountabilitymechanismsforwomen’s,children’s and newborns’ health in the post-2015 framework andnewEveryWomanEveryChildstrategy

Developaclearpathwayforcitizenengagementinaccountabilitymechanismsatnationalandgloballevels

We will work with champions in Parliament to strengthen calls for more accountability on the proposed goals and targets.

The outcome of each Citizen Hearing is a plan that sets out how governmentwillengagewithcitizensandcivilsocietyintrackingprogress on women’s, children’s and newborns’ health.

There is a guide on how to host a national Citizens’ Hearing on page 5 of this document.

How has speaking out helped ensure accountability in the past?

InZambia,anaccountabilityprojectcalledCitizenVoiceandAction(CVA)fosteredhealthsystemresponsiveness,communityempowerment and trust between the community and the health systeminZambia,accordingtoanacademicstudy.

CVAengagedaffectedstakeholdersinthe‘processofdeveloping,implementing, and disseminating policy-related research that has the potentialtomakeapositivedifferenceinachievingpolicyoutcomes’and in turn empowered communities in the process.

IInLiberia,civilsocietyorganisedhearingsonwaterandsanitationinsevenofthecountry’sfifteencounties.Politicalleaders,policymakersand the media heard of the impact the lack of access to water and sanitationonthehealth,economicandsocialwell-beingofindividuals,especially in hard-to-reach rural locations. As a result, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, ensured access to water and sanitation was a priority intheNewPovertyReductionStrategy.

123

Citizens’ Hearings Toolkit | 3

Global Citizens’ HearingThe concept of a Global Citizens’ Hearing is based on the key recommendation relating to civil society from the Independent Expert Review Group (iERG):

‘From 2015 onwards, hold a civil-society-led World Health Forum adjacent to the World Health Assembly to strengthen political accountability for women’s and children’s health.

The purpose of the Forum would be to bring all parties with an interest in global health together at the time of the World Health Assembly—to hold the intergovernmental process accountable to the citizens of countries, and to facilitate and coordinate action by non-government actors.

This World Health Forum would be an important contribution to the democratisation of global health.’

How does the plan for a Global Citizens’ Hearing build on the iERG recommendation for a civil society led forum adjacent to the World Health Assembly?

We’re pushing for the Global Citizens’ Hearing to be part of the officialagendaattheWorldHealthAssembly,ensuringengagementfrom political leaders.

CivilsocietyleaderswhoheldnationalHearingswillspeakatthe Global Citizens’ Hearing; setting out proposed national plansforgovernmentengagementwithcivilsocietyintheiraccountabilityframeworksforthenewEveryWomanEveryChild strategy and the SDGs.

The agenda of the Global Citizens’ Hearing includes sharing the outcomes from National Hearings with decision makers present, contributing to the creation of an accountability mechanism that engagescitizensandcivilsocietyatitscore.

What will we achieve together?

Overarching goal: citizens and civil society participate meaningfully in dialogue on accountability for women, children and newborn’s health during 2015

• Wewillstrengthencivilsociety’svoiceinthedecisionsmadeattheWorldHealthAssemblyaswellasatthenationallevel

• Wewillshowwehavelearntthelessonsofthelastdevelopmentgoalsandcommitments,whereaccountabilitywaslacking, and act on these lessons

• Wewillensurecitizensareengagedinholdinggovernmentstoaccount to ensure progress is accelerated for women, children and newborns’ health


PLANNING A NATIONAL CITIZENS’ HEARINGFirstly, reach out to Save the Children, White Ribbon Alliance and World Vision offices or the IPPF Member association in your country (if present) to set up a meeting to discuss joint objectives on the national Citizens’ Hearings, and also to decide a date, panel members, and discuss resources needed, both financial and personnel.

SomeotherhelpfulhintsandideasforyourHearingaregiveninthissection:

Setting a date to host a national Citizens’ Hearing

It’simportanttothinkstrategicallyaboutwhenthebesttimemight be for your national Hearing in line with other national processes(elections,budgetcyclesetc).

However,deliberationsarebeginninginJanuary2015ontheSDGsand the World Health Assembly will be held on the 18-26 May 2015inGeneva,wherethedraftoftheupdatedGlobalStrategyfor Women’s and Children’s Health will be presented.

IfnationalCitizens’HearingsareheldbeforetheendofMarchwecan build the outcomes into the agenda for the Global Citizens’ Hearing at the World Health Assembly and arrange for designated speakers to attend the Hearing.

Outcomes from national Citizens’ Hearings held after this time will contribute to the demand for a robust accountability mechanism being called for at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015.

Setting the objective:What is the aim of the hearing?

Isitfeasibletoaimforaconcreteplanforhowyourgovernmentwillbe accountable to commitments made to women’s, children’s and newborns’health,withclearengagementofcivilsocietyandcitizens?

CanyouaimfortheMinisterofForeignAffairstogiveastatementonwhats/hewilldotofurthertheagendaonwomen’s,children’sandnewborns’healthinthedebateonSustainableDevelopmentGoals?And can you ask the Minister of Health to make the connection at the World Health Assembly in May?

Rememberthatyouroutcomewillbefedintotheglobalagenda setting for women’s, children’s and newborns’ health. RefertotheOutcomeDocumentsothatyou’reclearonwhatwill need to be reported on for your outcomes to feed into the global processes in 2015.


What should be discussed at a national Citizens’ Hearing?

Each national Citizens’ Hearing will look different according to priorities and salientissuesineachcontext,butherearesomesuggestedkeycomponents:

Discuss current accountability mechanisms or efforts, both from your own country or others you think would work in your context.

Exploretheunfinishedbusinessfromcommitmentsmade–highlightingsuccesses,andoutstanding challenges.

Discuss the proposed global targets for women’s, children’s and newborns’ health and how these will be addressed nationally.

Discuss why working together in building a stronger accountability mechanism will accelerate progress (by givingexamples).

Showcase examples of strong accountability frameworks and processes.

Concludewithaverdictastohowtheaccountabilitymechanismwillbestrengthened,withcivilsocietyengagement at its core.

Invitepeopletospeakwhohavedirectexperienceofhealthissues affecting women, children and newborns, e.g. health workers, community leaders, women, children and mothers, localgovernmentstaff.

Make plans for the next Citizens’ Hearing. This could take place after the World Health Assembly, to assess the outcomeandensurethattheprioritiesidentifiedreflectnational priorities for women’s, children’s and newborns’ healthinpost2015advocacy,andintheproposedcontent for the updated Global Strategy.

1

46

2

87

35


THE CHAIR • Who would be a good Chair for the meeting so that the

outcomes can be taken forward?

• Will this person be able to make sure citizens lead the meetingandhavetheirvoicesheard?

PANEL • Whoneedstobeonthepanelforthehearingtohave

legitimacy?Fornationallevelhearings,whichMinistriesmustbe included for the outcomes to be taken forward?

THE EVIDENCE• Which data should be shared with the panel and the

audience?

• Which CSO groups, community leaders, children and young people could present on their experiences? What support do they need to be able to contribute?

• Whatevidencecouldyouusetoshowprogress,orlackthereof, on national accountability for women’s, children’s and newborns’ health?

THE AUDIENCE• Who are the targets for your Citizens’ Hearing? Are they

national,regionaland/orlocal?Thinkaboutthemostsuitablecontent for your target.

• How will you make it transparent and accessible for the public?

PROMOTION • What is the hook for the media? Will you write a press

release to encourage media to attend?

• How will you promote the Hearing to the public and encourageaffectedcommunitiesandinfluentialgroupstoattendandbeinvolved?

• WillyouencouragemediatobroadcastyourHearinglive?

THE RISKS• What are the potential risks associated with your Hearing?

How can they be mitigated?


THE OUTCOMEShare the outcome from your Hearing and it will be given as feedback into setting the updated Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health and will be used to set the agenda for the Global Citizens’ Hearing in May 2015 and the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. You will be involved in planning for these global processes.

• Who has been designated with feeding back the outcomes from the Hearing, based on the questions below?

• How will you make sure participants are kept up to date with follow up with the Citizens’ Hearing?

• Do you want to hold another Citizens’ Hearing after the World Health Assembly to push for further progress on this agenda?

• HowelsewillyoudocumenttheCitizens’Hearing?Willyoufilmthe hearing or take photos?

Key responses required for feedback:

1. Whatwerethespecificgaps/prioritiesidentifiedinthedeliveryofexisting commitments to women’s, children’s and newborns’ health?

2. Werespecificgapsidentifiedthatshouldbeaddressedinthefuture?

3. Wereideasgivenoraplansetoutonhowgovernmentcanbemoreaccountabletocitizensandcivilsocietyoncommitmentsmadetowomen’s,children’sandnewborns’healthmovingforward?

4. Weretherespecificoutcomesinregardstohowcitizensandgovernmentwillengageonwomen’s,children’sandnewborns’healthmovingforward?

Other information to share:

1. Please list the participants who took part in the Hearing

2. Pleaselistthepoliticalchampionswhoareactivelypushingforincreaseddialoguebetweencitizensandgovernmentonwomen’s,children’s and newborn health

3. Wasthesessionphotographedandfilmed?Ifso,whoisthecontactfor the footage and photos?

4. Werethereparticularexamplesgivenfromcitizensontheirexperiences that made a strong impact? Please share those examples.

5. Pleaseshareanylinksorscansofmediacoveragefromtheevent

Contacts for support and to share your outcomes:

SerenaO’Sullivan,Save the Children, [email protected]

Katy Woods, White Ribbon Alliance, [email protected]

Lisa O’Shea, World Vision [email protected]

ForIPPF,pleasecontactyourRegionalIPPFOffice:http://www.ippf.org/about-us/contact

Photos courtesy of the participating organisations.


Published 2015