From choice, a world of possibilities

SPRINT InitiativeDr Shible SAHBANI, UNFPA, Morocco CO

What is the “SPRINT” Initiative?

Sexual and Reproductive Health PRogramme IN Crisis and PosT-Crisis

Situations

Pilot project in Asia Pacific, started in 2007

Extension to other regions since 2009 (Middle East and Africa)

Principal donor AusAID

GOAL: to increase access to SRH information and services for populations surviving crises and living

in post-crisis situations

increase the regional capacity

of key stakeholders

strengthen the

coordination of SRH responses in crisis situations

raise

awareness on SRH in crises at national & regional level

respond in a timely fashion to SRH needs in crisis situations

Why “SPRINT” Initiative?

SRH during crises is NOT a luxury

1. UNFPA Women and War.exe

Key Challenges for SRH in Emergencies

1. Scarcity of trainers2. Updating, dissemination

and promotion of training materials

3. Lack of financial resources to implement training

4. Keeping track of former participants

UNFPA Strategy Paper, IAWG Academic Partnership for Reproductive Health in Emergencies Training, 26-27 September 2006

Expected outcomes of SPRINT

1. Key people trained in implementing SRH during crises

ARHA

2. SRH integrated into national emergency responses

3. Coordination mechanisms established

4. SRH services and information accessed by persons affected by crises

5. Funds for SRH in crises mobilized

What’s innovative about the SPRINT?

First regional initiative to address SRH in crises country by country=> SPRINT model

Action research: building evidence on SRH in crisis National and regional emergency relief agencies

(government + NGOs) integrate SRH into contingency planning and aid responses

Interagency collaborative approach

Bridging the gap between immediate relief and development

continuum between emergency and development

How ?

SPRINT within the IAWG Training Partnership

What? For whom? How long?

Advocacy module

Policy makers, medical students, service providers

2 hours

MISP DL module

Managers, RH officers, service providers

5-8 hours

SRH coordinators training

SRH/emergency coordinators 5 days TOT3 days in-country trainings

MISP outreach training modules

Service providers (outreach training)

1. Standard precautions2. Sexual violence3. Signal functions for BEmONC

(MgSO4, Antibiotics, IV fluid, AMTSL)

4. Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA)

5. Vacuum Extraction

2 days per module

Approach and strategies adopted

Priority countries were identified based on their vulnerability to disaster and conflict and less developed disaster risk reduction (DRR) mechanisms;

Priority countries were clustered into groups depending on language (French or English) and geographical location for ease of training logistics. The clusters were then invited to one central place for the training

The Secretariat facilitated translation of training materials to French, developed job aids and disseminated the same for use by the CCTs.

Training

Approach and strategy adopted cont’

The Secretariat consulted with partners from UNHCR and UNFPA to select candidates with a view to creating a country mix with representation from NGOs, Ministries of Health, Red Cross/Crescent and UN agencies;

After the Regional workshops, SPRINT Initiative provided funds to Country Coordination Teams to implement the first in-country MISP training.

At least one SPRINT expert was sent to offer technical assistance to the country team during the initial in-country training to ensure quality control for the training

Approach and strategy adopted cont’

In case of an emergency, SPRINT Initiative provided funds and as well as technical support to enable country teams initiate RH responses at limited scales at the onset of an emergency;

Response

Who are the partners? IPPF (Selected IPPF Member Associations ) UNFPA (Humanitarian Response Branch) UNHCR University of New South Wales School of Public

Health (UNSW) The Australian Reproductive Health Alliance (ARHA) Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) on SRH in

crises Key emergency relief and SRH agencies

Refugees, IDPs, local populations living in crisis/post-crisis

Achievements so far

5 days Regional training

6 ToTs, 207 humanitarian actors trained as

masters trainers

3 days Regional training

33 trainings, 687 people trained

Achievements so far

Response

ProtractedUganda, Chad

Emergency Togo, Cote

d’Ivoire, Ethiopia,

Kenya, Tunisia

Total direct beneficiaryMore 100,000 people

Country covered in a Reg. TOT so far

In Africa

70% of the countries of the continent have been covered through SPRINT MISP

trainings, involving the critical partners in each of the country, with a total of 204 key

persons trained at regional level.

Lessons learned

The cooperation between the partner organizations (UNFPA, UNHCR, IPPF, IFRC, etc.) involved in SPRINT is a key-factor for the success in selection of quality participants for regional ToTs

The involvement of Governmental stakeholders through dedicated high-level staff of the relevant Ministries in the Country Teams is key to the buy-in of SPRINT roll-out at country level. If existing, the Disaster Management body has to be involved together with the MoH.

Lessons learned Country Coordination Teams implement their roll-

out if there is a leadership within the team, and a clear role with division of tasks. Leadership is often taken by UNFPA and a counterpart agency as co-lead .This cooperative model of leadership has to be encouraged in the development of the Country Team ToR.

Using IPPF Member Associations provides an institutional structure for operational and logistical back up for in-country implementation.

Way forward

Coordination among the different partners at country level should be formalized, to clarify both the question of leadership and the division of responsibility, to ensure improved efficiency and effectiveness.

More technical support is needed to successfully integrate SRH (through the MISP) in disaster management plans at all levels (national and sub-national)

Use SPRINT model to ensure that MISP will remain on the top of emergency response agenda as life saving intervention

Thank you