Stories Category: SRHR

Strength in numbers: A collaborative approach to empower gender equality advocates with data

Written by Coretta M. P. Jonah, Senior Data Capacity Lead Equal Measures 2030,  Aarushi Khanna, Asia Pacific Regional Lead, Equal Measures 2030 and Shiwa Karmacharya, Programme Officer, ARROW 

In the fight for gender equality and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), data is a potent tool. When combined with advocacy it becomes a powerful catalyst for changing perceptions and driving long-lasting outcomes, such as policy changes. 

But what happens when advocates lack the skills to wield it effectively? This is the challenge Equal Measures 2030 (EM2030) set out to address with our Data-Driven Advocacy (DDA) training. In May 2024, we partnered with ARROW to bring these crucial skills to the Reproductive Health and Rights Network (RHRN) in Bangladesh. Here’s how we’re turning numbers into action and advocates into data champions. 

Overcoming Gaps 

Whilst data can be a powerful tool, many gender equality advocates struggle to understand and access the data they need to drive change. Many also lack the skills needed to transform their lived experiences into compelling stories that inspire action. 

Recognising this gap, the EM2030 coalition developed the Data-Driven Advocacy (DDA) training manual to be used in collaboration with coalition members and beyond to train gender advocates. The comprehensive resources equip advocates with the essential skills to wield data effectively in their advocacy efforts. The DDA training covers: 

  • Introductory data analysis  
  • Creating data visualisations  
  • Using data for compelling story telling 
  • Creating data-driven advocacy messages  

Collaborating for Impact 

In May 2024, we teamed up with our EM2030 coalition member, ARROW, to deliver the DDA for Gender Equality and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) training to the Reproductive Health and Rights Network (RHRN) in Bangladesh.  

The RHRN network is a multi-country initiative, and, in Bangladesh, comprises seven individual organisations that advocate for change on SRHR issues. The DDA training provided the network participants with essential data-driven advocacy skills to amplify their own advocacy agendas.  

Before the training, we engaged with the network to gain an understanding of their data use journey and expectations from the training.  The members of the network were already familiar with data, using it ​​for advocacy and documenting impact. For instance, one organisation, Naripokko, collects data to captures women’s experience of accessing health services from government facilities and utilises this data in their advocacy to improve quality.  

Another organisation shared that they have been “conducting sessions on SRHR with young boys and girls in schools; as part of this effort, we conduct pre and post surveys to understand the impact of the sessions. The data collected is then shared with funders, on our social media as impact of our intervention.’  

However, as a network, they identified the need to strengthen their capacity in data collection, analysis, and creating data-driven messaging for advocacy. The members also planned to cascade these learnings from the training to field teams. 

Developing the training 

As a coalition we recognize the need to have multiple voices engaged in the design and delivery of the training. Informed by the experiences and knowledge of the advocates, we co-designed a bespoke three-day in-person training. We aimed to balance teaching with a hands-on practice-based approach to engage advocates, and together, we covered contextual and subject matter-specific knowledge on SRHR and the Asia-Pacific region. 

Here are some testimonies from participants on the concepts that most resonated with them throughout our training: 

 
The training resonated deeply with participants, equipping them with new perspectives and skills. Here’s what some of them had to say: 


Global Reach and Future Goals 

Since launching the DDA training in 2019, we’ve reached thousands of advocates across three regions. As the world grapples with slow progress on gender equality, shrinking civic space and reduced financial aid towards rights agendas, the need for empowered advocates is more urgent than ever. 
 

Through our DDA trainings, the EM2030 coalition continues to strengthen networks and enhance the capacity of advocates around the world. Our goal is to achieve lasting policy changes and advance gender equality on a global scale. We’re committed to expanding our reach, refining our training based on feedback, and adapting to the evolving needs of advocates in different contexts. We believe that by equipping more champions with data skills, we can accelerate progress towards a more gender-equal future. 

Improving access to family planning services in West Africa 

By Suzanne N’Gouandi, Communications Officer – French Speaking, Equal Measures 2030  

Global data on the use of contraceptives are striking. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), almost 257 million women who wish to avoid pregnancy do not use safe, modern contraceptive methods. Of these, 172 million do not use any form of contraception. These figures are not only alarming but also reflect the reality faced by women and girls around the world. 

In West Africa, which has one of the highest fertility rates in the world, the prevalence of contraceptives remains low. According to the EM2030 Gender Equality Calculator, if the current trend continues, a young woman aged 18 in Senegal today will be around 40 years old before she has access to contraception. 

Like me, many women and girls in West Africa face obstacles using contraceptive methods. These include socio-cultural constraints, poverty, fear of side effects and disinformation. 

Reluctance to use contraception results in a high number of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions, and the high rate of maternal mortality. Within the sub-region, around 225 women die during childbirth every day, and for every woman who dies, there are approximately thirty others who suffer from infirmity. This rate of morbidity and mortality leads to productivity losses estimated at more than USD 5 billion. 

A survey carried out by the Guttmacher Institute also notes 6,490,000 cases of unplanned pregnancies in West Africa between 2015 and 2019, of which 2,740,000 resulted in a termination. Given that only two countries in the region, namely Benin and Cape Verde, have legalised abortion, we cannot easily imagine the risks incurred by women and girls. 

Unplanned pregnancies have huge repercussions for women, their families and society as a whole because of the costs involved and their impact on progress in health, education and gender equality. So, what can be done? 

Because reproductive rights are fundamental rights, women and girls must be in a position to decide freely the number of children they want, and the timing and spacing of births. This, in turn, means increasing investments in contraceptive services to satisfy unmet demand and thus guarantee their sexual and reproductive health.  

Since 2011, the Ouagadougou Partnership, a cooperation programme involving nine countries in French-speaking West Africa, has been working to improve access to family planning services. In 10 years (2011-2021), the Ouagadougou Partnership helped increase the number of users of contraceptives to over four million women in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Togo. It has also helped avoid over 18 million unwanted pregnancies and 6 million high-risk abortions. 

Education and awareness campaigns, as well as community programmes, need to be set up to improve access to comprehensive, reliable information and advice on contraception for women and girls, and allow them to make choices about their bodies and make informed decisions. 

This is one of the missions of the Réseau Siggil Jigéen (RSJ), which works to improve the status of women in Senegal. Thanks to its programme aimed at making mayors champions of family planning, the organisation has managed to persuade 67 mayors to mobilise funds estimated at over 73 million CFA francs. These funds have been used to support family planning activities in the communities concerned and thus satisfy the unmet need for contraception among women and girls. 

*Originally written in French, as such some links may lead to French articles.