Reflections on an Inspiring Side Event at the World Health Assembly
The Civil Society Assembled! Amplifying the Superpowers of Civil Society for Sexual and Reproductive Research and Rights
De Nandita Thatte et
Andréa Rajman
In recent years there has been an increasing acknowledgement and recognition about the significance of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in influencing WHO's priority-setting processes. The establishment of the WHO Civil Society Commission in August 2023 marked a historic milestone, providing a platform for CSOs to offer invaluable perspectives and input to WHO's work.
The World Health Organisation/Implementing Best Practice Network (WHO/IBP Network) has been engaging with CSOs working Family Planning and Sexual and Reproductive Health for over 20 years. On May 26th, 2024, the WHO/IBP Network, in partnership with Share-Net International and the CORE Group, hosted a transformative Side Event during the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva to celebrate the vital contributions of CSOs and their role in advancing global health.
The interactive gathering brought together a diverse range of 50 participants to spotlight health priorities, engage in meaningful discussions, and align efforts to shape WHO's Global Programme of Work with a focus on family planning and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
Main objectives were to:
Highlight the Critical Role of CSOs in Global Family Planing/SRHR Advocacy
Define and Record FP/SRHR Priorities
Foster Collaboration and Build Strategic Alliances
Civil Society Assembled! Leveraging the Superpowers of Civil Society for Sexual and Reproductive Research and Rights
The session kicked off with an engaging technical panel, “Leveraging the Power of CSOs to Advance SRHR,” featuring influential speakers like Pascale Allotey (WHO), Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins (Population Action International), Innocent Grant (Young and Alive Initiative), Lisa Hilmi (CORE Group), and Rajat Khosla (PMNCH).
Following the panel, participants dove into an interactive workshop exploring creative ways to communicate SRHR research and advocacy priorities around countering the opposition to SRHR and SRHR in Humanitarian Settings. Teams collaborated to design impactful posters using everyday materials, showcasing how visual tools can effectively capture attention and convey powerful messages in diverse settings.
Medicus Mundi Switzerland (MMS), a longtime IBP Network member organization, was invited to lead and facilitate the learning session focused on priorities for SRHR in humanitarian settings.
A short summary of each group along with the posters is showcased below:
Proven best practices to counter the opposition to SRHR included: Fostering community dialogues, empowering influential leaders to advocate for SRHR, and prioritizing youth education. These approaches have consistently demonstrated their impact in shifting mindsets and building support for SRHR initiatives.
Critical research gaps identified included: Investigating the financial streams and networks fuelling SRHR opposition to better disrupt their influence, conducting research that supports localized, community-driven solutions tailored to specific cultural and societal contexts, and promoting collaborative efforts that unite diverse stakeholders in tackling opposition at its roots.
Best practices and issues to consider for addressing SRHR in Humanitarian Settings included: Ensuring safety and health, promoting family planning and protection, improving access to menstrual products, and providing relief and assistance. In addition, it was reiterated that SRHR responses in humanitarian settings must recognize individual needs, respect diversity, empower individuals with information, and emphasize the importance of emotional support to build resilient families and communities.
Research priorities included the need to strengthen health systems, address community needs in humanitarian settings, and more effectively drive and measure recovery efforts.
Key Messages emerged providing some insights and reflections on how best to engage with CSOs in the future.
Intergenerational Collaboration is Essential: True progress in SRHR requires bridging generations. While meaningful youth engagement is vital, partnerships with longstanding organizations and finding common ground across generations will drive sustainable change.
Support and Protect Civil Society: SRHR advocacy is increasingly met with hostility, making the work of local CSOs not only challenging but dangerous. Global organizations like WHO, UNFPA, and international NGOs must step up to shield and empower these frontline advocates.
Evidence Needs Creativity: Traditional evidence like peer-reviewed studies is important but insufficient. Innovative methods like storytelling and art are crucial to communicating SRHR priorities persuasively and effectively.
Build Bridges Across Differences: Advancing SRHR requires finding common ground, even with those who don’t fully align on all issues. Leveraging areas of agreement fosters understanding and creates opportunities for progress.
Forge Cross-Sector Alliances: Expanding SRHR advocacy into sectors like workforce development, education, and climate change strengthens the movement. Engaging champions outside health mainstreams SRHR across development.
Proven best practices to counter the opposition to SRHR included: Fostering community dialogues, empowering influential leaders to advocate for SRHR, and prioritizing youth education. These approaches have consistently demonstrated their impact in shifting mindsets and building support for SRHR initiatives.
Conclusion
“The Civil Society Assembled! Amplifying the Superpowers of Civil Society for Sexual and Reproductive Research and Rights!” Side Event at the 77th World Health Assembly gave an opportunity for an active participation to discuss about SRHR in humanitarian settings and SRHR opposition. Medicus Mundi, served in a critical role to facilitate some of the interactive session. As organizations committed to advancing SRHR we identified three key learnings to shape the way we continue to engage and move the SRHR agenda forward.
Collaborate for Impact: Partnering with diverse SRHR organizations allows for leveraging varied skills and approaches, leading to more effective outcomes.
Foster Teamwork: Interactive sessions that encourage collaboration on shared goals enhance teamwork and drive impactful solutions.
Unite diverse Stakeholders: Addressing complex SRHR challenges requires uniting CSOs, multilateral agencies, academia, and other partners to create holistic and inclusive solutions.
In the end, meaningful engagement with civil society demands creative, safe, and inclusive spaces for open dialogue. Listening to diverse perspectives, acting on them deliberately, and leveraging collective power to protect and support CSOs are critical to advancing FP/SRHR worldwide.
See also the LinkedIn post from Share-net international’s
About the Organisers:
WHO/IBP Network
The WHO/IBP Network is a global platform for local impact with over 150-member organizations representing international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local civil society organizations (CSOs), academia, and others, the IBP Network convenes partners to share best practices, experiences and tools to support family planning and reproductive health programming. Activities focus on supporting knowledge exchange, documentation, and implementation research efforts. The IBP Network relies on our member’s expertise and knowledge to support various global, regional and country activities.
Share-Net International
Share-Net International is the leading knowledge and connections platform on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Our network of experts and member organisations combine the strengths of key international actors, while harnessing localised knowledge to promote the development of better policies and practises in SRHR.
Our mission is to build and strengthen links between evidence-based research, policy, and practise through strategic knowledge sharing, generation, translation, and promotions, further developing better policies and practises in SRHR. We believe that all people have the freedom of choice, can make informed decisions, and can access and take action on their sexual and reproductive rights and needs.
CORE Group
The CORE Group is the only membership organization that convenes technical community health professionals to share evidence and best practices with a direct impact for women, children and adolescents . CORE Group’s mission is to improve and expand community health practices for underserved populations, especially women, children, and adolescents through collaborative action and learning, with a vision of communities were everyone can attain health and well-being. CORE Group convenes technical specialists in community health to strengthen programmatic impact, facilitate learning, optimize preparedness and response, and conduct research. For over 26 years, CORE Group has provided expertise in civil society engagement, stakeholder coordination knowledge management, resource development, and program implementation.
Dr Nandita Thatte, PH, Technical Officer, WHO, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health. Nandita leads the WHO hosted IBP Network in the Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO in Geneva Switzerland. She is passionate about using the WHO/IBP Network of Civil Society Organizations to disseminate and support the use of evidence-based interventions and guidelines, inform implementation research and program priorities and amplify local partner experiences on a global scale. Prior to joining WHO, Nandita was a Senior Advisor in the Office of Population and Reproductive Health at USAID. Nandita has a master’s in health sciences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Doctorate in Prevention and Community Health from the George Washington University in Washington D.C. E-MailLinkedIn
Andréa Rajman has been the regional manager in Romandie for Medicus Mundi Switzerland since 2016 and assistant to the director since 2024. She holds a Master degree in Arts (MA), specializing in Sociology and Anthropology, and has over 20 years of experience working in human rights and international cooperation, focusing on social justice, solidarity, and promoting equitable access to healthcare and development. E-Mail
