International women's reproductive health: Supporting local advocacy in sub-Saharan Africa

The Hewlett Foundation’s Global Development and Population Program's International Women’s Reproductive Health Strategy aims to achieve three outcomes: preventing unwanted pregnancies, eliminating deaths from unsafe abortions, and integrating family planning into broader development goals. Focusing on Francophone West Africa and East Africa, the program employs tools like behavioral economics and human-centered design to enhance service delivery, fosters collaboration among governments and donors, and promotes equitable access to quality services. This paper outlines a sub-strategy to improve advocacy by local civil society organizations (CSOs), emphasizing the importance of local, indigenous groups in influencing national and sub-national family planning and reproductive health policies.