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 WOMEN'S HEALTH & RIGHTS
ADVOCACY PARTNERSHIPAbout WHRAP WHRAP South Asia is a partnership project for advocacy supported by DANIDA between ARROW, six national partner NGOs, community based organizations (CBOs) and local implementing partners, and Danish Family Planning Association (DFPA). The project is in its second phase. South Asia is one of the regions in the world which has had a consistently high ratio of maternal mortality. In 2004, India (with an estimated 136,000 maternal deaths annually) and Pakistan (with an estimated 26,000 maternal deaths annually) were among the three countries, which experience the highest number of maternal deaths in the world according to the World Health Organization. In that year, this region, overall, recorded a maternal mortality rate of approximately 500 per 100,000 live births, which is among the highest in the world. The global burden of maternal mortality – half a million deaths each year-is divided between Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia. Within South Asia India takes a lion share of around 136,000 maternal deaths each year. In Bangladesh, more than three million women die or are left with life-long illnesses every year due to childbirth complications. In Nepal, a shortage of maternal health services contributes to the deaths of 5000 women each year. And in Pakistan, unsafe abortion is estimated to contribute to 13 per cent of maternal deaths. These lives could have been saved if the women could have enjoyed their SRHR Rights. The idea of WHRAP emerged as a need to address the problems that put women’s health and lives at risk. WHRAP –SA is working to ensure an access of women to their needs of SRHR services. It aims to reduce maternal mortality, to ensure that all women have the right to affordable medical care including safe delivery and abortion services, and to raise awareness of women’s rights throughout all sectors of society. It also aims to eliminate harmful practices and beliefs which discriminate against women, cause immense suffering and hinder their ability to make valuable contributions to their communities. Objectives WHRAP’s development objective is: “Institutionalized accountability at all levels of duty bearers, especially towards marginalized women leading t o better policies, programmes and services, and therefore to better maternal health and RH outcomes, in South Asia (Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh)” WHRAP’s immediate objectives By 2010, marginalized women in project areas are able to exercise their rights, obtain access and influence decision-making affecting SRHR programmes/policies/services. By 2010, a strong partnership of civil society organisations in South Asia is built with the capacity to effectively advocate for women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights with a special focus on the accountability of duty bearers, locally, nationally and regionally.
1. Strategic Approach WHRAP’s partners believe that raising community awareness and empowering women with the knowledge and skills to demand their health and reproductive rights is crucial to improving women’s health status. WHRAP employs innovative techniques to spread the message that women’s rights must be protected, taking our message to the stage and the screen. For this WHRAP adopts top –bottom-top strategy. The flow of capacity building is top to bottom. To reach out to communities for advocacy, regional partner takes initiative and coordinate building capacity of the national partners and the national partners of the local partners. The process also involves the capacity building of community people specially women to enhance their skills in advocating for their SRHR rights. The advocacy then starts from the community with evidence gathered from the grassroots level. The evidence then is used for the local, national and regional level advocacy.  In India, CHETNA’s television programmes on maternal and child health have been broadcast on the country’s public television channel, reaching a potential audience of 20 million Gujarat residents. The distribution of 3000 picture books in Rajasthan has ensured that women, especially those who are illiterate, are aware of their maternal health entitlements. With the formation and capacity-building of the Mahila Swastha Adhikar Manch (MSAM ), also known as the Women’s Health and Rights Forum, SAHAYOG has been able to bring much needed attention to the issue of maternal health care in Uttar Pradesh in a short period of three years. The MSAM now has over 8000 members spread over 11 districts, and a majority of these women are from socially marginalised sections (Dalit, Tribal, Muslim) in Uttar Pradesh , developing the MSAM into a more encompassing and purposeful forum. Nepal’s Beyond Beijing Committee has produced a documentary about women’s health to be shown at public gatherings, schools and marketplaces, while men, women and adolescents in Pakistan learnt about the issues of reproductive health rights, early marriage and violence against women through theatre performances organised by Shirkat Gah. WHRAP’s partners regularly conduct information sessions, from workshops for pregnant women and their families about the need for antenatal care to organising family planning sessions by local doctors. In Pakistan, hundreds of men and women are now able to more easily access health services thanks to a Shirkat Gah campaign through street theatres which helped them obtain their national identity cards. Building strong networks with community-based organizations, government health service providers, local government officials, religious leaders, journalists and village doctors has been central to achieving WHRAP’s goals. Regional Task Force WHRAP South Asia Blog Announcements Previous Activities Partnerships
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