Members of County Assembly

Champions of reproductive Health!

NAYA has established a good relationship with members of County Assemmbly in Kenya. Through this, they have been able to influence change in budgetary processes and allocations in their Counties of implementation more so on reproductive health.

This was done through sensitization and technical assistance sessions to members of county assembly on the need to invest in health financing. NAYA then Identified members who are pro health as key champions to help actualize the agenda on increasing RH budgets. The selected MCA champions were mandated to develop County specific action plans with key actions to implement in relation to reproductive health. They then signed a commitment document with the champions committing to account and implement the actions including reporting back to stakeholders. Continuous strategic meetings held with the champions on budget advocacy helped to highlight key budget gaps and strategies that needed to be put in place. With this, the champions took the lead role in championing the agenda with constant push from the health committee clerks where the champions are drawn from and who also form part of the champions. By the end of the financial year 2019, Kisumu County and Siaya County had allocated funds in different areas on RH in their Counties.

Policy makers can be the drivers of change that we hope to see, if correctly sensitized and capacitated and by believing that they can understand young peoples issues and can influence change without coercion. Kisumu county allocated 69 million for Reproductive Health, Maternal, Neo-natal, Child and Adolescent Health and Siaya County for the first time allocated 2million in Reproductive Health training of service providers in the budgets for fiscal year 2019/2020. Our policy makers have tight schedules, however, the binding actions compelled them to achieve the results.

There is need for constant engagement with policy makers to inform them of the changing RH environment in the Counties they represent, including putting the committee clerks on the drivers seat to help drive the agenda and analysis of the budgets to identify key asks to inform policy makers promptly.

69Million

Was allocated by Kisumu County for Reproductive Health, Maternal, Neo-natal, Child and Adolescent Health

2Million

Was allocated by Siaya County for the first time, for Reproductive Health, Maternal, Neo-natal, Child and Adolescent Health

SUCCESS

Development of County specific action plans by the champions themselves.

Having a signed biding Accord with MCA’s that stipulates advocacy priorities

Identification and training of policy makers with passion on welfare of young people.

As champions of reproductive health, there was no way we could forget allocating money for that, it was part of our priority and we commit to ring fence it further

Kisumu County MCA RH champion, Mr Seth.