Ownership, Accountability & Transparency of Local Governance in Rajasthan for Maternal & Adolescent Health
Maternal, infant and child mortality has always been an issue of concern for Rajasthan. All of them have declined in last decade, and are far higher than national goals to be achieved by 2017. To speed up improvements in child and adolescent health, the Rajasthan government has selected 10 districts under reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCH+A), which was launched in 2013 to improve child and adolescent health in the country. UNICEF has offered its technical support to improve RMNCH+A activities in 4 high priority districts: Barmer, Jalore, Banswara and Dungarpur in Rajasthan.
Given PRIA’s past experience of working with panchayats to improve maternal mortality indicators in 11 districts of Rajasthan (with support from UNFPA, 2010-13) and sectoral experiences in other states, PRIA has partnered with UNICEF to facilitate this engagement to improve RMNCH+A activities and evolve a participatory approach for effective engagement of demand and supply side interventions.
The action aims to improve capacities and accountabilities of panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and other local community institutions for improving health performance in terms of measurable indicators. Activities will be undertaken to mature models of demand-supply engagements in one block each of two districts — Anandpuri block in Banswara district, and Siwana block in Barmer district.
Objectives
1. Strengthening of capacities of gram panchayats to efficiently prepare and implement annual plans in a participatory manner in order to improve access to maternal health care services
2. Women of reproductive age group are aware of their rights and entitlements regarding maternal health care services and are able to access these services
3. Men and women of all communities, including marginalised, Scheduled Castes/Tribes, participate in gram sabha meetings, plan for maternal health services and support the health committees of their respective gram panchayats in monitoring the delivery of health services
4. Gram panchayats (particularly the health committees) are capacitated and strengthened to prepare and implement Gram Panchayat Maternal Health Service Plans for improved maternal health care services
5. State government creates an enabling environment for the panchayats to execute and improve maternal health services
Geographical spread
Anandpuri block (Banswara District ) and Siwana block (Barmer District), Rajasthan, India
Key areas/components
Training and capacity building, especially of those from Scheduled Castes/Tribes in gram panchayats, PRI functionaries and other stakeholders to engage with maternal and adolescent health issues, and make provisions in the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) for the same.
Key outputs
1. Gram panchayat-wise reports on health and nutrition status of all selected panchayats
2. Increase in enhance awareness of gram sabhas capacitated VHNSC and PRI members
3. Gram panchayats prepare draft health plan as per available resources as part of GPDP
4. Volunteers identified & enrolled for providing monitoring and handholding support
5. Capacity building of volunteers and CBOs (to provide handholding support to stakeholders in use of e –Janswasthya)
6. Panchayats covered by online tracking of pregnant women, infants and children and immunisation in 2 selected blocks
7. Reports on participatory assessment activities and outputs of PRIs in improving health and nutrition in each gram panchayat
8. Advocacy meetings held with representatives of state government and district administration for advocating and showcasing results
9. Regular review meetings
Year/Period
16 Months
Client
UNICEF Rajasthan
