Participants of the ongoing Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s (GHAI) Civil Society Organization (CSO) Budget Advocacy Academy used their honed skills and knowledge to organize a panel discussion that led to a commitment for dedicated Epidemic Preparedness funds in Kallu Woreda, Ethiopia.
The 9-month-long Academy, developed by GHAI in partnership with Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), is strengthening civil society's capacity for budget advocacy with a focus on health security in seven African countries.
Read below the insights from our Ethiopia participants, Yemisirach Tadesse and Engdawork Worku with the Professional Alliance for Development (PADet):
Why did you decide to organize the panel discussions?
Currently, no budget is allocated for epidemic preparedness in Kallu Woreda. To address this, we helped organize a panel discussion and invited government officials from three adjacent woredas (districts) who have previously allocated budget for epidemics preparedness, to share their experiences and the benefits of allocating budgets. They explained how epidemic preparedness budget allocation can prevent the burden epidemic outbreaks have on health centers and the general populace.
What was the outcome?
It was successful: the Kallu Woreda Administration and council chairperson pledged to allocate funds for epidemic preparedness this year, the health department promised to provide the relevant material and professional support, business owners in attendance showed interest in allocating money for epidemic preparedness and community representatives promised to raise awareness among community-based organizations and community members.
How did the CSO Academy give you the skills or knowledge to succeed?
The skills and knowledge we gained from the CSO Academy improved our work. All the sessions were very practical, especially the budget cycle, engagement with decision-makers and media advocacy. Every activity was related to how we were going to implement our Capstone projects. Now, we are doing our advocacy with more knowledge and skills which is helping us achieve these promising results.
What is the next step forward?
We are excited and encouraged by the Kallu Woreda Administration's commitment to allocate a budget for epidemic preparedness, even though further efforts will be necessary to secure actual budget allocations for this line item.
We believe that by effectively coordinating the capabilities of government and non-governmental organizations, alongside active community involvement, it is possible to achieve significant progress, particularly in mobilizing resources and effectively utilizing them for epidemic prevention activities.’
Now, we will engage in one-on-one discussions with the Kallu Woreda administration to remind them of their commitment to allocate a budget for epidemic preparedness. We will also strengthen our advocacy activities by utilizing media platforms and working closely with decision-making bodies.
We are planning a second round of discussions with Woreda government bodies. This round will evaluate the progress made based on the directives established in the initial discussions.
