Evidence-based advocacy: Opportunities for Countdown to 2015 in Asia-Pacific

Overview

Countdown to 2015 tracks the coverage of key interventions focused on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH). It aims to stimulate and support country progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through promoting accountability from governments and development partners, identifying knowledge gaps and proposing new measures/ actions. Country Countdowns are a key component of the Countdown to 2015 mandate. Organizing a Country Countdown event is a two-step process which involves conducting in-depth analysis of national and sub-national RMNCH data leading to the production of a country profi le; and organising national workshops to build stakeholder commitment on the policy implications of the data fi ndings. Country Countdowns can help policy makers, health programmers and advocates to:
--> build country capacity to enhance the quantity, quality and use of national and sub-national health data;
--> increase fi nancial fl ows to RMNCH from domestic and overseas sources;
--> refi ne evidence-based national strategies and allocation of fi nancial resources to achieve equitable, accelerated improvements in RMNCH; and
--> increase the visibility of coverage statistics to strengthen political commitment and accountability for the fulfi lment of RMNCH objectives.