FIGO LOGIC Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health

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Building Organisational Capacity of Health
Professional Associations ...to Assume
Leadership

• FIGO LOGIC Initiative in Maternal and Newborn
  Health

2
Health Professional Associations as Leaders

• Individually and collectively, we have
  responsibilities as members of professional
  organizations and civil society to advocate for
  and contribute to progress by collaborative
  partnerships that will be more effective in
  improving the health and lives of women and
  children. Our strengths lie in our professional
  expertise as health providers, educators,
  advocates and advisors to policymakers and
  organizations.
• Dr. D. Shaw, FIGO (2006)

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Health Professional Associations as Leaders
Areas where national health professional
associations can make a valuable contribution

• Advocacy
• Country-Level Support
• Promotion of Effective Interventions
• Capacity Building at Country Level

4
WHAT IS CAPACITY?

• The ability of an entity (a person, an
  organization, a system) to perform planned
  functions effectively, efficiently and
  sustainably.
• SOGC, OCIF (2007)

This image represents the process of capacity
building. Much of an associations most important
work, that of building its organisational
capacity, is not visible to the outside world,
but is crucial to establishing a solid
foundation.
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WHAT IS CAPACITY BUILDING?

• Capacity building is like building blocks in
  the sense that capacity is built block by block
  and each block consists of a different component
  which must be addressed/built to make the
  association strong and viable.

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BUILDING ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY

• Is possible
• Requires time, patience and persistence
• Has no magic recipes
• Requires resources (human / financial) and
  leadership
• Is country / association specific
• Is association-led
• Is on-going and incremental

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WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
The Five Core Organisational Dimensions
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WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
The sum total of values, beliefs, customs,
traditions and meanings developed over years that
make the association unique, governs its
character and drives it forward.
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WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
What is needed for the association to
operationalise its programs, projects and
activities.
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WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
What is needed for the association to meet its
goals and objectives and to become viable.
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WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
The environment (political, social, economic) in
which the association functions and how it is
perceived by others.
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WHAT MAKES AN ASSOCIATION STRONG/SUSTAINABLE?
The raison dêtre of an association or the
reasons for which they exist (registration,
continuing professional development, etc.).
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SOGCs ORGANIZATIONAL IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK
Pre-cycle
3 5 year cycle
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WHY ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY ASSESSMENTS ARE
IMPORTANT

• Focuses on the important organisational
  dimensions of an association
• Identifies areas of strengths and weaknesses
• Facilitates the implementation of a guided
  process in light of resources available and the
  reality of the country
• Can be used to establish a baseline and measure
  progress

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HOW TO GET STARTED
Proposed Process for the Organisational Capacity
Assessment and Development of an Improvement Plan

1. Complete the assessment
2. Develop improvement plan
3. Have assessment and plan ratified by the
   Board/Executive Committee
4. Seek necessary technical and other resources to
   implement
5. Monitor and evaluate

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Thank You