USAID/Health Policy Project

With the understanding that health lies at the heart of human progress, the United States is pursuing a comprehensive and integrated approach to improving global health outcomes in developing countries. President Obama’s Global Health Initiative (GHI) serves as the whole-of-U.S. government mechanism for coordinating and integrating U.S. global health efforts and puts particular emphasis on improving the health of women, adolescent girls and children through programs and partnerships that address infectious disease, family planning and maternal and child health.

The Health Policy Project (HPP) plays a key role in the success of the GHI through its aim to strengthen policy, advocacy and governance for strategic, equitable and sustainable health programming in developing countries. The project focuses on building in-country capacity around salient health issues such as family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH), HIV and maternal health, while also promoting program integration and health systems strengthening.

With a focus on country ownership and policy implementation, HPP engages its host-country partners to lead in the health policymaking process. The project facilitates the improvement of health outcomes by creating strategic, equitable and sustainable health programming that address barriers due to gender inequalities, stigma, socioeconomic status and other factors that prevent people from obtaining the health services they need.

HPP works with host-country partners to:

• strengthen country ownership,
• leverage partnerships to enhance impact,
• maximize resources for efficiency,
• promote an enabling policy environment and
• enhance strategic information and monitoring and evaluation.

The Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA)will contribute to the project by providing expertise and best practices in the areas of women-centered leadership, advocacy, capacity building and program management. Many of CEDPA’s efforts will include a special focus on improving the health of women and girls through emphasis on women’s leadership of and involvement in the policy process.

HPP is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-10-00067, beginning September 30, 2010. It is managed through the USAID Bureau for Global Health Office of Population and Reproductive Health and is implemented by Futures Group, in collaboration with CEDPA, Futures Institute, Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office, Population Reference Bureau, Research Triangle Institute International, and The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.

To learn more about HPP, please visit http://www.healthpolicyproject.com