WomenLead

WomenLead is CEDPA’s flagship training program. It builds leadership abilities, technical expertise and program management skills of women dedicated to making a difference on a range of critical issues.

2008 Workshops

WomenLead in Repositioning Reproductive Health (Postponed)
Date: New Date To Be Determined
Location: Washington, DC

Workshop Overview | Eligibility | Costs

Reproductive health is a critical component of development, yet access to quality services that meet the needs of women and their families remains a challenge. Governments and donors face funding constraints and competing health priorities. HIV/AIDS has led many already overburdened health systems to prioritize the pandemic to the disadvantage of reproductive health services. Calls to integrate FP/RH services with HIV/AIDS have gone largely unnoticed. Political realities have all but removed adolescent reproductive health from the current development lexicon. The results are as expected—decreases in contraceptive prevalence; increases in unmet need; high rates of gender based violence, unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections; and stove-piped service delivery programs.

WomenLead in Repositioning Reproductive Health is designed to develop a cadre of confident and highly skilled women working to reinvigorate health sectors with effective family planning and reproductive health services; advocate effective policies, programs and increased funding streams for FP/RH; and design and implement integrated service delivery models that reflect best practices. The program builds on CEDPA’s more than 30-year history in strengthening women’s leadership in programming and advocacy for improved FP/RH programs to ensure services are accessible and address the special health and social needs of women, men and youth.

Overview CEDPA provides a supportive and participatory learning environment for south-to-south exchange of best practices and experiences, technical depth, strategy development and skill building.

WomenLead offers up-to-date technical knowledge and explores the challenges, strategies and emerging issues surrounding reproductive health with an overarching focus on best practices. Participants examine, analyze and adapt the latest information and data on successful FP/RH program approaches. Improved competencies in leadership, project and financial management, fundraising, advocacy and strategic communication prepare participants to assume increased responsibility and accountability in their professional lives. The workshop includes site visits to related NGOs and donors and opportunities for participants to advocate for an increased U.S. commitment to international family planning and reproductive health programs.

Major workshop themes include:

• Leadership ~ assess personal leadership traits; examine leadership styles and sources of power; develop action plans for self-development.
• Family Planning ~ understand current and emerging contraceptive technologies, particularly female initiated methods; examine issues and advocacy efforts surrounding contraceptive security.
• Policy Analysis and Advocacy ~ understand policy making and policy processes; strengthen advocacy skills and develop advocacy strategies; create advocacy networks and coalitions.
• Maternal Health ~ understand key components of safe motherhood initiatives; devise strategies for community mobilization; explore causes and impacts of obstetric fistula.
• Project and Financial Management ~ develop and apply techniques for effective human, financial and other institutional resource management.
• Gender Analysis ~ study and apply gender analysis tools; review successful approaches for RH gender integration; examine models and programs on constructive male engagement.
• Strategic Communication ~ understand and apply strategic communication techniques to educate, motivate, and mobilize decision makers and institutions for change.
• RH and HIV/AIDS Integration ~ explore policy and program barriers to service integration; examine successful service integration models; devise strategies for working with decision makers and service providers to promote integration.

Expected Outcomes WomenLead alumni leave with increased self-confidence and heightened awareness of their own leadership styles and management skills; tools for improved program design, monitoring and evaluation and community participation; strategies for organizational sustainability; linkages with donors, networks and partners; and enhanced management, communication, advocacy and fundraising skills.

Post-Workshop Support CEDPA is committed to supporting its alumni as they move beyond the workshop setting and apply lessons learned in their work and communities. Toward the end of each workshop, participants design action plans for institutional or community level change initiatives. In a six-month evaluation, participants assess progress on action plans and the relevance and applicability of the training. CEDPA maintains on-going relationships with its alumni through the alumni web portal, consultancies and advocacy activities at national and international events.

Participants CEDPA recruits women with a high level of motivation, the ability to articulate their intentions, and a strong desire to make a difference in their communities. Participants are early and mid-career women from civil society, government and political bodies who are currently working in reproductive health, family planning, maternal health and/or adolescent reproductive health at national, sub-national or community levels. Fluency in English is required.

Training Program Costs

Scholarships CEDPA will offer a limited number of tuition scholarships to selected applicants with confirmed funding for lodging and per diem from other sponsor(s).