Reviewing the data in the graduated state of Nasarawa, where family planning activities are being sustained due to adequate financing.
The Challenge Initiative (TCI) believes a key factor for sustainable family planning programs is getting local governments to commit their own funding and, preferably, establish budget lines that “ring-fence” funds for family planning. Ring-fencing means setting these funds aside to be spent only for family planning activities.
As such, TCI requires local governments to commit and spend a certain amount of funding to participate in TCI. Once engaged, TCI coaches them in how to build a virtual fence around those funds to segregate them from the rest of their health budget. TCI also provides coaching in advocacy to ensure long-term financial support for family planning activities.
In 2023, local governments spent an average of nearly 85% ($11million) of the $15 million in committed funds ring-fenced for family planning in their budgets across TCI’s six hubs (East Africa, Francophone West Africa, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Philippines). Since TCI’s launch in 2016, local governments have committed more than $61 million for family planning with nearly 60% of that spent.
For greater accuracy, TCI recently updated the way it presents local government commitment and spending to reflect the commitment made within the hub’s current fiscal year and the corresponding spending against that commitment. Francophone West Africa, Nigeria and the Philippines’ fiscal years track with the calendar year. East Africa and Pakistan’s fiscal years run from July to June, while in India, the fiscal year is from April to March.
Local government commitments to family planning programs and amount spent during each hub’s 2023 fiscal year.
In 2023, Nigeria saw strong performance in local government spending with more than 161% of the amount committed spent. More than half of Nigeria’s funds (63%) were contributed by Nasarawa, Osun, and Lagos states and channeled towards procuring commodities and consumables, scaling up high-impact practices and other interventions, facility renovations, and FP equipment supplies.
The Philippines spent more than 83%, while more than 77% of committed funds were spent in Pakistan and more than 74% were spent in East Africa.
To achieve these results TCI’s East Africa team held financial clinics to coach local governments on resource mobilization and expenditure tracking. During the year, a total of 17 sessions of financial reviews and clinics were conducted. Local leaders there made a commitment to continually increase their resource allocation, recognizing the impact of family planning on the overall health of the population.
In Francophone West Africa, spending improved to nearly 63% in 2023 due to TCI’s managerial coaching that helped resolve bottlenecks identified in the mobilization of financial resources by local governments.
The government of India (GOI) recently extended its program implementation plan (PIP) process to two years (covering 2022-23 and 2023-24), a change that took more time than anticipated. This and other delays led to less funds spent for family planning in India’s latest fiscal year (April 2022 – March 2023). A little over half of India’s commitments (53%) were spent by the end of the fiscal year.
Pakistan’s recent political instability resulted in multiple changes in the government at the federal level and in Punjab. Currently, Pakistan is governed through a caretaker setup. Despite these challenges, local governments in Pakistan spent 77% ($3.5 million) of the budget committed in their fiscal year (July 2022- June 2023).
In summary, TCI’s approach of requiring local government contributions and advocating for sustained financial commitment for family planning yielded strong results in 2023. With an average expenditure of nearly 85% across six hubs, TCI’s efforts have not only ensured the utilization of committed funds but also facilitated the establishment of budgetary ring-fencing for family planning activities. Through continued coaching and support, TCI remains steadfast in its mission to support local governments in advancing family planning agendas for healthier, more resilient communities.
TCI is currently reviewing and enhancing the consistency of reporting of local government commitment and expenditure data across TCI cities over time. The TCI team’s ongoing efforts include the refinement and reinforcement of data collection processes pertaining to this data.
Read related story: After Graduating from TCI, Ogun State Continues to Sustain Family Planning Interventions and Financing
