Istanbul country case studies: The evidence base

Following a landmark meeting held in 2001 in Istanbul, Turkey, the goal of ensuring access to high-quality reproductive health supplies has received great attention from the global reproductive health community. Six years later, in order to set and evaluate country-focused advocacy strategies, an intensive research effort was conducted to establish an evidence base of the progress and changes over time in 12 countries. Raising awareness, engagement and facilitating policy change at the country level requires a carefully planned strategy. Entry points, champions, blockages, and technical capacities all need to be assessed. In addition to its examination of these factors, the research combined an analysis of in-country aid frameworks, policy-making processes, decision-making structures, and the strength of civil society with an analysis of how each has impacted, or has the potential to impact, the stability of reproductive health supplies. Each case study (Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Turkey, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia) also considered other relevant issues, such as development of the commercial sector, health sector reform, and integration with HIV/AIDS. The presentation will include an overview of the findings in each country and, most importantly, their application to the development of strategies for advocating for positive change in the status and flow of reproductive health supplies in countries.