Attainment of Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) is critical to ensure the health and well being of the most marginalized groups, particularly women and young people in the South Asian region.

Realizing the need for collective advocacy on SRHR to influence policy and programmes at the South Asia Region and International level, CHETNA has joined hands with Women’s Health and Rights Advocacy Partnership (WHRAP) at the Regional level.

WHRAP, coordinated by Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) Malaysia, brings together women NGO partners committed to strengthening civil society’s capacity in effectively advocating for SRHR in South Asia. The focus issues are safe motherhood and young people’s SRHR and its two way advocacy efforts escalate from local to national and regional levels.

At the regional level, WHRAP has been able to develop and advocate for Rights Based Indicators to monitor the implementation of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) collectively; create visibility and recognition for SRHR at various international and regional forums. Privatisation of Health Services, nutrition deficiency anemia and religious fundamentalism are the key regional advocacy issues identified by WHRAP.

In the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, in partnership with eight CBOs, capacities of elected representatives of the panchayat (Local Self Government), Self Help Group (SHG) leaders, Village Development Committees (VDCs), Village Health and Sanitation Committees (VHSC) have been enhanced to monitor health services and advocate for women’s access to quality health services.

A total of 72 CBO representatives and more than 1000 representatives of panchayat; health and sanitation committees and leaders of self help groups have initiated action to monitor outreach of public health services; improving the infrastructure of the sub centers; ensuring regularity and attendance of the service providers. The CBOs have organized local forums so that voices of the right holders (Women) are heard by the duty bearers.

Realizing the need to advocate for change in policy geared towards 100% institutional delivery, CHETNA, in partnership with SAHYOG and several experts, researchers, civil society members, is coordinating a national level effort to document women’s maternal health experiences focusing on child birth and post child birth. The study is being conducted in nine states.

In partnership with Dai Sangathan-Gujarat; Jan Swasthya Abhiyan-Gujarat and CHETNA Regional Resource Center, CHETNA is coordinating this study in 10 districts of Gujarat, the study is being coordinated in five districts of Rajasthan state in partnership with SUMA.

Further details please contact Vd.Smita Bajpai CHETNA .