Policy and Strategic Engagement
FGAE endorsed a new approach to reprogram its advocacy work. The Association has been voicing a number of SRH issues and agenda. Starting with the drafting of the first-ever Population Policy in Ethiopia in 1993, FGAE stood out as an advocate. A couple of years later the issue of Family Planning (FP) was taken to parliament. In collaboration with CORHA (used to be called COFAP) and other partners, FGAE envoked the legality of contraceptive education, counseling and distribution. In 1995 a historic decision was leveraged when the Government repeal a national law that used to state FP as criminal. This was achieved not merely by the coordination of RH agencies rather with the support of several testimonies and media coverage. Instrumental in this advocacy win was the engagement of satisfied clients as advocate.
In 2002 FGAE voiced against gender based violence. This was organized as a public rally where thousands of young people, women and influential persons denounced GBV, in general and the act of physical violence perpetrated by a man on a young girl known as ‘Hermela’ who died of physical attack. Between 2000 and 2003, FGAE collaborated with different civil society organizations as well as the MoH to the enactment of Abortion Law which eventually turned out less restrictive. This policy change has enabled millions of women to access safe termination, treatment and counseling. In most recent times, FGAE has closely allied with the RH community and catalyzed a change of Civil Society legislation.
Indeed, those instances of policy changes and amendments were possible not only by civil society collaboration but also through the engagement of community and the media. On similar vein, FGAE has now strategized its advocacy effort to transcend and demonstrate its leadership in the SRH arena of the country. As stipulated in the new SP2021-2025, the new advocacy brand is termed as PLACE. This refers to: Policy Literacy and Community Engagement. In fact, strategic engagement with no doubt requires the support, involvement and participation of stakeholders, champions and the media.
The Policy directions in the coming years are tuned towards the following agenda among others:
- Stopping gender based violence (GBV)
- Redeem the rationale of family planning by mitigating myths, misconceptions and rumors
- Commodity security for essential services
- Male involvement in maternal health and GBV prevention
- Prevention and access to treatment for NCDs including cervical and breast cancers
