Blog Posts - CSF

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Embracing a Culture of Monitoring and Evaluation in FGM Programming

3/10/2018

Menna El Shiati, Advisor - Gender and FGM, Community Systems Foundation
Seth Davis, Communications Officer, Community Systems Foundation

Since 2008, the UN Global Joint Programme (JP) on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has supported “more than 3.2 million girls and women in 17 countries” [1] The JP, a partnership between The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UNICEF has assisted with provision of appropriate and quality services, increased community-led engagement, legal and policy frameworks, government ownership and increased access to accurate and timely data. At the same time, the JP seeks to measure the progress, quality and success of FGM programming. This is done by focusing on planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation.

Data Mapping: The Power of Policy Visualizations in the Fight to be Free & Equal

1/10/2018

Seth Davis, Communications Officer, Community Systems Foundation

Globally, LGBTQ+ individuals face discrimination, stigma and violence due to dangerous national legislation. This is especially the case in at least 72 countries where discriminatory laws criminalize private, consensual same-sex relationships. These policies expose “millions of individuals to the risk of arrest, prosecution and imprisonment – and even, in five countries and several regions, the death penalty” – for simply loving another person. [1]

ASMAN: Leveraging Technology to Reduce Early Maternal and Neonatal Mortality

1/10/2018

Reblog: ehealth.eletsonline.com IN THE NEWS

Since 2017, Community Systems Foundation's technology partner AVALON has partnered with Jhpiego, India on Project ASMAN. This innovative health-facility-based intervention provides accurate and timely visualizations with the goal of providing quality care to mothers during the first 48-60 hours after delivery. The overall aim of Project ASMAN is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. As an Android-based mobile application, this labor monitoring tool seeks to overcome labor complications by including partographs and gamification techniques that seek to facilitate referral management based on needs of mothers.

As discussed in the article, the ASMAN initiative "will not only improve the way data is collected but [will] also improve the ability of the system to interpret, analyze, translate and use the data...towards improving decision making by service providers and the beginning of [a] new dawn for informed data-driven decision making by the facility as well as district and state level officials."

ASMAN: Leveraging Technology to Reduce Early Maternal and Neonatal Mortality

Making Localization Matter: The Power of Local Data Action

26/9/2018

Ruchi Varma, Program Manager - Urban Development, Community Systems Foundation

With 70% of the global population residing in urban areas by 2050, the battle for a sustainable future will be won or lost in cities. Foreseen to be the second largest urban system in the world, India will be a major driver in this global effort, especially considering India will house nearly 60% of its population in cities by 2050. In this regard, it is critical to strengthen local governments response to the Agenda 2030 and New Urban Agenda to ensure ‘no one is left behind.’

National Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Webinar

20/9/2018

Community Systems Foundation VIDEO

Through this webinar, Jon F. Kapp, Executive Director of Community Systems Foundation, introduces the Data For All (DFA) toolkit - a vision and solution to assist countries with national planning, monitoring and planning.

As part of a holistic solution, data dashboards serve the end product to report progress on national priorities, building on a solution that strengthens plans and improves monitoring of development.

To demonstrate how governments can integrate similar tools, Kapp discusses CSF's on-going work in Cote D’Ivoire and CSF's partnership with the UN System to develop UN INFO. Kapp also highlights to viewers how a platform for national priorities can help enhance coordination and collaboration efforts between all development partners, governments, civil society and the private sector. In this regard, the webinar outlines how Data For All can be applied to answer real world questions and help build and strengthen institutions to ensure solutions are sustainable.

This webinar is available in English and will soon be released in French.

For access to the full slide deck, click here.

Data for Development: Data Models to Help Reduce Child Mortality

19/9/2018

Seth Davis, Communications Officer, Community Systems Foundation

Despite having the knowledge and technology to provide life-saving interventions, nearly 15,000 children died every day in 2017 from preventable causes and treatable diseases. [1] To reduce child and adolescent mortality, national and international decision-makers continue to advocate for universal quality and affordable healthcare. However, without access to comparable estimates on child mortality, policymakers are unable to make evidence-based decisions that can create national and global change. [2]

The map above reflects global trends in Under 5 Child Mortality Rate from 1987-2017. Source: www.childmortality.org/index.php?r=site/map.

The Universal Health Coverage Partnership: The Power of Visibility and Awareness in Knowledge Management and Sharing

19/9/2018

Menna El Shiati, Advisor - Gender and FGM, Community Systems Foundation

Presently, millions of people die every day from diseases that could have been prevented or cured with access to quality health services and affordable, effective medicines. [1] Living in a global environment where transitions continuously occur, countries often face the challenge of finding the time and resources needed to document healthcare progress and policies that lead to health gaps. To help overcome this coordination barrier and facilitate dialogue on national health policies, strategies and plans towards Universal Health Coverage, the World Health Organization (WHO) entered into a collaborative agreement with the European Union (EU) and Luxembourg in 2011.

Education Ministry launches MEMIS policy

17/9/2018

Shaina Abdulla IN THE NEWS
Reblog: The Edition Maldives

Ministry of Education in joint efforts with Community Systems Foundation (CSF), a non-profit organization that works toward sustainable development of information technology in science and educational activities, has launched Maldives Educational Management Information Systems (MEMIS).

Spotlight on LDA-SI Grantee: Community Systems Foundation's OpenCities Institute, India (2018-2019 cohort)

13/9/2018

Jay Neuner, Communications Manager, UN SDSN TReNDS
Sandra Ruckstuhl, Program Manager, UN SDSN TReNDS
Reblog: UN SDSN TReNDS

In 2018, TReNDS launched a microgrant program through SDSN’s Local Data Action Solutions Initiative (LDA-SI). During this calendar year, the program is supporting five sub-national SDG data and monitoring efforts. Through real-world examples, these projects are generating a series of adaptable models that can be utilized in locations around the world to improve local SDG achievement. Learn more about the program here.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are often framed in global terms–as the “Global Goals” or efforts to save our planet–or national terms–such as in the Voluntary National Review process, to which individual countries can commit. Community Systems Foundation is among those calling for a complementary approach–that of “listening to cities.”

The organization’s urban initiative OpenCities Institute (OCI), a 2018-2019 LDA-SI grantee, is using its micro-grant support to do just this in India. Much like LDA-SI does at a global scale, OCI is embedding know-how, tools, and capacity for the use of city-level data by sub-national governments in India, with the goal of facilitating evidence-based solutions for the SDGs.

Under the program, OCI will develop a proof-of-concept package for SDG localization that will demonstrate to cities the feasibility and the value of local SDG monitoring. It includes development of a model indicator framework for the city of Patiala in Punjab that reflects upon its municipal human development objectives across sectors. The development of this framework will not happen in a silo; rather, OCI aims to make this an inclusive process by conducting consultative workshops with local stakeholders and experts, as well as municipal officials.

The resulting framework will be illustrated in a prototype data dashboard that serves as a one-stop visual overview of the city’s development priorities, seen through the lens of the SDG indicators, thereby “valorizing the SDG localization process through data visualization.” In future stages, the results of this project may support a full-scale SDG observatory in the region.

This project hopes to showcase how SDG localization can evolve into a living reference dashboard and generate local action by adopting a data driven approach to sustainable urban development. In particular, OCI’s work in this grant program will aid a particular urban context–Indian cities such as Patiala, that have limited exposure to a global stage yet have initiated their commitment to harness datasets and drive effective actions.

Learn more about the OpenCities Institute here.

Follow updates on the 2018-2019 microgrant cohort here.

Creating a Resilient Health System in Ghana by Establishing Data Exchange Mechanisms

11/9/2018

Seth Davis, Communications Officer, Community Systems Foundation

By strengthening national health systems between 2016-2020, 85,000 young lives can be saved in Ghana alone, according to a recent USAID report. [1] However, with limitations in health service delivery, limited accessibility for geographical reasons and poor readiness of health-care facilities, many of the poorest individuals are unable to receive basic health care. [2]

Sparking a Data Revolution through Ministry-Level Strategic Plans in Côte D’Ivoire

10/9/2018

Jeeveeta Agnihotri, Chief Programme Officer, Community Systems Foundation
Seth Davis, Communications Officer, Community Systems Foundation

SNIEPSE - Building a national integrated planning, monitoring and evaluation system based on evidence for Côte D’Ivoire
Community Systems Foundation (CSF) has helped spark a revolution in the way national ministries in Côte D’Ivoire monitor development plans and SDG progress. With support from UNICEF, the national government has partnered with CSF to align national ministry sectoral plans with SDG targets through the Data For All (DFA) monitoring platform.

Data For All Transition Strategies Webinar

7/9/2018

Community Systems Foundation VIDEO

Through this webinar, Jon F. Kapp, Executive Director of Community Systems Foundation, outlines a proposal to address new demands and challenges in international development data, introducing tools to improve the way data is collected, managed and utilized. In discussing ongoing projects in Cote D’Ivoire, Sudan and East Africa more broadly, Kapp highlights to viewers the power and potential of the Data For All toolkit as it relates to building new platforms and improving existing ones. With the capacity to create a federated system of national development plans, enhance geospatial mapping, monitor SDG progress and strengthen information systems, Kapp demonstrates the versatility of DFA Monitoring and how it can be leveraged to overcome key barriers that existed in the previous system, DevInfo. In this regard, the webinar highlights an evolution of monitoring technology and displays how Data For All technologies can create sustainable systems that empower national governments to operate independently from technical support, while engaging with communities of developers and users.

This webinar is available in English, French and Spanish.

Call for Action: Data Driven Development!

4/9/2018

Jon F. Kapp, Executive Director, Community Systems Foundation

Sustainable development is not easy. And the Sustainable Development Goals are ambitious. To be successful, one requires strong and clear plans, deep partnerships, and accountable organizations.

Community Systems Foundation has worked in over 130 countries in the past 50 years and have seen governments, civil society organizations and development partners struggling with the same challenges:

Well intended, but poor quality plans
Limited information to monitor progress towards those plans
Weak or non-existent platforms to collaborate and report on successes and gaps in achievement.

We strongly believe that technology can make a positive impact. We are asking for your help to make this a reality.

Since 2004, we have developed tools to support better planning, monitoring and reporting on development plans.

We call it DFA Monitoring - a solution in a toolkit of open-source tools within an initiative called Data For All.

We are raising funds to refine these tools and get them in the hands of those that need them most.

Sincere thanks,
Jon Kapp

#DataDrivenDevelopment #DoGood #MakeChange #SDGs

Community Systems Foundation is a 501(c)3 registered not-for-profit organization, based in the United States. All donations are tax deductible.

UN INFO: Promoting Transparency, Collaboration and Accountability in Country Programming

27/8/2018

Jon F. Kapp, Executive Director, Community Systems Foundation
Seth Davis, Communications Officer, Community Systems Foundation

While UN Country Teams (UNCTs) work in support of national development across the world; historically, it has been difficult to report with precision and timeliness of the UN’s contributions to development as a whole. In his end-of-2017 report, Secretary-General António Guterres outlined a need and mandate for unprecedented UN reform. According to the Secretary-General, “By the end of 2019, a system-wide online platform for monitoring and reporting on the contributions of the United Nations development system to progress in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals should be put in place.” [1]

UNFPA-UNICEF Regional FGM Workshop

20/8/2018

Community Systems Foundation REPORT

This 2018 CSF report to UNFPA-UNICEF outlines the objectives, highlights and key observations from the Regional Training on the Use of Data for Analysis & Evidence-Based Planning and Advocacy on FGM. In partnership with CSF technical partners, focal points from Djibouti, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen strengthened national capacity in the “use of data, derived from national monitoring frameworks, to formulate clear advocacy messages” towards the abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation. In this regard, the workshop also enabled national, regional and global counterparts to discuss challenges and improvements “to the approach of the joint programme, particularly in terms of monitoring and reporting data.”

Regional Training on the Use of Data for Analysis & Evidence-Based Planning and Advocacy on FGM