Submission ID 118558
| Issue/Objective | Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) of the National Health Act 2014 (NHA 2014) recognizes the WDCs as the fourth level of health care delivery in Nigeria and realizes the role of the WDCs in the conduct of enrolment of beneficiaries, monitoring service provision and utilization, funds management as well as quality assurance. The operational guidelines stipulate that WDC membership should have at least 40% female representation and one woman occupying an executive position. However, in 2019, CHAI mapped the functional WDCs in Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina, and results showed that only 17% of WDC members are women and just 13% of all WDCs have at least one female executive member. Gender norms, relations and roles, including lack of spousal permission, perception that women are ill-suited for leadership and lack of women's confidence, affected women's participation in WDC. |
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| Methodology/Approach | CHAI supported the government to conduct advocacy/sensitization meetings for 1,456 WDCs, community and government stakeholders to address gaps and ensure standardized operationalization of WDCs. CHAI built the capacity of 1,364 female WDC members on leadership using developed curriculum with topics including gender and socialization, self-awareness, communication skills, power, the role of men as partners of SRMNH, and good leadership skills, thereby equipping them for better functionality in their families and society at large. Review meeting sessions were conducted with female and male WDCs to understand to which extent women have increased participation and leadership in household and community decision-making bodies. |
| Results | After the training, Female WDC members showed improved confidence and assertiveness for participation and interest in leadership roles. 217% increase in the number of female WDC members across the states (from 1014 to 3211) from baseline (May 2019) to endline (March 2022) respectively. 90% of ward development structures whose leadership include at least one woman in program communities, 309% increase was seen compared to the result obtained from baseline. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | There is a need to ensure standardized operationalization of WDCs, and gender-responsive strategies such as training and mentorship should be implemented to increase women's participation in household and community leadership. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Hadiza Salele Clinton Health Access Initiative Hadiza Salele Clinton Health Access Initiative |
