More countries are decentralizing key government functions, shifting responsibility for policy, fiscal, and administrative decisions to subnational and local agencies. PACE has created a Subnational Toolkit—a catalog of resources to help guide advocates in communicating to local officials who may have limited understanding of family planning (FP) and its relevance to broader development objectives. The catalog curates samples of policy communication materials and resources that advocates may adapt to enhance their own advocacy efforts for financial and political support for FP at the subnational level.
The resources in this catalog can be classified into three categories:
- Compilations of FP data specific to a subnational area.
- Guides to subnational budget processes.
- Case studies and assessments of the FP policy and/or program environment in subnational location(s).
PACE will update this catalog periodically. Please suggest any additional materials not listed here that are freely available online as well as any updates or correction to the resources included: thepaceproject@prb.org
Toolkit Scope
This catalog is not a comprehensive collection, but is focused on materials used for FP policy communication at the subnational level that are publicly available online. Policy briefs and infographics present information and recommendations simply and succinctly, and have likely been produced with local decisionmakers as the primary audience. Budget guides and case studies target advocates and civil society organizations, providing them with rich detail on how to navigate a complex policy process, or documenting completed advocacy efforts that offer readers the opportunity to learn from previous successes. While most of the resources focus on subnational regions in Africa, countries in Asia and Latin America are also represented.
Methodology
Materials in this catalog were compiled through an internet search, including but not limited to more than 30 organizations and initiatives that work in family planning, sexual, and reproductive health. The search used key words such as: advocacy, budget, decentralization, devolution, district, family planning, government, local, policy, policymakers, province, region, state, and subnational. Any publication or material was included in the catalog if it met two criteria: It (1) addressed family planning issues at the subnational level and (2) contained content and information useful for family planning advocacy at the subnational level. The catalog includes data on the publication date, country, and unit of subnational focus for each resource, as well as a brief description. Each link will direct you to the source website where the advocacy resource can be easily downloaded.
