The project titled ‘Enhancing CSOs' contributions to local governance and improved access of women to Sexual Reproductive Health Services and Rights in Districts Qambar Shahdadkot and Larkana’, co-financed by the EU, directly contributes to the objectives and priority themes of the EU by strengthening women-led civil society organisations as drivers of gender equality and good governance with a focus on SRHR.
The overall objective of the project is to ‘strengthen women-led Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as key actors in promoting good governance, local development, and improved access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Family Planning services in target districts’. Implemented by RSPN, in partnership with Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO), the project builds on previous EU investments under the SUCCESS Programme by working with 40 established women-led Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)/Local Support Organisations (LSOs) in Qambar Shahdadkot and Larkana districts.
The project is being implemented across 4 Tehsils of Qamber Shahdadkot (Qamber, Sijawal, Miro Khan and Shahdadkot) and 4 Tehsils of Lakana (Bakrani, Dokri, Larkana and Ratodero). These LSOs will be strengthened as accountable local actors capable of engaging with government authorities, particularly the Department of Health and Population Welfare Department, to improve the delivery of SRH/FP services.
At the community level, the project responds to critical service delivery gaps in rural Sindh, where approximately 40% of the population remains underserved by Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and access to SRH/FP information and services is limited.
The project will empower LSOs to create demand for SRH services through rights-based awareness, community mobilisation, and engagement of men, boys, married women of reproductive age (MWRAs) and adolescent girls and will conduct outreach camps in non-LHW covered areas. Furthermore, through sub-grants, LSOs will design and implement local initiatives to promote family planning, delay early marriage and first pregnancies, improve antenatal care uptake, support menstrual hygiene management, and raise awareness on sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
LSOs will also be capacitated to generate and coordinate referrals to government facilities and outreach camps, improving the utilisation of existing public-sector services. By promoting coalition-building, social accountability, and community ownership, the programme ensures that LSOs can influence governance and empower women and girls to autonomously make decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health.
Project teams and LSOs will work in close coordination with relevant government departments such as Department of Health and Population Welfare Department through DTC meetings and ensure buy-in from the Deputy Commissioner. RSPN will be receiving contraceptives free of cost from the Government of Sindh.
The project aims to reach a population of 544,000 with focused interventions for 87,000 MWRAs. Through targeted activities, the project will increase mCPR by 20% over the baseline in 2.5 years by conducting over 5000 outreach camps in unserved villages, 20% decrease in teenage pregnancies among adolescent girls (15-19 years), 25% increase in pregnant women with eight ANC contacts during their pregnancy, 20% increase from baseline in adolescent girls and women of reproductive age using sanitary pads, 30% increase over baseline in men and women of reproductive age who are aware of preventive measures for HIV&AIDS. The impact of project activities will be reflected through a 5% Decrease in maternal mortality.