Africa Health, Human & Social Development (Afri-Dev) works on a multi-sectoral basis to promote evidence-based health, human, social and sustainable development across Africa.
Afri-Dev’s multi-sectoral strategy ensures integrated analysis of, and engagement of multiple sectors that have a collective impact on overall health, human, social and sustainable development.
Afri-Dev’s work covers, but is not limited to key sectors such as Health; Finance & Budgeting; Planning & Economic Development; Population/Civil Registration/Data & Statistics; Gender/Women & Girls; Youth/Children; Social Development; Education; Sanitation & Hygiene; Climate & Environment; Multiple Use of Water Resources; Food & Nutrition Security; Labour & Human Resources; Justice & Human Rights; Human Security.
Given the multiple pillars of marginalisation of, and discrimination against women and girls – approximately half of all societies – Afri-Dev focuses strongly on how these sectors impact on gender equality, women’s health, rights and human development.
The prominence of youth in Africa’s demographic profile also means that youth development is an important component of Afri-Dev’s work.
Afri-Dev’s flagship platform is the Africa Health, Human & Social Development Information Service (Afri-Dev. Info) – which focuses on production of multi-sectoral Information, Data, Analysis, Knowledge and Evidence: for informed and evidence based advocacy, planning, investment, policy and decision making, public awareness and capacity building.
Afri-Dev.Info products include multi-sectoral scorecards, factsheets, info-graphics, mapping, policy briefs and recommendations, and curriculum for capacity building training, workshops and seminars.
Afri-Dev Capacity Building: Given the crucial and catalytic nature of data, knowledge and information to development – Afri-Dev also provides capacity building for policy and decision makers, civil society, non-state actors from multiple sectors, and media – including on how their sectors impact on other sectors, and on overall sustainable development.
An important aspect of Afri-Dev capacity building work is the Africa Health, Human and Social Development (Afri-Dev) Parliamentary Support Network – which facilitates more specific multi-sectoral knowledge, information, advocacy engagement, and capacity building of parliamentarians for better informed policy and decision making.
In furtherance of Afri-Dev’s prioritisation of gender equality, women’s health, rights and human development, Afri-Dev hosts and supports the work of:
Africa Coalition on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health – promotes multi-sectoral policy and investment action for Reproductive, Sexual and Maternal Health of girls and women; Newborn and Child Health.
Pan African Campaign to End Underage/Forced /Child ‘Marriage’ – advocates for an immediate end to the most wide spread institutionalised violation of the rights, health, and human development of girl children which subjects them to abuse and exploitation; curtails educational, human development and aspirations of millions of girl children; and exposes them to increased risk of multiple health problems including maternal mortality, fistula, cervical cancer and HIV.
Overall Afri-Dev’s work includes advancement of global and African development frameworks and strategies – at continental, regional and country level – including the ICPD beyond 2014; Post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s); various specific global health and human development strategies on health and human development; The (AU) Africa 2063 Agenda; Health and development strategies of sub-regions such as East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC).