Oxfam Reacts to new Global Financing Facility for Every Woman, Every Child

In response to the Financing for Development (FFD) announcement of the Global Financing Facility for Every Woman, Every Child, Claire Godfrey, Oxfam’s Senior Policy Advisor said:

“Since women's and children's health cover a spectrum of services, we need the Global Financing Facility (GFF) to focus on building comprehensive and resilient public health systems across the developing world. From day one, the GFF should subscribe to the World Bank’s position of ending user fees. Services provided through the GFF must be free at the point of delivery so that the most marginalized and vulnerable women and children are not excluded. The GFF should also demonstrate its commitment to universal health care.

“The GFF must be integrated into national health plans, and be aligned with existing donor aid programs. It must avoid the risks of adding unnecessary additional burden on developing countries’ systems.

“The Global Financing Facility must avoid an overemphasis on results-based financing which may produce outcomes that are more easily measured, rather than those that have the greatest impact on improving people's health.

“The role of the private sector and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in the GFF in terms of funding and decision making must be clarified. Recipient governments, local institutions and local civil society need to be front and center in the governance of the GFF, and not be pushed aside by commercial interests. Affected communities must have a voice in the development of GFF national plans and grants.

“The GFF must also green-light interventions that combat the daily violence faced by women and girls, and deliver greater resources for sexual and reproductive health and rights.”