FP2020 MEASUREMENT LEARNING SERIES. GLOBAL INDICATORS AND COUNTRY REPORTING

Publication date: 2020

From its inception in 2012, FP2020 has been committed to leading a transformation in the monitoring and evaluation of family planning. FP2020’s measurement framework was designed to produce high-quality annual data to inform decision making, with Core Indicators that are comparable across countries. Over the past eight years, FP2020 and its measurement partners have worked to harmonize and align reporting, improve indicators and methodologies, and enhance the infrastructure and capacity to generate and use robust data. In this FP2020 Measurement Learning Series, we explore the successes, challenges, and lessons of FP2020’s measurement agenda, and discuss the implications for the post-2020 family planning partnership. 1750 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC 200006 +1 (202) 862-6302 Info@familyplanning2020.org Familyplanning2020.org ESTABLISHING THE FP2020 CORE INDICATORS Before FP2020 was launched, the family planning community relied almost exclusively on periodic national health surveys, typically conducted every five years, to monitor progress. Only a few countries conducted more frequent surveys, and family planning service statistics were used inconsistently. To provide an annual, global readout of key progress markers that would be applicable and available across countries, FP2020’s Performance Monitoring & Evidence Working Group, a group of global measurement experts, established a set of Core Indicators. The Core Indicators were selected with existing country data systems and monitoring efforts in mind, and were designed to capture information on contraceptive use, method choice, quality, availability, and other key aspects of family planning. The list was kept short to focus on only those indicators with global relevance, leaving space for countries to identify their own additional indicators to track specific strategies and priorities. BUILDING COUNTRY CAPACITY The Track20 Project, implemented by Avenir Health, was launched in tandem with FP2020 to assist countries in building the capacity to collect, analyze, use, and report data on family planning. A cadre of Track20-supported Monitoring and Evaluation Officers housed within government family planning programs has been trained on new methods and tools, thus increasing country capacity to develop sophisticated statistical models of family planning trends and use that information to inform decision making. These trained M&E Officers work to promote greater visibility of family planning data, cultivate demand for data among decision makers, and find innovative ways to use data to answer pressing questions. ENSURING A COUNTRY-LED PROCESS Each year in FP2020 commitment-making countries, the government family planning program convenes a meeting with in-country stakeholders to review the annual family planning data. These consensus meetings are critical for ensuring that the process remains country-driven, and that stakeholders dedicate time to review and understand the data, take stock of progress, and adjust their strategies as necessary. This approach also makes transparent the data and methodologies that influence decision making in-country and internationally. Beyond these annual reviews, governments collaborate with Track20 throughout the year to identify weaknesses in their data systems and make changes or adopt tools that can help them better use their available data to actively assess progress. WHAT IS FP2020? Family Planning 2020 is a global community of partners working together to advance rights-based family planning. The FP2020 partnership was launched at the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning, with the goal of enabling 120 million additional women and girls in 69 of the world’s poorest countries to use voluntary modern contraception by 2020. WHAT IS TRACK20? The Track20 Project, implemented by Avenir Health, monitors progress towards achieving the goals of FP2020. Track20 works directly with governments in participating FP2020 countries to build internal capacity in data collection, analysis and use to monitor progress annually in family planning and support data-based family planning strategies and plans. GLOBAL INDICATORS AND COUNTRY REPORTING Photo credit: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images/Images of Empowerment FP2020 MEASUREMENT LEARNING SERIES LOOKING AHEAD: RECOMMENDATIONS FP2020’s development of Core Indicators and an annual reporting process is one of the true successes of the FP2020 partnership. The reporting process promotes measurement consistency and active country participation in global dialogue, and governments, donors, and civil society organizations are making better use of the wealth of family planning data that exists for program decisions and investments. At the same time, the process has revealed data gaps and the need for continued improvements in data systems and measurement. Globally, measurement partners should focus on maximizing the use of data that is already collected through service statistics and surveys and identifying new data sources and indicators that can answer persistent questions related to rights, quality of care, and informed choice. Within countries, improved measurement at the subnational level and for specific subgroups of the population could help close last-mile gaps and reduce inequity. Over the course of a year, Track20, FP2020 and other partners produce and publish data on family planning progress in FP2020 focus countries. FP2020’s Core Indicator estimates are produced by the Track20 team and in-country M&E Officers. TRACK20 TEAM TRACK20 M&E OFFICERS FP2020 DATA & PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TEAM FP2020 PERFORMANCE MONITORING & EVIDENCE WORKING GROUP TRACK20 TEAM Surveys (DHS, MICS, PMA, etc.) and HMIS Family Planning Estimation Tool (FPET) Core Indicator Estimates1 Consensus Meeting2 Progress Report Measurement Section Progress Report Launch Master Data File FP2020 ANNUAL MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING PROCESS 1 Some FP2020 Core Indicator estimates are produced by FPET, while others come from surveys and Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). The indicators cover various dimensions of family planning, based on a results chain that covers aspects of the enabling environment for family planning, the process of delivering services, the output of those services, expected outcomes, and the impact of contraceptive use. 2 Consensus meetings are held in countries with Track20 M&E Officers. For countries without M&E Officers, FP2020 Core Indicator estimates from FPET are used for reporting. During consensus meetings, governments and partners review family planning data, discuss the quality of the data and the use of statistical models and other methodologies to produce estimates, and assess progress toward goals. DATA COLLECTION & MODELING CONSENSUS BUILDING ANALYSIS & DRAFTING LAUNCH

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