RAF News

RAF Application Procedures Revised

May 16, 2010 - Research and Advocacy Fund has revised its application and approval  procedures for its Second round. In Round 2, RAF procedures are being substantially revised in the following ways:

·         Instead of full proposals, we are calling for 5-page concept papers for both small and large grants. Essential determination of approval will be made on these concept papers, which can then, in collaboration with RAF, be developed into full proposals.

·         Within the five “RAF themes” of Round 1, there will be, in Round 2 and subsequent rounds, a small number of more specific “priority topics” are identified, and all projects funded for that round will be within those “priority topics.” (For Round 2, the priority topics involved operations research on the community midwives, and advocacy for implementing the Karachi Declaration. RAF expects to fund several proposals, both large and small, on these topics; future rounds will focus on different topics.

·         Review and appraisal procedures have been revised and are expected to result in shorter processing time and fewer proposal revisions.

·         Guidelines for the concept papers have been revised.

·         Some significant changes to eligibility criteria are in effect. 

Consultative Meeting held with National and Provincial MNCH programmes

May 2, 2010, Bhurban – Research and Advocacy Fund arranged a consultative meeting with the national and provincial Maternal, Newborn and Child Health(MNCH) Programmes, in order to shortlist the priority topics for research and advocacy for its upcoming call. 

Dr.Farooq Akhtar, Programme Manager – National MNCH Programme chaired the session.  Provincial Programme managers Dr.Salar A Khan from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and  Dr. Sahib Jaan from Sindh, along with programme representatives from provincial MNCH programme of Balochiotsan,  Punjab, Gilgit Baltistan and AJK. 

The participants agreed for a need to develop research based evidence in order to improve the current MNH indicators in the country and shortlisted a list of topics to be considered for inclusion in round 2 of RAF's call for proposals.  

RAF National Launch Cancelled

Islamabad: The national launch event of the Maternal and Newborn Health Programme Research and Advocacy Fund (RAF) due to be held on the 29th of October 2009, was cancelled due to the security situation in the country.

The event was to mark the successful launch of the fund in all the provinces, and precede the publication of the first Call for Proposals.

RAF will now have a media launch on the 29th of October, and the call for proposals will be published in the national press on the 1st of November 2009.

RAF Launched in Baluchistan

Karachi: The Maternal and Newborn Health Programme Research and Advocacy Fund (RAF) was launched in Balochistan on Saturday. The launch was the third in a series of provincial launches.

The event was attended by Mr. Jalal Khan Mandokhail Secretary Health Baluchistan; Dr. Yousaf Bizenjo, Provincial Program Manager MNCH Program Balochistan; Dr. Gheyas ud Din Siddiqui, Head of Social Work, University of Baluchitan and Dr. Farooq Azam, Director Research Institute, Baluchistan.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from the government and civil society organisations active in the field of research and advocacy in Baluchistan.

RAF launched in Sindh

Karachi: The Maternal and Newborn Health Programme Research and Advocacy Fund (RAF) was launched in Sindh, on Thursday. The launch was preceded by the provincial launch in Punjab, and is the second in a series of provincial launches that will lead up to the launch of the programme on the 29th of October 2009.

The event was chaired by Ms.Lynn Brooks from the British Council. Lending their support to the programme, Director-General Health Sindh Dr. Abdul Sattar Korai, Provincial Programme Director National MNCH Programme Sindh Dr.Sahib Jan and Additional Secretary Finance Sindh Mr. Ijaz Mehassar were also presen.t

The ceremony was attended by representatives from the government and civil society organisations active in the field of research and advocacy.

RAF launched in Punjab

Lahore: The Maternal and Newborn Health Programme Research and Advocacy Fund (RAF) was launched in Punjab, on Wednesday. The launch was the first in a series of provincial launches that will lead up to the launch of the programme on the 29th of October 2009.

The event was chaired by Ms.Lynn Brooks from the British Council. Lending their support to the programme, Ms. Saima Saeed Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Dr. Fida Ali Director MCH Services Punjab was also present.

Addressing the participants the RAF Project Manager, Ms. Brooks, stressed the significance of research-based evidence and effective advocacy to influence pro-poor policy and practicereforms in improving the maternal and newborn health statistics in Pakistan. Later, Dr Wajiha Ghias introduced the participants to the grants mechanism, and Dr. Amer Raza explained the RAF systems as well as the priority themes for the forthcoming call for proposal at the end of October.