Evaluation of Improving SRHR Situation in Bangladesh
Embassy of Sweden has been supporting the Sexual, Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) related interventions particularly Menstrual Regulation Programme and post abortion care in Bangladesh since 1993E. Reproductive Health Services, Training and Education Programme (RHSTEP) and Bangladesh Association for Prevention of Septic Abortion (BAPSA), are two national NGOs which have been receiving long term Sida support since 2004. In accordance with the agreement between the Embassy and RHSTEP, the Embassy disburses fund to BAPSA through RHSTEP.
The overall goal of the program is to contribute in improving SRHR and wellbeing of women, men and adolescents in Bangladesh. The purpose of the program is to reduce maternal mortality, morbidity from unsafe abortion and improve the SRHR situation of women and adolescents in the project areas. The goal and purpose will be achieved by improving skills of service providers of SRHR , increasing access to quality SRH services for women, adolescents and men, enhancing knowledge of the women and adolescents in the project areas to make informed choice partaining to their sexual and reproductive health needs. Moreover this project aims to ensure that women who undergo abortion are not further stigmatised or harmed by the process.
In October 2017 the Embassy signed an agreement with RHSTEP for four years (2017-2021). Sida support amounts to 61.5 MSEK. The budget is allocated for service (78%), community outreach program (5%), monitoring, evaluation and documentation (4%), capacity building (9%) and policy advocacy (2%). The program was extended in December 2021 for another 15 months. The agreement will end in June 2023 and the activity period is ended in December 2022 and RHSTEP recquested for costed extension.
The evaluation will be carried out at the point in time as Sida’s support to RHSTEP is ending and Sida plans to assess continued support to RHSTEP program. Sida has funded the program for 30 years and conducted several evaluations and assesments. It is important for Sida to understand the added value, comparative advantage and the cost effectiveness of the program and, most importantly, how RHSTEP can influence SRH services beyond RHSTEP specific program.
The evaluation will be an important input in to the appraisal for the planned and last support to RHSTEP. It will also be an important input in the dialogue with RHSTEP both on the program in itself but also on issues in the area of SRHR in Bangladesh. It is Embassy’s intention that the conclusions and recommendations from the evaluation will be useful for for future cooperation. The Embassy wants to learn how relevant the program is in relation to the strategy objectives and the ToC for the support area.