FRESH coordinating Committee Meeting: 31st January 2017
Participants: Bella Monse (GIZ), Steve Sneider (Education International), Sean Slade (ASCD), Doug McCall (ISHN), Lynne Seargent (UNESCO IIEP), Cliff Lubitz (RTI), Scott Pulizzi (Independent), Jenelle Babb (UNESCO- health and education), Mohini Venkatesh (Save the Children- Meeting Chair/ Note Taker)
1. Update from ASCD on Joint Statement on SDG 3&4
Op Ed by ASCD president, Susan Hopgood, in Times education supplement includes statement on SDG 3 and 4 and the need for greater alignment between the two. https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/why-do-so-many-people-around-world-value-education-above-everything
If there is consensus from the FRESH partners on the need for alignment between the two goals, it would help in raising the voice for greater coordination and collaboration between health and education sector leaders among development agencies. Sean to provide sign on sheet to add participants (see attached). Steve Sneider also noted that EI to continue to promote the two goals, related to health and education
2. Update on two pager on FRESH and letters to FRESH partners- Doug/ Cliff
Feedback on the two pager:
Participants agreed that FRESH relates to all the SDGs goals; however it was noted that there is a risk of losing focus on critical health and development issues; so it will be important to emphasize that resources are focused on priority thematic areas. Need to improve the guidance in the two pager to pick the priority issues most relevant, and focus resources the government have to address those issues.
Another concern was that FRESH is seen as a competition by a few agencies, and a point should be made that is a common framework that draws on the good practices of different organizations. ,
A few more points on the wording of the FRESH two pager were discussed- school health services will be rephrased services for the health and development of children. Also clarification that FRESH partnership at the global level includes a community that shared guidelines and good practices, but does not to compete with each other for funding to directly implement interventions in countries. However the FRESH partnerships at country level will comprise implementers and national constituencies of global organizations.
Next steps:
3. Update on CIES submissions
There are several sessions with health content at the annual CIES (Comparative and International Education Society) conference in Atlanta, Georgia from 5-9 March 2017. Some important sessions that FRESH members participating in the conference are requested to attend are as follows. Please search the online program to get the full list of sessions with health content.
4. FRESH monthly webinars and other events-
FRESH monthly webinars for 2017 will resume on 15th February. UNESCO with partners from USAID and Raising Voices (Uganda). Those interested in contributing to the webinars for subsequent months are requested to contact Mohini.
ISHN was approached by Plan International to support the FRESH webinars. Plan is interested in contributing to webinars on violence and substance abuse.
5. Other Updates:
UNESCO’s web- pages are being revised, and this will include change to the current health and education section as well. Where information on FRESH and the M&E guidance exists may change in the coming days.
SUSANA or the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance is hosting a conference in Chennai fecal sludge management in the second week of February. A working group meeting on WASH in schools is planned, with 100 people already signed up for the event
Op Ed by ASCD president, Susan Hopgood, in Times education supplement includes statement on SDG 3 and 4 and the need for greater alignment between the two. https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/why-do-so-many-people-around-world-value-education-above-everything
If there is consensus from the FRESH partners on the need for alignment between the two goals, it would help in raising the voice for greater coordination and collaboration between health and education sector leaders among development agencies. Sean to provide sign on sheet to add participants (see attached). Steve Sneider also noted that EI to continue to promote the two goals, related to health and education
2. Update on two pager on FRESH and letters to FRESH partners- Doug/ Cliff
Feedback on the two pager:
Participants agreed that FRESH relates to all the SDGs goals; however it was noted that there is a risk of losing focus on critical health and development issues; so it will be important to emphasize that resources are focused on priority thematic areas. Need to improve the guidance in the two pager to pick the priority issues most relevant, and focus resources the government have to address those issues.
Another concern was that FRESH is seen as a competition by a few agencies, and a point should be made that is a common framework that draws on the good practices of different organizations. ,
A few more points on the wording of the FRESH two pager were discussed- school health services will be rephrased services for the health and development of children. Also clarification that FRESH partnership at the global level includes a community that shared guidelines and good practices, but does not to compete with each other for funding to directly implement interventions in countries. However the FRESH partnerships at country level will comprise implementers and national constituencies of global organizations.
Next steps:
- Complete the links on the FRESH partners site with relevant information on the SDGs etc. This new site is not meant to duplicate other existing FRESH pages on schoolandhealth and UNESCO. It will mainly include information on upcoming FRESH partners events, include a record of meetings, and have links to the resources on the other sites.
- Anyone who wants to be an editor on the FRESH partners site is requested to contact Doug. Lynne Seargent has expressed her interest to be an editor.
- Update the FRESH two pager and complete the letter to partners. This will be shared with the current list of partners to reiterate their interest in the committee. We will ask current list of members who to send the letters to, and if there are others who should be invited to the coordinating committee.
- Doug to update the infographic on FRESH and SDGs based on the feedback received from members.
3. Update on CIES submissions
There are several sessions with health content at the annual CIES (Comparative and International Education Society) conference in Atlanta, Georgia from 5-9 March 2017. Some important sessions that FRESH members participating in the conference are requested to attend are as follows. Please search the online program to get the full list of sessions with health content.
- School Health and Nutrition as a social equalizer. Thu, March 9, 9:45 to 11:15am, Sheraton Atlanta, Grand Ballroom A (South Tower)
- Impact of School Health and Nutrition: mainstreaming successful interventions. Wed, March 8, 9:45 to 11:15am, Sheraton Atlanta, 1, Capitol South (North Tower)
- Health Education: Targets and Methods. Mon, March 6, 3:15 to 4:45pm, Sheraton Atlanta, 1, Atlanta 4 (North Tower)
- Educating the African Girl: Exploring sexual reproductive health education and schoolgirl pregnancy. Tue, March 7, 8:00 to 9:30am, Sheraton Atlanta, 1, Georgia 2 (South Tower)
- HIV/AIDS Education and Health Outreach .Tue, March 7, 10:00 to 11:30am, Sheraton Atlanta, 1, Georgia 1 (South Tower)
- Gathering Context Clues for Better Program Design and Evaluation. Thu, March 9, 8:00 to 9:30am, Sheraton Atlanta, 1, Capitol South (North Tower) (includes a presentation on menstrual hygiene management)
- Problematizing inequality in adolescent girls’ school learning experience due to poor Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in Bolivia, DRC and Benin. Wed, March 8, 11:30am to 1:00pm, Sheraton Atlanta, 2, Augusta (South Tower)
4. FRESH monthly webinars and other events-
FRESH monthly webinars for 2017 will resume on 15th February. UNESCO with partners from USAID and Raising Voices (Uganda). Those interested in contributing to the webinars for subsequent months are requested to contact Mohini.
ISHN was approached by Plan International to support the FRESH webinars. Plan is interested in contributing to webinars on violence and substance abuse.
5. Other Updates:
UNESCO’s web- pages are being revised, and this will include change to the current health and education section as well. Where information on FRESH and the M&E guidance exists may change in the coming days.
SUSANA or the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance is hosting a conference in Chennai fecal sludge management in the second week of February. A working group meeting on WASH in schools is planned, with 100 people already signed up for the event