Cross Cutting Themes in the FRESH Framework

The 2012 FRESH Core Indicators document includes a short list of "cross-cutting themes" that have an impact on the implementation and sustainability of both the core components of the framework as well as all thematic or topic-focused initiatives. This page starts with the three cross-cutting themes identified in the initial 2012 version of the Framework and then identifies other cross-cutting themes that are being developed by the FRESH Partners in 2019.

As well as identifying additional cross-cutting themes related to implementation, capacity, sustainability and systems thinking, the FRESH Partners are developing criteria or indicators of success for these themes at the national, local agency and school levels.

The cross-cutting themes identified and described in the original version of the FRESH Framework included; partnerships with the education sector, community participation/ownership and child/youth participation.

FRESH Partners are currently developing several other cross cutting themes that can be considered and developed further by defining practical indicators of effective, successful strategies. This expanded list of cross-cutting themes is based on a list of implementation/capacity/sustainability issues discussed by the FRESH Partners in March and May 2019. FRESH Members, experts and practitioners will be invited to comment on this list and the related specific indicators.We are being careful not to reinvent themes and topics that have already been developed in existing global guidance documents, so we have added the primary sources of the indicators within the draft document. . 

Please review and comment on this draft set of these indicators on these cross-cutting themes (You can leave your comments in the space below or use the features of the linked Google doc version.

Cross-Cutting Themes (Original FRESH Framework)

• Effective partnership between health and education sectors: The health sector retains the responsibility for the health of children while the education sector retains responsibility for implementing and often funding school-based interventions. However, both of these sectors need to identify their responsibilities and present a coordinated action to improve the health and education outcomes of children. The starting point is usually the establishment of cross-sectoral working groups or steering committees at national-,district- and local-level to coordinate actions and decision-making.
• Community participation and ownership: This is achieved through effective community mobilization strategies and strong partnerships between relevant stakeholders, which engender a sense of
  collaboration, commitment and communal ownership, build public awareness and strengthen demand. The community includes the private sector; women’s, men’s, and youth groups; school
  management committees; parent-teacher associations; local health care providers; village and religious leaders; and any community group interested in improving the lives and futures of children in the community. These partnerships work together to make schools healthier and more child-friendly by jointly identifying health issues in the school and then designing and managing activities to address them. Effective partnerships between the school system and community have the power to improve the effectiveness, relevance and sustainability of a school health program.
• .Child participation: The right to participate is one of the guiding principles of the Convention of the Rights of the Child.5 Article 12 of the Convention states that children have the right to participate in decision-making processes that may be relevant in their lives and to influence decisions taken in their regard – within the family, the school or the community. Child participation means that children
  have the opportunity to express a view, influence decision-making and achieve change. It must be integral to every activity, from planning to implementing to evaluating activities at local-,
  district- and national-level and be practiced by all stakeholders (teachers, health care providers, parents and community members). Therefore, child participation must be addressed in every training and orientation. When children participate in
  activities, they also acquire the knowledge, and develop the attitudes, values and skills needed to adopt healthy lifestyles and become more active citizens. Child health clubs and governments, child suggestion boxes and active teaching methods are
  some ways of ensuring that children’s views and concerns are considered..