Past Projects » EC Lot 8 Health Framework
2005 – 2009
Through the Lot 8 Health Framework project with the European Commission (EC), Futures Group mobilised short-term technical assistance at very short notice (normally within three weeks) to address a variety of issues within health projects worldwide in countries that receive EC funding.
Futures Group’s consortium, led by the Belgium-based AEDES (European Agency for Development and Health), included nine partners providing complementary skills in the field of health. Futures Group’s areas included HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, health promotion (including HIV prevention and behaviour change), and policy, advocacy, and multi-sectoral approaches.
The team’s comprehensive operational guidelines guaranteed quick responsiveness, mobilization of the best international experts, adherence to EC terms of reference and reporting requirements, reliability of service, and high-quality technical assistance. The objectives of each individual assignment varied according to the country’s situation and requirements.
Examples of LOT 8 Missions by Futures Group
Futures Group implemented a feasibility survey of reproductive health and population interventions in Yemen, with the overall objective of designing a programme to reduce fertility rates and improve health for both mothers and children. The feasibility study provided decisionmakers in the Yemeni government, civil society, and the European Commission with information to determine strategically the design of the program and included a careful analysis of relevant gender issues.
In Uganda Futures Group collaborated on an assessment of sector-based AIDS spending as part of a broader endeavor to track AIDS resources within the country. We supported coordination and alignment of HIV/AIDS resource use and provided stakeholders with real information on sources of funds, financing agents, and project implementers. Our analysis tracked HIV/AIDS expenditures, analyzed budgets from an HIV/AIDS perspective, and built local capacity to conduct future budget analyses.
Futures Group provided technical advice, training, and support to partners in Zimbabwe to develop and implement a process to mainstream HIV/AIDS and gender into all EC-supported programs and projects. Our achievements included the following:
- Produced an in-depth paper explaining HIV/AIDS and gender mainstreaming, and outlined how to accomplish it in the Zimbabwe context
- Developed a situation assessment report with recommendations on the critical training and development needs of delegation staff, public ministries, and nongovernmental organizations
- Set standards by which proposed projects can be evaluated and practical guidelines to ensure mainstreaming of HIV and gender considerations
- Created a tool for monitoring compliance with mainstreaming standards
- Produced an information leaflet for public distribution, explaining EC work on mainstreaming HIV/AIDS and gender in development in Zimbabwe