The purpose of the Forum is to contribute to the development of effective, efficient, fair and sustainable policy frameworks that promote health and/or mitigate the negative consequences of poor health, particularly for the most disadvantaged, in low- to middle-income countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Consequently, the Forum seeks to influence policy. To achieve this, the Forum primarily pursues the following avenues of influence: Implementing the following measures: Promoting the development of accessible datasets for comparative analysis of health policy issues and monitoring the effectiveness of health policy reforms; Promoting the development of analytical and policy-making capacity in the region (through workshops, seminars, and occasional internships); Initiating and disseminating high-quality, original research and analysis on health policy issues; Publishing various policy-relevant papers, newsletters, and other publications as needed; Providing a hub for networking and exchange of ideas and experiences among health policy stakeholders; Supporting partner educational and research institutions in the region; Establishing a Forum website with papers, resources, and links. Prioritizing the research agenda of the Forum with particular emphasis on the following criteria: Impact on the implementation of the Forum's mission by addressing problems that affect a large portion of the population, with a focus on those that are solvable; Policy relevance, with a particular focus on problems that can be addressed by policymakers; Breadth of regional coverage and scope. Ensuring the quality of research and policy analysis pursued or supported by the Forum through: Establishing a quality assurance process involving independent peer reviews at both the proposal and final draft stages; Commissioning papers directly from renowned experts, in addition to the usual competitive bidding process among regional researchers. Ensuring the relevance and impact of research and analysis pursued or supported by the Forum through: Sensitivity to the key factors influencing decision-making in the policy economy; Involving policymakers early in project development to integrate their concerns and priorities (without compromising independence and integrity) and to access relevant data; Considering the following aspects in the conduct of research and policy analysis: dissemination-specific concerns, policy calculus (winner/loser analysis, political sustainability), alternative policy options, implementation-specific concerns, and budgetary implications and feasibility. Utilizing various dissemination channels and procedures to optimize the impact of the Forum's work, including: Organizing conferences, workshops, and seminars with the participation of all relevant stakeholders: ministers and other government officials, parliamentarians, representatives of professional associations, health insurers, self-help groups, NGOs, charitable organizations, and international agencies; Issuing press releases and interacting directly with the media as needed; Publishing research and policy analysis in the form of: newsletters (in print and electronic format), working papers, books, and/or policy position statements (adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Board). Establishing a Forum website and establishing affiliated country offices.
Outbound Leads by COHAGA