Best Practices

ESD’s mandate is to strengthen global learning and the application of best practices and state-of-the-art (SOTA) community level approaches for reproductive health and family planning (RH/FP) services. With improved knowledge of evidence, program designers and practitioners can apply effective approaches, models and techniques to new projects and programs.

ESD can assist projects in the area of best and promising practices by:

• Documenting a best or promising practice
• Identifying relevant best practices in a specific technical area
• Assisting with theimplementation of best practices in the field

We’ve collected a series of Best and Promising Practices Tools for you to explore.

What are Promising and Best Practices?

There is no universal definition of promising and best practices (P/BPs). ESD incorporates common elements of IBP/WHO, UNFPA, UNESCO, and predecessor projects Advance Africa and CATALYST definitions to define operational best and promising practices.

• Promising Practice: A specific action or set of actions that demonstrated potential of becoming a best practice, but requires further documented evidence of success.
• Best practice: A specific action or set of actions with proven evidence of success and the potential for replication or adaptation. Evidence of success is demonstrated through qualitative and quantitative information.

How Does ESD Strengthen Global Learning?

• Identifies and documents promising and best practices and state-of-the-art approaches. ESD works through USAID missions and cooperating agents, NGOs, ministries of health, and community-based organizations on what worked well to achieve program goals.
• Applies evidence-based practices within ESD programs and collaborates with other projects to introduce or adapt the practices into their programs.  
• Shares and disseminates lessons learned and best practices globally with other regional/international organizations, through the ESD website, and at conferences.

What are ESD’s Best Practices Program Areas?

Scaling up selected best practices in the ANE region (Bangkok conference follow-up)

1. Community-based family planning programs in Africa
2. Muslim religious leader mobilization for MCH/RH/FP in the AME region
3. Religious leaders mobilization for MCH/RH/FP in Africa (forthcoming)
4. Mainstreaming gender

See How Best Practices are Identified, Applied and Disseminated