The Capacity Project took a leadership role in enriching the global human resources for health (HRH) dialogue and the related research, innovation and new technologies required to establish an evidence base for expanded work. Global partnerships were a key component in the Project’s success, both in engaging the global community in a nascent area that has become a high-priority issue, moving global and country-level action planning forward, gaining access to key decision-makers and successfully leveraging significant funds and human resources. The Project fostered collaborative global partnerships for three strategic purposes:

1. Reaching out to other global, regional and national entities to learn what was being planned and implemented so as to avoid duplication of efforts or unnecessary confusion in HRH approaches and application of tools
2. Bringing greater synergy to resolving complex problems
3. Strengthening HRH initiatives through effective knowledge sharing at all levels—globally, regionally and nationally.

Major results areas included the HRH Action Framework (HAF) and the HRH Action Workshops.

Lessons learned:

1. Global partnering is essential because the magnitude and complexity of HRH challenges require multi-institutional and cross-sectoral collaboration and information-sharing. This means HRH leaders and practitioners must think and intervene more holistically, transcend traditional organizational boundaries and actively contribute to global, regional and country alliances as everyday aspects of HRH work. Almost all of the Capacity Project’s long-term initiatives were done in partnership, either at the global or local level.
2. The HAF is a very powerful tool to help countries plan and intervene to address HRH challenges. It is important to stress that this type of resource could not have been developed by one organization acting alone. Collaboration produces a better product, and the act of collaboration means that it is far more likely to be adopted and used by a broad array of partners and leaders at all levels.
3. Building networks of HR professionals is a very important component in creating a critical mass of HRH champions at the regional and country level. The HRH Action Workshops helped in this process, and must be supplemented by followup support to make the work sustainable. In countries where the Project had a presence, this support was available and the results more identifiable.
4. Donor leadership sets an important tone in promoting global partnerships, and USAID’s support for the Project’s global and regional partnering efforts proved instrumental in their success.

Learn more about the Project's global partnerships results.

Related resources:

• Global Partnerships: Strengthening Human Resources for Health Approaches Together
• HRH Action Framework
• HRH Action Workshop 2007
• HRH Action Workshop 2006
• Meeting of the Africa Health Workforce Observatory
• Partnership Building: Practical Tools
• Using Collaborative Approaches to Reach HRH Goals

See other areas in Cross-Cutting Initiatives: Gender Equity and Equality; Integrating FBOs and NGOs