The Ministerial Leadership Initiative for Global Health (MLI) is pioneering an innovative and practice-based model of leadership development to strengthen capacity within ministries of health. MLI assists ministry staff in building political commitment, implementing policy reform, and strengthening health systems to improve the health of the people in their country. MLI provides ministry leaders with proven models of ministerial-led reform and the evidence necessary to implement changes with significant impact.

MLI seeks to strengthen the leadership capacity of ministries of health in Ethiopia, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, and Sierra Leone in order to advance policy in three interrelated areas: health financing for equity, donor harmonization in health, and reproductive health. Key to MLI's approach is the belief that stronger political leadership will improve health systems and ensure respect for the right to health, including for the most vulnerable populations.

Since addressing the health of women, particularly their reproductive health needs, is central to improving health outcomes at the country level, MLI places specific emphasis on linking the health financing and aid effectiveness policy reform efforts in Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone to reproductive health outcomes.

MLI works closely, hand-in-hand, on-the-ground, with leaders in the five MLI ministries to provide tailored technical assistance in response to the ministry's policy priorities. In addition, MLI supports the ministries by holding technical workshops that showcase program findings and country-level experiences; providing an online space, www.ministerial-leadership.org, to share recent activities and cultivate an understanding of, and interest in, the important work occurring in the MLI ministries; and, leading study tours to best practice countries in the MLI policy areas.

MLI is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. MLI partners are the Results for Development Institute, the Council of Women World Leaders, and the World Health Organization.

Learn more:
http://www.ministerial-leadership.org/
http://www.ministerial-leadership.org/blog
http://www.globalhealthmagazine.com/guest_blog/john_donnelly_looks_inside_african_health_ministries/