Cordaid
In the last decades, Cordaid has demonstrated how comprehensive approaches to healthcare can make a lasting impact. As both a humanitarian aid and development organization, Cordaid's dual mandate positions to address healthcare needs in some of the world's most challenging contexts.
“We focus on all elements of fragility with the ultimate goal to strengthen systems needed to survive or build strong systems,” explains Rosana Lescrauwaet Noboa, Global Health Advocacy Officer at Cordaid. This approach encompasses everything from humanitarian aid to food security, health, and education, viewing these challenges through an integrated lens. Cordaid’s work in fragile and conflict-affected countries demonstrates a commitment to strengthening health systems. “We take a system-wide approach,” Lescrauwaet Noboa notes. “One of our approaches is performance-based financing, where we've achieved significant results working alongside governments and other partners. PBF means health facilities receive payments based on the results they achieve rather than being funded upfront, which incentivizes performance, improves service delivery, and fosters process ownership, making systems more resilient and responsive. Health system strengthening is one of our core areas of expertise.”
Focus on health strengthening
Health system strengthening, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, is one of our core areas of expertiseBut Cordaid's expertise in global health manifests in multiple ways. As chair of the Dutch Global Health Alliance, the organization plays a pivotal role in coordinating civil society advocacy efforts within the Netherlands. This position proved instrumental during the development of the Dutch Global Health Strategy, where Cordaid helped shape both the strategy itself and its implementation mechanisms.
Cordaid in the Hub
The organization’s involvement with the Global Health Hub Netherlands reflects an understanding of the challenges facing the global health sector. Drawing from international experience, including lessons learned from Germany's similar constellation, Cordaid sees the Hub as a potential solution to a persistent challenge in global health advocacy: the tendency toward silos. “When you work in global health advocacy, there are many silos that get set up,” Lescrauwaet Noboa observes. “If you're an expert in tuberculosis, you know everything happening in tuberculosis. You know everyone within the CSO sector especially. It's much harder to realize who works in academia or the private sector, and how the interests of different groups overlap or diverge. That is why we are a part of the Hub. To go beyond these silos.”
Looking forward to 2025
Looking ahead to 2025, Cordaid is cautious optimism about the Hub's potential. “Hopefully there will be momentum," Lescrauwaet Noboa reflects. “There will be things we can take and say, 'Okay, I need someone with this expertise,' and I can go to the Hub and say, 'This is someone I want to meet who I've never met before. However, I also see some challenges with characteristic frankness. We have to be honest about the fact that the context and political situation right now is difficult. Despite this, we see value in the Hub's ability to adapt and learn from our first year of operation. We're never going to get it right in the first month. This year we've seen what doesn't work, and hopefully, in 2025, we'll start trying what can work. The most important thing is that we're adapting to each challenge. So far, we’re doing a pretty good job facing those.”