APCASO and AFAO are pleased to share with you the resource publication: HIV Advocacy from the Ground Up: A Toolkit for Strengthening Local Responses.

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Developed in partnership between the Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations (APCASO) and the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO), and funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the Toolkit is currently in use as part of the APCASO / AFAO Community Advocacy Initiative (CAI) Program.

This Toolkit has been developed for HIV and AIDS related NGOs and CBOs working ‘on the ground’, and directly with most affected communities. Operating at the frontline of HIV and AIDS responses, the experiences and knowledge of these organisations are critical in the development of policy and programmes that reflect community needs and concerns. This resource will provide CBOs and NGOs with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively influence policy-makers at the local, national and regional levels.

Introducing a range of practical advocacy processes, skills and techniques, the Toolkit aims to strengthen the capacity of CBOs and NGOs to identify advocacy priorities as well as design, develop and implement effective advocacy programs. The Toolkit is divided into four interlinking modules. These modules can be used together or separately.

The four modules are:

1. Understanding Advocacy,
2. Integrating Advocacy into Your Organisation,
3. Building Networks for Advocacy, and
4. Advocacy Action Tools.

The Toolkit is currently in use in the CAI program countries of Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam. The Toolkit has also been used in the AHAPI program, the predecessor of CAI in Thailand, China and India.

The Toolkit is available in English, Laos, Indonesian and Vietnamese.

Download the toolkit in English 

Advokasi HIV dari Akar Rumput ke Atas (Indonesian)

Download the toolkit in Laos

Downlod the toolkit in Vietnamese

APCASO and AFAO welcome feedback from organisations using the Toolkit. Please write to us at cai@apcaso.org (APCASO) or mtyne@afao.org.au (AFAO).

Community Advocacy Initiative (CAI)

CAI is a project of the APCASO/AFAO Regional Advocacy Program. CAI's objective is to strengthen the advocacy capacity and skills of most affected communities through HIV community organisations in Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam, and within APCASO's network.

APCASO, in partnership with AFAO and with support from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), implements the CAI program.

CAI focuses on strengthening the advocacy capacity of a select group of community leaders and their organisations in Indonesia, Laos and in the near future Vietnam, working with them to develop policy and advocacy-related strategies and plans. The CAI program implements a range of activities including the development of community advocacy training materials, train the trainer workshops, community level workshops, and community advocates network meetings.