Community Advocacy Initiative (CAI)

From 2008–2015, Health Equity Matters and APCASO partnered to implement the Community Advocacy Initiative (CAI) funded by the Australian Government through the Regional HIV/AIDS Capacity Building Programme.

CAI aimed to strengthen the policy and advocacy capacity of HIV community-based organisations in Cambodia, China, Laos, and Vietnam.

An evaluation of CAI noted the importance of Health Equity Matters’ support in achieving concrete results and strong progress toward CAI’s goals. It states:

“Health Equity Matters’ peer relationship provided [APCASO] with solid and consistent support at a critical time’. The report noted ‘Health Equity Matters’ role was often ‘behind the scenes’ – with profile-raising opportunities (such as at the Regional and International AIDS Conferences) predominantly given to APCASO.”

CAI has developed a strong model for future initiatives that address capacity building, advocacy and financing in the Asia and the Pacific.