Advocacy for girls' health generates social and policy change

Program Objectives: The Adolescent Girls' Advocacy & Leadership Initiative (AGALI) of the Public Health Institute (PHI) builds the capacity of civil society leaders to advocate for girls' health. PHI's international grantees have achieved policy successes, developing replicable models of advocacy for health.

Background: There is a critical need for increased girls' health advocacy in the Global South, but few resources. PHI's programs demonstrate that this advocacy requires small-scale investment to produce successful, replicable results.

Methods: PHI has supported girls' health advocacy in the Global South through three principal strategies:

1. Capacity Building – Intensive trainings on advocacy for girls' health build the capacity of civil society leaders to engage on policy issues.

2. Seed Grants – Seed funds enable leaders to implement needed advocacy to improve girls' health and rights.

Results: PHI grantees in five countries have produced both local and national policy wins, including advocacy with a national hospital system to improve attention to survivors of sexual violence, advocacy for passage of a national Children's Act, protecting child rights and health. Conclusions: PHI's grantees demonstrate that with limited support, civil society leaders can successfully advocate for improved girls' health laws and policies. This work presents replicable models for improving government transparency and investment in health outcomes. PHI strengthens capacity, while building legal and policy support for health by funding innovative advocacy.

Implications: Program results will be used to expand the PHI model to additional focus countries and build the evidence base further for replicable models for grassroots health advocacy.