256396 Advocacy for girls' health leads to policy change

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 10:30 AM - 10:50 AM

Emily Teitsworth, MA , AGALI Program, Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA
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 issues. PHI's international grantees have achieved policy successes, developing replicable models of grassroots 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 – Training 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.

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.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Diversity and culture
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, participants will be able to: 1) List three components of successful international health advocacy campaigns 2) Explain the role that advocacy plays in improving girls’ health policy and health outcomes

Keywords: Advocacy, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the manager of the project described in the abstract and have worked in the fields of advocacy, reproductive health, and international public health for the past 7 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.