Policy and advocacy in HIV / AIDS prevention. Strategies for enchancing prevention interventions

This handbook for HIV/AIDS program managers illustrate the process of policy development so that program managers can collaborate with others in policy development. The handbook consists of an introduction and five sections. Section 1 defines "policy" and "advocacy" and explains the nature of coalitions and constituents. Section 2 reviews the various policy development roles that can be played by program managers and staff; technical specialists, analysts, planners, and advisors; coalitions; the media; communities; and policy-makers. This section also explains 1) how behavior change communication principles and tools can be used for advocacy and policy development and 2) how to determine if policy development work is appropriate for a specific organization. The third section sets forth the steps to be followed in policy development (identifying problems, issues, and solutions; gathering and analyzing data; and developing policy recommendations). Section 4 concentrates on the use of advocacy to achieve policy results as a continuation of this process, and the final section covers issues involving the final stages such as what to expect along the way, preparation and presentation of policies, and implementation and oversight.