Advocacy has several different definitions, all of which state that advocacy aims at influencing decision-making with the goals of developing, establishing or changing policies and of establishing and sustaining programmes and services. For the purposes of this guide,

Advocacy for HIV/AIDS prevention among HRGs is the combined effort of a group of individuals or organizations to persuade influential individuals and groups and organizations through various activities to adopt an effective approach to HIV/AIDS among HRGs as quickly as possible. Advocacy also aims at starting, maintaining or increasing specific activities to a scale where they will effectively prevent HIV transmission among HRGs and assist in the treatment, care and support of HRGs living with HIV/AIDS.

1. Advocacy activities should avoid increasing harm

2. Advocacy activities should aim to protect the rights of HRGs and people living with HIV/AIDS.

3. Advocacy activities should balance short-term pragmatic goals with long-term developmental goals.

4. The objectives of advocacy must relate to approaches and activities shown by research to be effective in addressing HIV/AIDS among HRGs.

5. Advocacy activities should concentrate on both HIV/AIDS prevention among HRGs and on treatment, care and support

6. Specific and targeted advocacy activities should fit the social, cultural, political and legal context of the society.

7. Advocacy activities should target different sectors of society and key individuals, using multiple advocacy techniques at the same time if possible.

8. Advocacy should aim at quickly establishing supportive policies and large enough programmes within the social, political and funding context of the country.

9. Advocacy should both lead to establishing new policies and programmes and react to how institutions, the mass media and others deal with HIV/AIDS among HRGs.

10. Advocacy activities should involve, to the extent possible, HRGs and people living with HIV/AIDS in planning, implementing and evaluating programmes.

11. Advocacy activities should consider differences between groups of HRGs according to gender and ethnic background and to vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and promote equity in treatment, care and support.

Advocacy usually starts when a group of concerned people perceives an issue as being so problematic that they decide that it should be put on the public agenda with the aim of addressing the problem. Advocacy includes developing possible proposals to solve the problem and building support for acting on the solution. This process consists of a set of steps, carried out for different aspects of an issue at many levels of society simultaneously in varying order. These steps may include starting up, analysis, strategy, action and reaction and evaluation.

Starting up. A formal or informal advocacy group or coalition is formed. Specific funding for advocacy, which is usually needed, should be sought at this stage or at any of the next three steps.

Analysis. The group analyses the identified problem more systematically, including key stakeholders, existing norms and policies, the implementation or non-implementation of these policies, the organizations involved in putting those policies into practice and the channels of access to influential people and decision-makers. The more familiar with the situation the advocates become, the more persuasive the future advocacy can be.

Strategy. Every advocacy effort needs a strategy; in this step, potential solutions to a problem are formulated and the process of arriving at these solutions is envisaged. The strategy phase builds on the analysis to direct, plan and focus on specific goals and to position the advocacy effort with a clear path to achieve these goals and objectives.

Action and reaction. An advocacy action plan is formulated, and support is built for changes to policies and practices. Implementation of the campaign may arouse various reactions by decision-makers and influential groups. Reacting to critics of the advocacy goals helps to keep attention and concern on the issue.

Evaluation. Since advocacy often provides partial results, a team needs to review regularly what has been accomplished and what more remains to be done. Process evaluation, such as assessing whether progress has been made in identifying advocacy allies, may be more important (and more difficult) than evaluating the impact on actual decisions. Evaluation should be used as the first step in reanalysis, leading to an ongoing cycle of advocacy work and evaluation.