ADVOCACY FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH - 4-15 AUGUST, 2003 The Centre for African Family Studies (CAFS) is pleased to announce the next offering of our popular regional advocacy course entitled "Advocacy for Reproductive health". This course was developed in collaboration with the Support for Analysis and Research in Africa Project (SARA) of the Academy for Education Development (AED), with financial support from USAID. CAFS has adjusted the course to the African region situation. The aim of the course is to develop and strengthen advocacy knowledge and skills in Africa so as to facilitate effective change especially in the area of policy environment, particularly for reproductive health including HIV/AIDS. Effective advocacy is required to ensure that laws, policies, and resource allocation system for example, are guided by reliable, informed and fair procedures. The participants will learn how to identify policy issues based on data, analysis of existing policies, lobby and influence policy makers, build networks and coalitions - in short, strengthen advocacy at different levels. Over the past five years, close to 300 African professionals from diverse fields have attended this course. In addition to working through a systematic presentation of the components of advocacy, they gained hands-on experience in designing an advocacy activity based on their programmatic objectives. Many of these individuals have written to CAFS to say that they are now using the skills from the course to facilitate change e.g. in organizations policies and participation in the national level policy making process. CAFS will offer this course from 4 - 15, August, 2003 in Nairobi. For a conference brochure and application forum please email Esther Sempebwa Nagawa at ENagawa@cafs.org CAFS believes that the advocacy course will help your agency and programmes to move your agenda forward (especially where policy is an issue) and to make an important difference in your country and the sub-Saharan region policy environment. In addition to the regional courses, CAFS can also offer this training at country/organization level. The tuition fee for this course is US$ 1,500 and it covers administrative and instructional costs, text, materials, supplies, health insurance, field trips, airport pick-up and drop-off and certificate awards. Airfare, Transit expenses and perdiem are the responsibility of the sponsoring organistion. All participants will stay in a hotel identified by CAFS and will abide by the booking arrangements made by CAFS. Accommodation costs US$ 100 per day including meals. Applicants to CAFS courses are advised to seek financial assistance from bilateral and multilateral agencies and organisations operating in their own countries such as USAID, CIDA, UNFPA, FAO and GTZ. Applicants are also advised to request their sponsors to send us a written statement of commitment to pay tuition fees. In case of any further clarification please contact me on enagawa@cafs.org Kindly share this information with other individuals, government departments or organizations that you feel might benefit from this powerful course. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information. Yours sincerely, Esther Sempebwa Nagawa Course Co-ordinator For Director, CAFS Email:ENagawa@cafs.org