For Civil Society Groups

Civil society groups and coalitions play a growing role in the governance, implementation and monitoring of development aid programs around the world, and in program funding advocacy. Organizations like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria now require countries that apply for funding to give a voice to marginalized groups by including their input in proposal development and inviting their representatives to join decision-making bodies such as the Global Fund’s Country Coordinating Mechanisms.

But having a voice is not enough. To be an effective and trusted force for change, to engage in high-level discussions and influence final outcomes, civil society groups need strong information-related skills. Such skills are essential to learn and adapt to their new roles, to build their networks, to understand where their priorities fit in the bigger picture, to keep a strategic watch over evolutions in their field and to develop strong evidence-based advocacy.