Formando Redes Para El Cambio de Politicas: Manual de Capacitacion en Defensa y Promocion POLICY (January 1999)  Full Document (English)      Order for free      email to me  It is through advocacy—a set of targeted actions in support of a specific cause—that a supportive and self-sustaining environment for family planning and reproductive health goals can be created. This training manual was prepared to help representatives of NGOs and other formal groups of civil society form and maintain advocacy networks and develop effective family planning/reproductive health advocacy skills. The manual's tools and approaches can be used to affect FP/RH policy decisions at the international, national, regional, and local levels. The manual is based on the principle that advocacy strategies and methods can be learned. The building blocks of advocacy are the formation of networks, the identification of political opportunities, and the organization of campaigns. The manual includes a section on each of these building blocks, with specific subjects presented in individual units. Units within each section contain background notes, learning objectives, and handouts. While the manual can be used in its entirety, it is designed to be used in sections depending on the particular needs of the network. The manual promises to be a useful and practical tool for NGOs and other organizations committed to improving the quality of family planning and reproductive health programs.