Overview of Advocacy, Communication,

and Social Mobilization

Session Objectives

• Define advocacy, communication, and social mobilization.

• Explain the objectives and targets of each approach.

• Describe how ACSM activities support TB control objectives.

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy is a broad set of coordinated efforts designed to:

•Place TB higher on the political agenda.

•Strengthen government commitment to implement or improve TB control policies.

•Increase and sustain financial and other resources.

AdvocacyChanges: policies, programs,

funding, political commitment, media coverage.

Targets: decision-makers, community leaders, people with influence, media.

Successes: helpful policies, better programs, more funding, more discussion of TB among politicians, positive coverage of TB in media.

Advocacy Example

In Region X, placing DOTS centers in rural health clinics helped improve patient adherence to treatment. However, funding for the program was ended. To regain financial support, a number of local program staff and community activists met with current donors to request continued funding.

Advocacy Activities

• Lobbying• Partnership meetings• Parliamentary debates• Political events• Official memoranda• Petitions• Letter/Email campaigns

What is Communication?

Communication includes activities designed to:

1. Improve knowledge: TB disease (symptoms, curability). TB control services (diagnosis, treatment).

2. Change attitudes and behaviors: Health providers. Clients (current, potential). Community/Family members.

Communication

Changes: knowledge, attitudes,

behaviors.

Targets: patients, providers, communities, policymakers, opinion leaders, service providers, nongovernmental organizations.

Successes: improved knowledge and/or attitudes that lead to a new or different behavior (positive for TB control).

Communication Example

Study results in Country C showed that 60% of people older than age 40 could not identify the correct symptoms of TB. To fill knowledge gaps related to TB, posters and brochures were developed to highlight TB symptoms, ways to prevent TB, and where to go for help.

Communication Activities

• Brochures, posters• Media campaigns• Special events• 1:1 health counseling• Trainings, presentations• Brand logos, promotional giveaways

What is Social Mobilization?

Social mobilization builds alliances, engages stakeholders, and increases community participation to:

•Bring visibility and a sense of urgency to an issue.

•Give a push or add momentum to communication and advocacy

efforts.

•Help people/officials/media realize that TB issues are important

and urgent.

Social Mobilization

Changes: participation, commitment, political will.

Targets: communities, policymakers, individuals.

Successes: increased issue exposure, more people involved, increased energy.

Main Mobilization Approaches

Approach Targets Activities

Political/Government mobilization

National policymakers, government officials, or

agenciesLobbying, meetings

Community mobilization

Local political, religious, social leaders; NGOs; women’s groups; etc.

Community meetings, mass media, celebrity events, World AIDS

Day

Corporate mobilization

National or international companies (to carry

appropriate messages, product labeling)

Meetings, mass media

Client mobilization TB patients, family membersTrainings, support

groups, mass media

A, C, and SM Work Together

ACSM is three interconnected strategies:

Communication

AdvocacySocial Mobilization

Case Example

ACSM Supports NTP Objectives

Case Detection•Improve quality of laboratory monitoring.

•Increase public knowledge of TB symptoms and where to seek care.

•Provide high-quality TB diagnosis and DOTS referral through public/private partnership.

Treatment Completion•Reduce treatment defaults by 20%.

•Expand community DOTS programs to all regions.

•Increase political commitment and funding for TB.

Key Points

• Advocacy aims to increase political and financial commitment to TB prevention and care

• Communication aims to improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices around TB.

• Social mobilization aims to create urgency and motivate action and commitment.

• When interlinked, ACSM activities can address multiple TB control challenges.