From 2008–2015, Health Equity Matters and APCASO partnered to implement the Community Advocacy Initiative (CAI) funded by the Australian Government through the Regional HIV/AIDS Capacity Building Programme.

• CAI aimed to strengthen the policy and advocacy capacity of HIV community-based organisations in Cambodia, China, Laos, and Vietnam.

  An evaluation of CAI noted the importance of Health Equity Matters’ support in achieving concrete results and strong progress toward CAI’s goals.

• It states:

  “Health Equity Matters’ peer relationship provided [APCASO] with solid and consistent support at a critical time’. The report noted ‘Health Equity Matters’ role was often ‘behind the scenes’ – with profile-raising opportunities (such as at the Regional and International AIDS Conferences) predominantly given to APCASO.”

  CAI has developed a strong model for future initiatives that address capacity building, advocacy and financing in the Asia and the Pacific.