Leadership & Advocacy

As part of an institutional commitment to emergent and critical public health issues in the Asia Pacific region, AIHI provides leadership in the development of appropriate responses through advocacy and public awareness. AIHI initiates dialogue with government and industry policy-makers and contributes to the debate and awareness of issues through its annual program of seminars and public forums.

Internationally, AIHI is working towards sustainable health outcomes through involvement in policy revision and development and health program planning and evaluation. Our faciliation of Special Interest Groups strengthens networks and fosters a growing commitment to neglected health issues, such as disability and development.

Occasional Seminar Series

In its mission to build awareness of critical and emerging issues in internaional health and to disseminate learning from our development practice, AIHI hosts an annual series of public forums and seminars. Previous seminars included: Keynote address by the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane on "HIV/AIDS Lessons from Africa: Dilemmas, Opportunities, and Strategies for Faith-Based Contexts and Organisations"; Dr Aleida Guevara (daughter of Che Guevara) on "The place of the health professional in income-poor countries"; and Mr Gourisankar Ghosh, Executive Director of
Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, Geneva on "WASH: Water Sanitation and Hygiene – first steps towards health and sustainability".

In collaboration with the Australian Council for International Development and the Christian Blind Mission, two seminars on disability and development:

• Access for ALL: guidelines and resources for disability-inclusive development practice on 21 July, 2005, and
• Access for All: A two-day forum on disability-inclusive development practice on 29 and 30 June 2006.

Disability Special Interest Group

AIHI hosts an email-based special interest group for practitioners and students interested in issues relating to disability in developing countries. Members receive newsletters and emails to inform them of various international developments, events, publications and opportunities that are going on in the world of disability in development. Members are also able to exchange or request information on particular topics and resources from countries where they have worked and also to circulate job advertisements.

For more information, please contact:
AIHI Leadership & Advocacy Program
Tel: +613 8344 9299 Email: aihi-info@unimelb.edu.au