Co-creating a Mpox Elimination Campaign in the WHO European Region: The Central Role of Affected Communities.

Between May 2022 and September 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe engaged in a collaborative effort with affected communities to address the outbreak of mpox in the region. This concerted endeavor led to the development of a risk communication campaign specifically tailored to address the perceptions and needs of the target audience, thereby contributing to the control and the long-term goal of mpox elimination. Various community engagement interventions were implemented, including the establishment of an informal civil society organizations' working group to provide feedback on the WHO mpox campaign, webinars targeting event organizers, and roundtable discussions with country-level responders. The invaluable feedback garnered from the community was utilized to customize materials and extend outreach to groups that may have been overlooked in the initial response. This successful initiative underscored the immense potential of placing communities at the forefront of emergency response efforts, equipping them with the necessary resources, engagement, and empowerment. This offers 1 model of co-creation that can be applied to health emergencies. It is asserted that the pivotal role played by communities in this response should be recognized as a valuable lesson and incorporated into all emergency responses, ensuring sustained community involvement and empowerment throughout the entire emergency cycle.

The Role of Patient Organizations in Shaping Research, Health Policies, and Health Services for Rare Genetic Diseases: The Dutch Experience.

In 2023, the genetics scientific community celebrated two special anniversaries: the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA was published in 1953 and in 2003 the Human Genome Project was declared completed and made publicly available. To this day, genetics and genomics research is continuing to evolve at high pace and is identifying a steadily increasing number of genes as causal for distinct genetic diseases. The success story of genetics and genomics would not be complete without taking due account of the role of patient advocacy organizations in this process. This paper is based on the personal narrative (oral history) of a father whose daughter was born with a rare genetic disease (RGD) in the 1960s. The first-hand experience of living as a family with an RGD in those days made him a leading pioneer not only in the foundation of patient organizations at national, pan-European, and international levels but also in the development of multi-stakeholder co-operation and networking. Today, patient advocacy organizations play an active role in shaping health and research policies at national, EU, and international levels to ensure that their needs in regard to advancing RGD diagnostics, care, and treatment are addressed.

High expectations: Civil society participation in conflict early warning and response systems of the AU, ECOWAS and IGAD.

Civil society organisation (CSO) participation in conflict early warning and response systems (CEWRS) of African intergovernmental organisations is expected to be beneficial to collect data, conduct analyses, and respond timeously to the potential escalation of violent conflict in a way that is relevant to local stakeholders. These high expectations contrast with CEWRS' protracted operationalisation procedures, low capacity of many CSOs, and the challenges of integrating civil society into (inter)governmental structures, which militate against effective participation. This article considers the net effect of CSO participation, examining how CSOs contributed to data collection, analyses, early warning and responses of CEWRS in the AU, ECOWAS and IGAD, and assesses their participation models. The article finds that CSO participation is a long way from delivering on expectations. It argues that CSOs can only fully deliver by building independent CEWRS that complete early warning-response processes in parallel to the intergovernmental systems, as in West Africa.

The 'Paths to everyday life' (PEER) trial - a qualitative study of mechanisms of change from the perspectives of individuals with mental health difficulties participating in peer support groups led by volunteer peers.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, peers support has been shown to play a crucial role in supporting people with mental illness in their personal recovery process and return to everyday life. Qualitiative studies underpinning the mechanisms of change in peer support has been reviewed. However, the findings are primeraly based on the perspectives of peer support workers employed in mental health services. Thus, qualitiative studies elucidating the mechanisms of change from the recipient perspective in mental health service independent civil society settings are higly needed to further contribute to the evidence of peer support. The 'Paths to every day life' (PEER) is evaluated in a randomized trial and is substantiated by qualitative studies investigating the experiences of PEER from the perspectives of the recipients and the facilitators of peer support. The purpose of this qualitative study underpinned by critical realism was to substantiate the PEER intervention program theory by gaining deeper insight into the change mechanisms and elaborate how, when, and under what circumstances the peer support groups potentially had or did not have an impact on personal recovery from the perspectives of the recipients of peer support. METHODS: Eleven individuals were interviewed at the end of the ten-week group course. The semi-structured realist-inspired interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The analysis was guided by reflective thematic analysis and through an abductive framework based on the program theory. Data were coded and analysed in Nvivo software. RESULTS: Four overarching themes were identified that informed and nuanced the program theory: 1) Connectedness as a prerequisite for engagement; 2) A sense of hope by working out new paths to recovery; 3) Seeing new sides of oneself; and 4) Sprout for change. CONCLUSIONS: This study substantiates the program theory and the quantitative results of the PEER trial by elaborating on mechanisms that were felt to be essential for the personal recovery process from the perspectives of the recipients of the group-based peer support. In addition, the study points out that the opportunities to act in everyday life depended on individual context and where the group participants were on their recovery journey. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04639167.

"These Conversations Shouldn't be Easy You're Going to Have to Shift. It Means Reflection It Means Change": Moving Anti-Oppression Beyond Incremental Changes in the GBV Sector.

Little is known about racialized women's work experiences in EDI/AO policy-led Canadian women's organizations in the gender-based violence (GBV) sector. Twenty-three racialized and white GBV workers participated in a critical qualitative study. Five themes emerged illustrating that racialized women workers are experiencing systemic violence through acts of racism and discrimination. The two themes examined in this paper: a culture of silence and shifting the needle forward reveal that the GBV sector is primarily an affirmative space. Creating greater safety for racialized women workers means moving toward transformative approaches that challenge the system's responsibility in creating and supporting anti-oppressive efforts in the elimination of violence.

The Role of Civil Society in the Implementation of the Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI) Framework: Takeaways from Southeast Asia.

BACKGROUND: In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI) with the aim of strategically guiding and coordinating efforts to reduce breast cancer mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). At the country level, GBCI requires adaptation to local contexts based on a systematic assessment of barriers faced by breast cancer patients and the health system's capacity. This requires engaging stakeholders with civil society organizations being key. METHOD: During the 7th Southeast Asia Breast Cancer Symposium (SEABCS) held in Hue, Vietnam, breast cancer clinicians, policy makers, patients, advocates, and caregivers were invited to participate in a workshop to discuss the role civil society organizations will play in the implementation of GBCI. The workshop objective was to identify the needs of CSOs to effectively support the domestic implementation of GBCI principles and strategies. RESULT: Twenty-two people registered for the workshop, with eight civil society organizations represented by one or more members. Participants were assigned to three groups and were asked to describe; (a) the ways in which civil society could use the GBCI framework document, advocate for its implementation at the country level, and support the implementation of recommended interventions; and (b) what would be needed for civil society to use, advocate for, or implement GBCI. CONCLUSION: This report outlines the main discussion points, the roles that civil society can play in countries' implementation efforts, and the resources needed so they can efficiently support their governments in their implementation strategy. By including civil society as a key element of breast cancer control, countries in the region and beyond can accelerate the domestic implementation of the GBCI principles and strategies, making significant progress in breast cancer control and improving the lives of those affected by the disease.

Influence of policymakers and civil society stakeholders on sewage sludge management strategies: Empirical results from European utilities.

Sewage sludge management is crucial for water utilities to move towards a circular valorisation of resources. The current literature focuses mainly on the technological aspects of sludge management strategies. However, the current discussion of these strategies does not consider possible pressures arising from the utilities' civil society stakeholders and from policymakers. To fill this gap, this paper develops a conceptual framework, based on the current literature, that identifies the utility's key decisions on sludge management strategies (valorisation route, overperformance and vertical integration), and links them to possible pressures arising from civil society and existing regulations. Subsequently, the study validates the framework through a multiple explanatory case study, investigating the empirical relevance of such pressures in six water utilities across Europe. The influence of citizens and municipalities is found to be crucial in the choice of sludge valorisation routes. Economic instruments, command and control instruments and, new to the literature, regulatory uncertainty are found to be key policy features influencing utilities' decisions on sludge management. The paper provides a first-of-its-kind investigation that highlights the mechanisms through which policymakers and civil society stakeholders shape utilities' sewage sludge management strategies. The results complement and extend existing theoretical knowledge on the role of institutional pressures in the implementation of sustainable environmental systems.

Relationships between community-led mutual aid groups and the state during the COVID-19 pandemic: complementary, supplementary, or adversarial?

This research explores ways public service ecosystems developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on relationships between community-led mutual aid groups and the state. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and mobile ethnographic methods with 30 participants from the public sector and three mutual aid groups across Scotland. We show how relationships between mutual aid groups and the state - whether complementary, supplementary, or adversarial - shifted over the course of the pandemic. Our findings add nuance to understandings that presuppose mutual aid as antagonistic, highlighting ways that mutual aid groups may be brought into existing public service ecosystems.

Co-designing municipal multimorbidity rehabilitation leveraging health literacy and social networks: Protocol for the CURIA study.

Background: Managing multimorbidity poses significant challenges for individuals, their families, and society due to issues with health information comprehension, communication with healthcare providers, and navigating the healthcare system. These challenges emphasise the critical need to prioritize individual and organisational health literacy. Multimorbidity is associated with a lack of social support for health; however, social networks and community dynamics can enhance health literacy. The "Co-designing municipal rehabilitation" (CURIA) project targets enhancing individual and organisational health literacy, and social networks for individuals with multimorbidity, with the overall aim of addressing health inequity through a collaborative local co-design process involving stakeholders. Methods: The CURIA study employs a mixed-method approach that initially explores the health literacy experiences of individuals with multimorbidity participating in rehabilitation programs in selected Danish municipalities and the practices of professionals overseeing these programs. The subsequent co-design process will comprise individuals with multimorbidity, their relatives, municipalities, general practitioners, civil society, and knowledge institutions working together. This iterative and collaborative process involves tailoring and aligning health literacy needs with responsiveness within the context of local healthcare systems and developing supportive social networks. Discussion: Given the increasing burden of multimorbidity, there is an urgent need to develop evidence-based practice for multimorbidity rehabilitation practices, developed in collaboration with municipalities and civil society. Emphasising self-care support for individuals, managing complex rehabilitation needs, and involving individuals in intervention prioritisation and customisation are crucial aspects addressed by CURIA to enhance health literacy and align municipal rehabilitation with identified needs.

Civil Society Involvement in Managing the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of a Large and Congested Urban Community in Bangkok, Thailand.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted Thailand, including urban centers like Bangkok and surrounding areas, highlighting a critical need for effective management within densely populated communities to mitigate its effects. Methods: This qualitative study sought to explore community management strategies developed in Khlong Toei, a large, congested urban community in Bangkok, Thailand. Seven in-depth interviews (n=7), six focus groups (n=23), and two brainstorming sessions (n=12) were conducted for this study. Data were collected using Zoom, an online communication platform, and through on-site interviews between August 2021 and March 2022 in the congested urban community of Bangkok, Thailand. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: All informants (age range: 20-66 years, female respondents: 73.33%) were recruited by a community leader and the abbot of Saphan Temple, the community waiting area in Khlong Toei. The findings revealed two main themes: (1) Caring people, including two subthemes, and (2) Caring community, including two subthemes. Discussion: The study's findings provide guiding inputs for management of public fear to prevent emerging or re-emerging infectious pandemics within congested urban communities.

Importância da interação entre comunidade e graduando, para uma formação humanizada: relato de experiência / Importance of interaction between community and undergraduate, for humanized training: experience report

Durante a vivência acadêmica, as universidades conectam seus futuros profissionais para assistência à comunidade, tendo em vista uma formação centrada na humanização dos pacientes. O programa de monitoria para a clínica interdisciplinar no tratamento de feridas, do Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC), não se limita apenas ao campo teórico, abrangendo muito a prática com o corpo social e possibilita essa experiência com a comunidade de forma humanizada. Objetivo: Relatar a inter-relação com a sociedade durante o tempo de monitoria, como isso é importante para a capacitação de excelência, e também como essa humanização contribui para tratamento e evolução do paciente. Metodologia: O estudo consiste em um relato de experiência de um dos monitores da clínica de feridas durante um semestre de monitoria, apresentando caráter descritivo. Resultados e Discussão: Durante a vivência notou-se o quão importante é enxergar esse lado humano do paciente, não se preocupando apenas com suas queixas. Agindo desse modo, teve como resultado pacientes mais felizes, engajados com o tratamento e gostando de estar naquele ambiente, por mais doloroso que fosse o real motivo. Considerações finais: É vital para o graduando aprender a lapidar sua abordagem com o paciente, atuando de maneira holística. Essa interação entre universidade e corpo social é de fundamental importância para desenvolver profissionais que saiam ainda mais capacitados para o mercado de trabalho, principalmente quando se trata de profissionais da área da saúde, possibilitando mesclar assistência e atendimento, com o processo de ensino-aprendizado das práticas de saúde.(AU)

During their academic experience, universities connect their future professionals to assist the community, with a view to training centred on the humanization of patients. The monitoring program for the interdisciplinary wound care clinic at the Centro Universitário do Espírito Santo (UNESC) is not just limited to the theoretical field, but also encompasses a lot of practice with the social body and enables this experience with the community in a humanized way. Objective: To report on the interrelationship with society during the monitoring period, how important this is for the training of excellence, and also how this humanization contributes to the treatment and evolution of the patient. METHODOLOGY: The study consists of a report on the experience of one of the wound clinic monitors during a semester of monitoring, and is descriptive in nature. Results and Discussion: During the experience, we noticed how important it is to see the human side of the patient, not just worrying about their complaints. Acting in this way resulted in happier patients, engaged with the treatment and enjoying being in that environment, no matter how painful the real reason.Final considerations: It is vital for undergraduates to learn how to refine their approach to patients, acting in a holistic way. This interaction between the university and society is of fundamental importance for developing professionals who are even more qualified for the job market, especially when it comes to health professionals, making it possible to merge assistance and care with the teaching-learning process of health practices.(AU)

Durante su experiencia académica, las universidades vinculan a sus futuros profesionales con la asistencia a la comunidad, con vistas a una formación centrada en la humanización de los pacientes. El programa de acompañamiento de la clínica interdisciplinaria de cuidado de heridas del Centro Universitario do Espírito Santo (UNESC) no se limita apenas al campo teórico, sino que abarca mucha práctica con el cuerpo social y posibilita esta experiencia con la comunidad de forma humanizada. Objetivo: Informar sobre la interrelación con la sociedad durante el período de seguimiento, cuán importante es esto para la formación de excelencia, y también cómo esta humanización contribuye al tratamiento y evolución del paciente. Metodología: El estudio consiste en un informe sobre la experiencia de uno de los monitores de la clínica de heridas durante un semestre de monitorización, y es de naturaleza descriptiva. RESULTADOS Y DISCUSIÓN: Durante la experiencia, nos dimos cuenta de lo importante que es ver el lado humano del paciente, no sólo preocuparse por sus quejas. Actuar de esta manera resultó en pacientes más felices, comprometidos con el tratamiento y disfrutando de estar en ese ambiente, por más doloroso que sea el motivo real.Consideraciones finales: Es fundamental que los estudiantes universitarios aprendan a perfeccionar su abordaje con los pacientes, actuando de forma holística. Esta interacción entre la universidad y la sociedad es de fundamental importancia para el desarrollo de profesionales aún más cualificados para el mercado de trabajo, especialmente cuando se trata de profesionales de la salud, haciendo posible la fusión de la asistencia y el cuidado con el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de las prácticas de salud.(AU)

The Pitfalls of Ascribing Moral Agency to Corporations: Public Obligation and Political and Social Contexts in the Commercial Determinants of Health.

Policy Points Government and civil society should be held more accountable for creating food and beverage regulatory policies rather than assigning moral agency to the food and beverage industry. Nutrition policymaking institutions should ensure civil society's ability to design regulatory policy. Government policymaking institutions should be isolated from industry interference.

Estado, luta de classes e representação de interesses: a saúde pública estatal em disputa / State, class struggle and interest representation: state public health in dispute

O artigo discute e analisa as agendas e as propostas das organizações da sociedade civil na área da saúde, os interesses representados e de que modo são respondidos pelo Estado. Trata-se de pesquisa documental, abrangendo o período de 2010 a 2018, tendo como principais fontes empíricas: programas de governo em âmbito federal, documentos governamentais como leis, decretos, medidas provisórias, relatórios de conferências, programas e projetos de organizações da sociedade civil vinculadas à burguesia e à classe trabalhadora. Os principais resultados evidenciam o crescimento dos aparelhos privados de hegemonia (APH), representantes dos interesses privados e com o apoio do Estado, em detrimento dos APH vinculados aos interesses das classes subalternas e à defesa da saúde pública e estatal

The article discusses and analyzes civil society organizations' agendas and proposals in health, the interests represented, and how the State responds to them. This is a documentary research covering the period from 2010 to 2018, having as primary empirical sources government programs at the federal level, government documents like laws, decrees, provisional measures, conference reports, programs, and projects of civil society organizations representatives to the bourgeoisie and the working class. The main results show the growth of Private Hegemony Apparatus representing private interests, with the support of the State, to the detriment of the Apparatus representatives to the interests of subaltern classes and the defense of public and state health

O protagonismo do Estado (capitalista-neoextrativista minerário): incursões pela sociedade civil e pela (des)regulamentação em Minas Gerais / The protagonism of the expanded State (mineral-neoextractivist capitalist): incursions by civil society and by (de)regulation in Minas Gerais / El protagonismo del Estado ampliado (capitalista mineral-neoextractivista): incursiones de la sociedad civil y de la (des)regulación en Minas Gerais

Este artigo ocupa-se de um debate sobre o neoextrativismo minerário em Minas Gerais, a partir de dois aspectos: o primeiro diz respeito ao Estado e sua relação com o capital minerário e o direcionamento de (des)regulações recentes em benefício das mineradoras; o segundo relaciona-se às empresas minerárias e sua inserção nas sociedades civis no plano local, tendo como caso a Anglo-Gold Ashanti. As atividades de responsabilidade social ou de investimento social privado nos territórios minerados são aqui entendidas como ampliação de sua hegemonia e de (re)organização de interesses e apaziguamento de resistências. Para tanto, o artigo se sustenta nos conceitos de hegemonia e Estado ampliado de Antonio Gramsci, no uso de uma pesquisa documental e de marcos legais, sem deixar de localizar o neoextrativismo no contexto do Estado brasileiro

This article tackles a significant debate on mining neoextractivism in Minas Gerais, examining it from two angles: the first is the State's relationship with mining capital and the recent (de)regulations that appear to favor mining companies; the second is the role of mining companies in local civil societies, with a specific focus on the case of AngloGold Ashanti. The concept of social responsibility or private social investment in the mined territories is critiqued here as a means of expanding hegemony, reorganizing interests, and pacifying resistance. The article draws on Antonio Gramsci's notions of hegemony and the expanded State, using documentary research and laws to situate neo-extractivism within the Brazilian State's context

Este artículo aborda un debate sobre el neoextractivismo minero en Minas Gerais, desde dos aspectos: el primero está relacionado con el Estado y su relación con el capital minero y la dirección de las recientes (des)regulaciones en beneficio de los mineros; el segundo se relaciona con las empresas mineras y su inserción en las sociedades civiles a nivel local, siendo el caso de Anglo-Gold Ashanti. Las actividades de responsabilidad o inversión sociales privada en territorios minados se entienden aquí como una expansión de su hegemonía y (re)organización de intereses y apaciguamiento de resistencias. Para ello, el artículo se basa en los conceptos de hegemonía y Estado ampliado de Antonio Gramsci, utilizando investigaciones documentales y marcos legales, ubicando el neoextractivismo en el contexto del Estado brasileño

The role of civil society and the voluntary sector in children's global surgery.

An unacceptable inequity exists in the burden of pediatric surgical disease and access to surgical and anesthesia care between low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and high-income countries (HIC). Civil society organizations (CSOs) and the voluntary sector have been integral in addressing this imbalance. This article summarizes the roles that these organizations have played in improving pediatric surgical care globally and how their roles have evolved over the years. CSOs and voluntary organizations have historically provided operations on LMIC patients; however, the focus has shifted to building sustainable surgical systems by training a skilled workforce, improving local infrastructure, and contributing to research and advocacy efforts.

How can civil society organizations contribute to the scale-up of comprehensive sexuality education? Presentation of a scaling framework illustrated with examples from Indonesia.

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) can substantially contribute to the health and well-being of young people. Yet, most CSE interventions remain limited to the small piloting or research phase and scale-up is often an afterthought at the end of a project. Because of the specificities of CSE, including it being a controversial topic in many contexts and a topic on the fringe between health, education and youth, a specific scaling approach to CSE is needed. The commentary presents a practical framework to support civil society organisations (CSOs), to address barriers to scaling up CSE in their contexts. The utilization and relevance of the framework is demonstrated in this article, by featuring examples from the scale up process of CSE in Indonesia. The framework identifies key principles for scaling up, including: taking a scaling mindset from the start, government ownership and political commitment for scale-up, and identifying the added value of CSOs. The framework starts with a self-assessment by the CSO and then follows four phases: making the case, engaging in dialogue, establishing building blocks and implementation and scale-up. Each of these phases are illustrated with examples from Indonesia.This framework is a call to action with practical guidelines to support CSOs to take on this role, because with the right scaling strategies, the largest generation of young people ever alive can become healthy, empowered and productive adults.

Potential role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mitigation efforts in low- and middle-income countries: A report from India.

Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a global health threat with the potential to cause mortality and morbidity on an unprecedented scale. In the past, civil society organizations (CSOs) have been successful in complementing the efforts of government health systems, thereby shaping the course of various public health programs, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This article reports the outcomes of a CSO sensitization workshop held by one of the regional nodes of ReAct and highlights the perspectives of CSOs on their role in supporting the implementation of national and sub-national action plans for AMR mitigation. CSOs can contribute to (i) redefining the AMR narrative, (ii) generating the data for action and policy change, (iii) advocating for policy change, (iv) promoting research and influencing decisions pertaining to research in AMR, and (v) undertaking behavioral change communication for different target groups, among others. Governments in LMICs could leverage the expertise of CSOs by playing the role of facilitator while ensuring that the interventions align with national priorities and are sustainable. Efforts to ensure diverse funding and capacity building among CSOs should happen in parallel to ensure maximum impact on communities.

A framework of NGO inside and outside strategies in the commercial determinants of health: findings from a narrative review.

BACKGROUND: Public health scholarship has uncovered a wide range of strategies used by industry actors to promote their products and influence government regulation. Less is known about the strategies used by non-government organisations to attempt to influence commercial practices. This narrative review applies a political science typology to identify a suite of 'inside' and 'outside' strategies used by NGOs to attempt to influence the commercial determinants of health. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search in Web of Science, ProQuest and Scopus. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they comprised an empirical study, explicitly sought to examine 'NGOs', were in English, and identified at least one NGO strategy aimed at commercial and/or government policy and practice. RESULTS: One hundred forty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Eight industry sectors were identified: extractive, tobacco, food, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, weapons, textiles and asbestos, and a small number of general studies. We identified 18 types of NGO strategies, categorised according to the target (i.e. commercial actor or government actor) and type of interaction with the target (i.e. inside or outside). Of these, five NGO 'inside' strategies targeted commercial actors directly: 1) participation in partnerships and multistakeholder initiatives; 2) private meetings and roundtables; 3) engaging with company AGMs and shareholders; 4) collaborations other than partnerships; and 5) litigation. 'Outside' strategies targeting commercial actors through the mobilisation of public opinion included 1) monitoring and reporting; 2) protests at industry sites; 3) boycotts; 4) directly engaging the public; and 5) creative use of alternative spaces. Four NGO 'inside' strategies directly targeting government actors included: 1) lobbying; 2) drafting legislation, policies and standards; 3) providing technical support and training; and 4) litigation. NGO 'outside' strategies targeting government included 1) protests and public campaigns; 2) monitoring and reporting; 3) forum shifting; and 4) proposing and initiating alternative solutions. We identified three types of NGO impact: substantive, procedural, and normative. CONCLUSION: The analysis presents a matrix of NGO strategies used to target commercial and government actors across a range of industry sectors. This framework can be used to guide examination of which NGO strategies are effective and appropriate, and which conditions enable NGO influence.

The Role of Nonprofit and Nongovernmental Organizations and People With Viral Hepatitis on the Path Toward Hepatitis C Virus Elimination.

Nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations have driven and continue to drive hepatitis C elimination by putting people with viral hepatitis and their affected communities at the center of hepatitis elimination efforts. They have been key in driving the decentralization of services and community-based delivery in the hepatitis care pathway to improve the health and well-being of the populations most affected by hepatitis C. This article explores how the formation of the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), an international network of community organizations in >100 countries, led to powerful advocacy from community leaders and people with hepatitis, resulting in the establishment of World Hepatitis Day. Since then, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the importance of viral hepatitis by setting the 2030 global elimination targets. WHA and WHO have collaborated on 3 World Hepatitis Summits, which have built momentum across many sectors to help elevate hepatitis through the global health agenda. The article discusses their paradigm-shifting campaigns and also presents civil society organizations' hepatitis elimination efforts in Egypt, Mongolia, Bangladesh, and the United Kingdom and their significant impact through local resource mobilization and engagement of national governments.