Civil Society Organisations’ HIV/AIDS Advocacy in Southern Africa:

A Systematic Review

Abstract

This study evaluates the advocacy efforts of civil society organisations (CSOs) in combating HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa, a region disproportionately affected by the global HIV pandemic. A qualitative systematic review was undertaken to synthesise empirical evidence on CSOs’ contributions, drawing on 25 studies published between 2002 and 2022. The studies were identified through a comprehensive and systematic search of scholarly electronic databases, including Scopus, JSTOR, and Google Scholar, guided by predefined inclusion criteria focusing on CSO-led HIV/AIDS advocacy in Southern Africa. Following the retrieval of 207 records, titles and abstracts were screened, full texts were assessed for eligibility, and relevant data were systematically extracted from the final set of studies. The extracted qualitative data were subjected to an inductive thematic synthesis process, involving coding, categorisation, and manual interpretive analysis, which resulted in the development of five broad themes: community-based initiatives, advocacy and policy influence, partnerships and collaborations, innovative approaches to HIV/AIDS programmeming, and challenges and resilience. The findings establish the pivotal role of CSOs in shaping HIV/AIDS responses across Southern Africa, particularly through grassroots interventions, advocacy, strategic alliances, and innovation. Notably, CSOs have complemented incapacitated health systems and promoted rights-based approaches. However, reduced community-based programmeming and innovation, owing to shifting donor priorities, poses a threat to the progress made in localised HIV/AIDS programmes. To foster sustainable HIV/AIDS responses in Southern Africa, there is need to revitalise community-based programmeming, strengthen advocacy capacity, promote innovation, support CSOs’ partnerships and networks, and address structural challenges. Future studies should include mixed-methods designs to analyse CSOs' HIV/AIDS advocacy efforts in Southern Africa from diverse perspectives, thereby expanding understanding of the complex dynamics of CSOs' advocacy in the region.