Advocacy training workshop aims to strengthen capacities of organizations representing marginalized groups

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) with support from the European Union and the Astraea Foundation for Lesbian Justice this morning officially opened the three-day Civil Society Public Policy Advocacy Training of Trainers Programme.

According to SASOD the general purpose of the Civil Society Public Policy Advocacy Training of Trainers Programme is to strengthen the capacities of civil society organizations (CSOs) representing marginalized groups through the Guyana Equality Forum (GEF).

This is in an effort to effect key social, legal and policy changes in Guyana which advance and promote full equality, security and citizenship for all Guyanese.

Advocacy and Communications Officer, SASOD Schemel Patrick during the opening ceremony explained that the project has three phases, with the third phase, the Training of Trainers Programme in Public Policy Advocacy marking the culmination of the project, as 15 civil society advocates, who completed a comprehensive two-part training last year being trained as trainers themselves to conduct re-training sessions in their communities with their own constituents.

Meantime, Derek Lambe, Head of Political, Press and Information Section, EU delegation in Guyana said the EU aims to strengthen the capacity of Civil Society Organizations in their quest to protect vulnerable groups.

He noted that the role of SASOD and other supporting agencies cannot be emphasized enough in allowing the voices of the vulnerable, which they represent to be heard.