Twenty-three participants from 11 countries in Asia convened in Chennai, India in July for an advocacy training on WTO. The training, which focused on different advocacy skills was facilitated by APRN and was co-organized by Pesticide Action Network - Asia Pacific (PANAP) and Society for Rural Education and Development (SRED).

The objectives of the training were to strengthen global perspectives and analysis on the WTO issues; provide training on basic knowledge on advocacy skills; develop strategies for resistance and struggle; and strengthen solidarity and collaboration.

The training featured inputs on contextualizing advocacy and analyzing the problem wherein participants were able to concretely identify the social issues brought by WTO-AoA. The second part of the training focused on different advocacy skills including Lobbying and Campaigning, Information and Media Advocacy, Alliance and Networking and Mass Action and Struggles.

Participants came from various advocacy NGOs and People's Organizations from India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Majority of the participants were from South Asia. APRN members who attended were TIE-Asia, ERAC, PANAP, NGO-COD and incoming member INHURED from Nepal.

SRED, which co-hosted the training is a local group involved in the struggle of the Dalits and other issues that affect the marginalized people in India.

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