from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported ACCESS-FP Program, in the context of maternal health and newborn health

"Community mobilization at its best does not merely raise community awareness about an issue or persuade people to participate in activities that have been prioritized and planned by others. Rather, it is a comprehensive strategy that includes the following activities: carrying out careful formative research to understand the community context and design the processl entering the community (if externally facilitated) and establishing credibility and trust; raising community awareness about the maternal and newborn health situation; working with community leaders and others to invite and organise participation of those most affected by and interested in maternal and newborn health; exploring the issue to understand what is currently being done and why (helpful, harmful, benign practicesm beliefs, and attitudes) so that they can set priorities; planning; implementing the community plan; and monitoring and evaluating progress. These activities are summarized in the phases of what is known as the Community Action Cycle [in Figure 2]."

Click here to download the full source document as a PDF, and then scroll to page 7.

"Demystifying Community Mobilization: An Effective Strategy to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health" [PDF], USAID/ACCESS, February 2007, pg. 7 - retrieved June 3 2008.