Dr. Bvudzai Magadzire, Gavi CSO Board Representative, delivered a comprehensive presentation on the upcoming Gavi 6.0 strategy and the Gavi LEAP initiative. She framed this as a pivotal moment for the Alliance and for CSOs, as the model shifts toward country-first approaches and deeper sustainability. 

Key themes included: 

• Country Ownership and Sovereignty: Under Gavi 6.0, decision-making is expected to rest firmly with countries, ensuring sovereignty and leadership in immunisation programmes. The aim is to reduce transaction costs, increase efficiency, and guarantee that delivery is achieved on time and within budget. 

• The “Big Leap”: Gavi LEAP represents a new course of action — reforming how Alliance partners work together, deepening partnerships, and aligning with national systems. This involves not only stronger collaboration but also rethinking mandates to ensure focus on equity, zero-dose children, and health system resilience. 

• Enablers of Success: The strategy will be supported by stronger measurement tools, a robust performance framework, and clearer accountability mechanisms to track progress and demonstrate results. 

• Implications for CSOs: Civil society is expected to remain a core partner in this shift. Dr. Magadzire underlined that CSOs will need to position themselves as trusted, system-embedded actors, ready to engage in country-led planning and financing discussions. 

Her presentation emphasised that Gavi 6.0 is not a revolution, but a recalibration — building on the achievements of 5.0 while making deliberate shifts to secure long-term sustainability and greater country centricity. 

We had an opportunity to present Gavi CSO operating model and structure with special emphasis on the need for CSOs to join the Constituency. Our presentation was titled “The Role of Gavi CSO Constituency from the lenses of Gavi CSO Host: Immunization for all is Humanly Possible”. We highlighted the need to improve the reach the Constituency, emphasizing that by joining, the CSOs will have a chance to participate in shaping the immunization landscape and share real-time experience in delivering last mile immunization interventions. Additional points included:  

1. Representing CSO voices at the global forums for policy and advocacy interventions.  
2. Spotlighting country-level engagements to reach zero-dose and missed communities.  
3. Promoting sustainable immunization practices and ensuring last mile delivery of vaccines. 
4. Ensuring CSOs funding policies are relevant.  
5. Completing the linkage with Governments and private sector actors.  
6. Dealing with misinformation about vaccines by investing in community education.  

After the presentation, the CSOs promised to join the Gavi CSO Constituency. We are working to ensure this is realised at the shortest time possible, building on the momentum realised during the discussion.  

The presentation culminated with a video titled “The waiting room” that was presented during the Gavi Replenishment Summit held on 24th June in Brussels, Belgium.  

We already have the full list of CSOs that attended the meeting, and we will follow-up to ensure they register into the CSOs database. 

The conference highlighted powerful ways in which advocacy and community engagement can advance immunisation goals in Zambia and across the region. CSOs demonstrated that when communities are mobilised and empowered, they can become active participants in driving health outcomes rather than passive recipients of services. 

Key opportunities discussed included: 

• Storytelling and Cultural Expression: Skits, traditional songs, and dance were used effectively to connect cultural heritage with health messages. This approach not only captured attention but also deepened trust, showing that advocacy can be grounded in community identity and values. 

• Strong Messaging: The central call — “Kids are the VIPs: Vaccinated, Immunised, Protected” — resonated across sessions. It provided a unifying and memorable message for community campaigns, emphasising children as the priority beneficiaries. 

• Engagement of Religious and Traditional Leaders: Both urban and rural leaders have become crucial partners in demand generation. Their credibility and influence within communities help address vaccine hesitancy and increase uptake of immunisation services. 

• Innovative Communication Tools: Radio campaigns and the use of defaulter tracking tools were highlighted as practical strategies to strengthen visibility, accountability, and follow-up for immunisation. These approaches were seen as scalable and adaptable to different contexts. 

• Shifting Perceptions: A key outcome was evidence that communities are beginning to view vaccines not as external products but as life-saving miracles. This represents maturity, ownership, and readiness for greater participation in immunisation programmes. 

Collectively, these advocacy approaches underscored the importance of CSOs as trusted intermediaries between health systems and communities. They demonstrated that community-centred communication is both a tool for accountability and a pathway to sustained demand generation. 

• ZCSIP represents maturity, trust, and collaboration across its 65-member network. 

• Zambia’s Gavi transition phase highlights the urgent need for domestic resource mobilisation (currently 39%). 

• Decentralisation and EPI elevation remain central to sustaining immunisation outcomes. 

• HPV vaccination programmes demonstrated the power of education-sector collaboration for reaching young girls. 

• Engagement of the private sector was recognised as key for urban coverage. 

• Capacity building remains a central challenge, with the need to ensure CSOs are prepared for Gavi 6.0 participation. 

• Follow up with CSOs from Zambia and Lesotho to register and strengthen the Constituency’s presence. 

• Strengthen capacity-building initiatives to prepare CSOs for Gavi 6.0. 

• Support sustained advocacy for domestic resource mobilisation and immunisation governance. 

• Support ongoing community sensitisation campaigns, particularly through radio and local media, to sustain advocacy and demand generation for immunisation. 

1. Agenda for the Conference – ZCSIP AGENDA 2025 31st july.pdf 
2. Gavi CSO Constituency presentation – Introducing Gavi SCO Constituency _ ZSCP.pptx