In 2012, WWAV is bringing our work to improve the health of women through advocacy statewide with the Louisiana Women’s Advocacy Alliance (LWAA). LWAA is the natural extension of the advocacy foundation built through our internationally renowned NO Justice project.  Working with women and advocates across the state, we will expand a base of support to target Louisiana policies that continue to hinder the health and human rights of women in the state.
One of WWAV’s core guiding principles is that people should not be criminalized for what they do with their own bodies and should be empowered to prevent disease and improve their overall well being in any way that is available, particularly if it is evidence based.  The women we work with often turn to sex work as a way to support substance use and have few options once involved in the criminal justice system to do anything different. WWAV’s success has come largely from a high impact service/advocacy model.  This model allows us to mobilize the communities affected most by social determinants of health, particularly policy, that are normally excluded from decision-making processes.
LWAA’s work will center around three interconnected objectives:

1. Policy analysis. Louisiana has consistently lagged behind other parts of the country in providing Harm Reduction services including syringe exchange programs and gender based modalities that take into account the specific needs of women, including their involvement in sex work. Through LWAA, we will detail specific policies affecting women, including those involved in sex work, craft rights-based policy recommendations at the local and state level.
2. Education and mobilization. The sustainability of social change is rooted in the involvement of the people.  We begin by meeting people where they are and providing services and referrals to address the immediate needs such as food, clothing, shelter and healthcare, that prevent community members from engaging in advocacy activities. WWAV is very visible in Louisiana communities with a presence at health fairs, neighborhood meetings and events conducted by other partners as well as at WWAV offices where we conduct outreach to community members, advocacy trainings and story circles. These activities will continue as an integral part of LWAA.
3. Alliance development. LWAA was launched in partnership with 10 core alliance partners, consisting of individual community members and organizations. Together, we share resources with other organizations engaged in social justice movements, service delivery and advocacy activities. By recruiting individuals as key alliance members, we further ensure the involvement of those most affected by harmful policies.