National governments must design policies that support gender-responsive HIV programs. ICRW developed and tested a replicable process through which countries could build and sustain gender-responsive national plans for a more effective HIV response. This publication describes how the process unfolded in two countries, Cambodia and Uganda, and shares lessons that can inform similar efforts. It describes how to identify partners and collaborators, conduct a gender assessment of the current HIV policy and program environment, use the assessment findings to develop recommendations, create communications and advocacy plans to feed the recommendations into policy formation, and plan for sustained national gender and HIV efforts.