Introduction to Advocacy & Lobbying for Human Rights and Social Change

1. nicolc@spc.int
INTRODUCTION TO
ADVOCACY & LOBBYING

2. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.spc.int/rrrt
YUMI TOK TOK
• Using case study Qs as guide …
• Tell the “story” of your advocacy journey.
– When did you start?
– What was your objective? We want …
– What achieved along the way?
– What incremental successes?
– Who helped/supported you?
– What lessons for others?

3. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.spc.int/rrrt
OUR ADVOCACY
MEETING
CABINET
POSITION
PAPER
COALITION
BUILDING
COMMUNITY
CONSULTATIONS
DV LAW
ENACTED
TRAINING
DUTY
BEARERS
MASS
MEDIA
OBJECTIVE
 xxxxxxxxxx
 RESEARCH
 xxxxxxxxxx
LESSONS
SUCCESSES
SAFENET
NEXT STEPS
 xxxxxxxxxx
 xxxxxxxxxx
 xxxxxxxxxx
OPPORTUNITIES
 xxxxx
 Xxxxx
 Xxxxx
CHALLENGES
2015

4. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.spc.int/rrrt
• Enabling Environment Advocacy & Lobbying:
• motivates leadership to create supportive environment for change
• Targets - policy makers, MPs, decision-makers, advisors
• Social Mobilisation Advocacy:
• Ensures wider participation & ownership
• Targets - social institutions, networks, organisations, churches, NGOs,
community, youth, school groups, health centres, teachers …
• Attitude and Normative Change Advocacy: work
to trigger sustained changes in attitudes, norms and values
• Targets - individuals, families, community structures , women’s groups,
traditional leaders, …
ADVOCACY AT ALL LEVELS

5. nicolc@spc.int
WHAT IS ADVOCACY?
• What are the first words or thoughts
that come to mind when you hear the
word “advocacy”?

6. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.rrrt.org
ADVOCACY DEFINITION
 ACTION directed at social change.
 Putting a problem on the AGENDA
 Providing a SOLUTION to the problem; and
 Building SUPPORT for the solution and for the action
needed to implement the solution.
MOBILISING ACTION FOR CHANGE!

7. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.rrrt.org
ADVOCACY: Social-Ecological Model
MARCO-level
ENABLING
ENVIRONMENT
Lobbying & Advocacy
MEZZO - level
SOCIAL MOBILISATION
Schools; churches;
teachers colleges
MICRO – level
ATTITUDE, CULTURE
BEHAVIOUR
CHANGES

8. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.rrrt.org
ACTION for CHANGE …. at various levels
POLICY/LEGISLATIVE/
NATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT
ORGANISATIONAL
COMMUNITY
INTER-
PERSONAL
INDIVIDUAL
MARCO-level
ENABLING
ENVIRONMENT
MEZZO - level
SOCIAL MOBILISATION
MICRO – level
ATTITUDE, CULTURE
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE

9. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.rrrt.org
What is LOBBYING?

10. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.rrrt.org
What is LOBBYING?
Lobbying is …
 an organised attempt to influence DECISION-MAKERS
 persuading people who have a say in decision-making (POWER)
to do what we want

11. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.rrrt.org
LOBBYING
METHODS
• Face to face Meetings
• Factsheets
• Submissions (verbal)
• Submissions (written)
• Position Papers
• Policy Briefs
• Letter Writing
• Petitions
TARGETS
• Ministerial advisers and staff
• Legislative drafters
• Members of Parliament
• Parliamentary committees
• Experts and consultants
• Local Government officials
• Police Commissioners
• Hospital directors
• Ministers Finance
• Law Reform Commissions
• Attorney Generals

12. Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) www.rrrt.org
ADVOCACY TOOLBOX
• List 15 different ways (activities) you can use
to mobilise support for your issue and to
influence decision-makers to act.
• newspaper articles
• caps & t-shirts
• radio talk back/call-in shows
• Marches & demonstrations
• …………

13. nicolc@spc.int
ADVOCACY TOOLBOX
SOCIAL
COMMUNITY
ADMINISTRATIVE

14. nicolc@spc.int
ADVOCACY STRATEGY MIX
• Just as humans seek a dignity
that says not by bread alone, so
we as social advocates must
work to effect change not by
elections alone, not by mass
mobilisation alone, not by
lobbying alone, not by
information alone, not by
coalition alone and not by
anything else alone.
International Advocacy Institute

15. nicolc@spc.int
Quiet negotiation
Share information
Meet civil servants
Non-public briefs
Continued negotiation
Meet civil servants
Public briefs
“feed opposition”
Appear at Committees
MP meetings
Alliances with other groups
Letters to MP / Newspapers
Public criticism
Media advocacy
Release information
Letter writing
Protest action (marches,
demonstrations etc)
Litigation
GOAL
TO WIN
Low
Profile
Medium
Profile
High
Profile
Advocacy APPROACHES

16. nicolc@spc.int
1. Working with MoE to include Girl Guides in school curriculum.
2. Distributing mosquito nets to prevent dengue.
3. Meetings with Chamber of Commerce to fund internship
programs for youth.
4. Building a disaster evacuation centre.
5. Presentations to Cabinet on VAW and resources needed to
effectively respond to VAW.
6. Consultations with church leaders to speak out about VAW.
Is it advocacy, lobbying or service…?

17. nicolc@spc.int
Is it advocacy, lobbying or service…?
7. Mobilising women's’ groups to demand local council allocate
land to a build Safe House.
8. Writing and presenting to parliamentary committee, a
position paper on ratification of CAT.
9. Building a youth centre with an after school sports program.
10. Meetings with AG’s office to amend Penal Code.
11. District consultations to build support for inclusive education
pilot program in 6 district schools.

18. nicolc@spc.int
TAKE AWAY MESSAGES
• Lobbying is one of many tools used in advocacy.
• Lobbying alone is seldom sufficient to sustain action
for change. Effective advocacy uses a mix of
strategies.
• Lobbying does not have to have a bad name!
Lobbying can be done ethically & effectively?
• What is Pacific-Style lobbying & advocacy?

19. nicolc@spc.int