1. CITIZENS IN LOCAL
GOVERNANCE PROJECT
(CILGOP)
DEVELOPING AN ADVOCACY PLAN FOR ACTION
FUNDED BY: USAID/LOGODEP
JUABOSO DISTRICT, WR
PRESENTED BY: YELLEY ABRAHAM(PO)
23RD – 24TH FEBRUARY, 2012

2. Successful advocacy depends on a successful message that resonates with
multiple target audiences, including the media. This is a critical element
of an effective advocacy plan.
What are the most important points supporting the advocacy objective?
Develop a message that reflects those points, and is simple and easy to
remember. The three critical elements of any advocacy message are:
 First, there should be a limited number of points communicated. The
best advocacy plans develop one key message, but in any event, a good
plan should never exceed two or three points.

3.  Second, test the message. Will your audience
understand the point you’re trying to make? Is it
too technical? Too broad or too narrow? Too clever?
 Third, ask for action. The audience needs to know
concisely the policy issue and the solution sought.
Tell them what action to take, as concretely as
possible.
 Not only can effective messaging help achieve an
advocacy objective, a confusing message can doom
an otherwise compelling advocacy campaign.

4. 1. Do you Know More About The Issue?
 Then you have to collect information, document
and assess the information. You can do this through:
 Investigating
 Simple data collection
 Research (primary, secondary, action-based etc)

5. 2. Have You Identified the Decision-maker or
Duty-bearer?
 This person (or people) is the one with the
mandate (political, policy-wise,
constitutional etc) to make decisions
concerning your issue and goal. This person
(or people or institution) is critical to
advocacy. S/he is called your primary target.
 This stage is called Power Mapping!!

6. 3. Do You know who can influence your Decision-maker?
 These persons (or person) are known as power brokers. They may be in the
social circles/employment circles of the decision-maker or duty-bearer
Power Mapping
 Issue and Goal
 Primary Target
 Secondary Target (Power Broker)
4. How can you show the decision-maker is responsible?
 You have to craft a strategic argument to prove that s/he is the one who has
the duty and the mandate to bring change to the issue.
 Here you use your;
 Collected data, analysis, result
 Any policy documents
 Any laws
The constitution
 Any international human rights instruments that point to this duty/responsibility

7. 5. Have you identified your allies?
 What do you do with your allies? You form an
alliance with them… (as in networks, coalitions,
partnerships, cooperation)
 Some skills needed here to make your alliance and
keep it going.
6. Have you identified your opponents?
 What do you do with your opponents?
 Asses the ‘danger’ they present
 Strategize and implement
 Lobbying?
 Ignoring?
 Shaming?

8. 7. How will you educate and gain public support?
 Employ all appropriate means to get your issue, goal
and message out.
 Use media, releases, talk shows, press conferences,
etc
 Use Information, Education and Communication –
posters, flyers, brochures, stickers, t’shirts, pens
etc
 Use drama/theatre
 Use campaign ‘take home’ message
 Use floats
 Use policy briefs communiqués, newsletters
 Use ‘wailing waifs’, packing the gallery’ etc
 As much as possible, let the constituents speak for
themselves

9. 8. What resources will you need to mobilize?
 Money! Cost it
 Time! Block it
 Logistics! Pack it
 People! mobilize them, motivate them and
manage them.
9. How will you engage your decision maker?
 This will depend on your chosen primary
advocacy strategy and what actions can
appropriately respond to it (or fit it)

10. Engagement usually involves:
 ‘cajoling’
 ‘lobbying’
 ‘partnering’
 ‘Cooperation’
Does not preclude:
 Confronting
 Civil ‘disobedience’
 Taking decision maker to court
 Naming and shaming especially internationally

11.  10. Have you drawn out a plan?
Note:
 Each major action/activity under the plan may need a (sub) plan.
 Thus: responsibilities, feedback, timeless/duration, location,
resources/costs, monitoring indicators etc, need to be considered.
Simple but comprehensive plans are good
Elements of Successful Advocacy
 Aims at transformation not accommodation
 There is conceptual clarity
 Strong organizing and mobilizing skills
 Appreciable support from constituents and the public
 Committed leadership
 Patience and determination
 Transparency, accountability and respect among the advocates
Who What When Where How

12. Activity Who is the
Target
When How to
know you
are on track
Responsibility
1.
2.

13. Overall objective/Development
Objective
To mobilize 10 communities to
engage the District Assembly on
discussions to………
Expected
result
Target group/
beneficiaries
Time frame Costs/
Specific objective 1: Establishing the facts for
your Advocacy
-Activity a. Research
-Activity b. Analysis of findings
-Activity c. Documentation of findings and
establishing the scenarios and
implications
Specific objective 2: Demarcating your Constituency
-Activity a. Identification of most vulnerable
communities
-Activity b. Establishing links and community
entry. Identifying and sensitizing

14. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR
ATTENTION