ADVOCACY

WHAT IS ADVOCACY

Advocacy is the deliberate process of influencing those who make policy decisions

Can be a means of convincing policy makers to fulfill their human responsibilities to others

THE USES OF ADVOCACY WILL ALWAYS

Improve the livelihood of significant numbers of people

Target policy makers & implementers at levels above the household

Be rooted in field experience & core values

ADVOCACY IS A STRATEGY THAT USES TO COMPLEMENT OUR EFFORTS TO

Strengthen capacity for self help

Deliver relief in emergencies

Address discrimination in all of its forms

WHY ADVOCATE

By including advocacy strategies in the program, recognize that :

Causes of poverty & discrimination stem both from decisions at the household level & from decisions made within community leadership structures, national legislatures, international organizations & powerful institutions

Only a wide range of program strategies targeted at multiple causes or “entry point” including policy causes, will lead to the desire impact – reducing poverty

Advocacy strategies will enable to

Influence policy makers as means of addressing policy root causes of poverty & discrimination

Contribute more effectively to reducing poverty & preventing deaths & suffering by using a wider range of interventions

Reach a large segment of the population & broaden the scope of our impact

—BUILDING FOUNDATION

—1. GATHERING POLICY & POLITICAL INFORMATION

—2. ASSESSING RISK

—3. BUILDING STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS

—4. ESTABLISHING YOUR CREDIBILITY AS AN ADVOCATE

—5. LINKING ADVOCACY TO COUNTRY OFFICE PRIORITIES

—6. MAINTAINING FOCUS

—1. GATHERING POLICY & POLITICAL INFORMATION

—STEPS : ANALYZE POLICIES & POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS

—What do you know about policies in your sectors of interest ?

—Who are the key policy makers & where do they work?

—STEPS : UNDERSTAND THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

—What are the connectors & dividers?

—How are leaders chosen ?

—Who are respected or powerful groups in politics?

—STEPS : UNDERSTAND COMMUNITY CONCERNS

—What are key community policy concerns?

—Is there a place for its partners in advocacy?

—ASSESSING RISK

—MAKE INFORMED JUDGEMENTS

—Are you considering any themes that pose risks of violence?

—Will you be perceived as biased or partisan?

—Are you in touch with political trends?

—Have you identified unacceptable risks in advance?

—Have you use knowledge from other programming to inform your advocacy?

—BUILDING STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS

—ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS WITH POLICY MAKERS

—Who’s in charge?

—Where do policy makers go for advice?

—NETWORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

—Who is doing effective advocacy?

—Who are possible advocacy partners?

—How can you build on relationships formed through other programs?

—ESTABLISHING YOUR CREDIBILITY AS AN ADVOCATE

—BUILD UP EXPERTISE TO ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY WITH POLICY MAKERS

—Do you or your partners have valuable information to share?

—Are you acknowledged as a trusted source of information?

—BUILD UP RELATIONS WITH COMMUNITIES TO ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY WITH THE PUBLIC

—Can you or your partners, legitimately speak on behalf of a community?

—Are you the most effective spokesperson for the people involved?

—LINKING ADVOCACY TO COUNTRY OFFICE PRIORITIES

—MAKE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN POLICY ISSUES & OTHER WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION

—How could your policy work relate to other projects & existing staff expertise?

—Is there internal support for advocacy?

—Are there staff who can advocate effectively?

—MAINTAINING FOCUS

—DEVELOP A SHORT LIST OF POLICY PRIORITIES

—What does the list of criteria suggest are the most promising priorities?

—A POLICY THEME

—Is the programmatic area or sector that is the focus of the advocacy strategy

—Example :

—Forestry

—Reproductive health

—HIV/AIDS

—Urban poverty

—Disaster response

—Ethnic conflict

—PLANNING AN ADVOCACY INITIATIVE

—1. ANALYZING POLICIES

—2. OUTLINING AN ADVOCACY STRATEGY

—3. FINALIZING AN ADVOCACY STRATEGY

—4. FRAMING PLAN

—STEP 1 : ANALYZING POLICIES

—1. identify a policy issue

—2. identify key actors & institutions

—3. analyze the policy environment

—4. summarize policy findings

—5. identify options for policy change

—STEP 2 : OUTLINING AN ADVOCACY STRATEGY

—1. select a policy issue

—2. select target audience

—3. set a policy goal

—4. identify allies & opponents

—STEP 3 : FINALIZING AN ADVOCACY STRATEGY

—1. select roles

—2. identify key messages

—3. define advocacy activities

—STEP 4 : FRAMING A PLAN

—1. set a timeline

—2. prepare a budget

—3. prepare a logframe

—4. plan for monitoring & evaluation