Advocacy Strategies Handbook
Advocacy Training & Resource Center
Public International Law & Policy Group
July 2011
advocacy campaign handbook
Executive Summary
The overarching goal of an advocacy campaign is to influence
decision-makers in order to enact change that will benefit the
lives of the public, particularly the politically, economically,
and socially disenfranchised. Grassroots advocacy is advocacy by
the people; it strives to increase the capacity of local
communities by giving a voice to community members. Thus, advocacy
can be performed by people directly affected by an issue or by
people and organizations advocating on behalf of an affected
population.
The first step in planning an advocacy campaign is to identify
the issues that your campaign will seek to address. Once you have
identified and thoroughly analyzed your target issues, you may
decide to cut the issues in order to reduce the scope of your
advocacy campaign and focus your efforts on particular areas where
change can actually be achieved.
When the issue has been identified and researched, you commence
the planning process of the advocacy campaign by establishing
goals, objectives, indicators, stakeholders, targets, and
activities. You begin by setting the goals and objectives of the
advocacy campaign: goals articulate the desired change in policies
or practices that you wish to achieve; and objectives define
specifically what you will accomplish, with whom, how, and in what
period of time. Setting objectives enables you to clarify what you
are trying to achieve, and assists you in planning and designing
your advocacy activities.
After articulating your goals and objectives, the next step in
planning your advocacy campaign is to identify indicators signs
that let you know that you are making progress toward your
objectives. Once you have identified your indicators of success,
you should turn your attention towards identifying the stakeholders
in and targets of your advocacy campaign. A stakeholder is anyone
who has a direct interest in the outcome of your advocacy campaign,
including allies, neutrals, and opponents. Any stakeholder with a
high degree of influence over your issue becomes a target of your
advocacy campaign. After you have identified your targets, define
and clarify your campaigns message, and frame it based on your
particular target audience.
The next step in advocacy campaign planning is to select your
activities. The best activities are participatory, cost-effective,
and reach as many people as possible particularly the poorest and
most disenfranchised. They include: policy research, lobbying,
demonstrations, watchdog activities, flyers, websites, networking,
meetings, newsletters, petitions, negotiations, press conferences,
strikes, poetry contests, marches, surveys, theater, court cases,
poster campaigns, talk shows, round tables, workshops,
negotiations, trainings, TV or radio drama, door to door
solicitation, letter writing, interviews, public forums, press
releases, mediation, exposure tours, and press briefings.
After a thorough analysis of your goals, objectives, indicators,
message, resources, stakeholders, targets, and activities, the next
step is to create an advocacy campaign action plan, which helps to
consolidate your thoughts and efforts into a concise framework for
your advocacy campaign. Once your advocacy campaign action plan is
complete, it is time to begin implementing your campaign
activities. Throughout the advocacy campaign, and after the
campaign has ended, you should monitor and evaluate the campaign in
order to reveal both its successes and failures. In the end, you
hope to find that your advocacy campaign has helped to directly
improve peoples lives.
Copyright Public International Law and Policy Group, 2009The
Public International Law & Policy Group encourages the use of
this document. Any part of the material may be duplicated with
proper acknowledgment.advocacy campaign handbook
Statement of Purpose 1Introduction 1
What is Advocacy? 1Advocacy1Grassroots Advocacy2Who Does
Advocacy?4Roles of an AdvocateGood Advocacy PracticesThe Three
Spheres of Influence
The Advocacy Cycle6Identify the Issue6What is an Issue?8What is
a Good Advocacy Issue?10Analyze Your Issue10Cut the Issue11Research
the Issue11Plan13Set GoalsSet ObjectivesIdentify IndicatorsIdentify
StakeholdersIdentify TargetsDefine the MessageAssess
ResourcesChoose ActivitiesCreate Advocacy Campaign Action
Plan13Act13Monitor & Evaluate14Monitoring14Evaluating
Conclusion27
About the Public International Law & Policy Group 27
Advocacy campaign handbook
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this handbook is to provide the starting point
for an advocacy campaign handbook that Kosovars can use to advocate
for change within their society.
Introduction
Advocacy campaigns are implemented by individuals,
organizations, and civil society groups in order to effect change
on a particular issue or set of issues. The overarching goal is to
influence decision-makers to enact change that will benefit the
lives of the politically, economically, or socially
disenfranchised. A successful advocacy campaign first entails
identifying an issue or problem for your campaign to tackle, and
researching that issue. Next, a good advocate plans out the
advocacy campaign, including by setting goals and objectives;
identifying indicators, stakeholders, and targets; defining and
clarifying the message; assessing available resources; and choosing
a series of activities through which to achieve the campaigns
goals. This plan is then memorialized in a flexible Advocacy
Campaign Action Plan, which helps to consolidate the advocates
thoughts and efforts into a framework for the advocacy campaign.
Once the planning stage is complete, the advocate then takes action
to implement the plan. Throughout the advocacy campaign, and after
the campaign has ended, a good advocate monitors and evaluates the
campaign in order to reveal both its successes and failures. In the
end, the advocate hopes to find that her advocacy campaign has
helped to directly improve peoples lives.
What is Advocacy?
Advocacy
Advocacy means taking action to create the change you would like
to see.[endnoteRef:1] It entails a strategic set of actions
designed to influence those who hold power whether governmental,
political, economic, or private to implement or change public
policies or practices in order to benefit the politically and
economically disadvantaged.[endnoteRef:2] An advocacy campaign is a
long-term set of activities that includes research, planning,
acting, monitoring, and evaluating advocacy efforts.[endnoteRef:3]
[1: WaterAid, The Advocacy Sourcebook 11 (Sept. 2007), available at
http://www.wateraid.org/documents/plugin_documents/advocacy_sourcebook_2.pdf
(Hereafter WaterAid).] [2: Victoria Ayer and Colin Bunn, The
Advocacy Expert Series, Book 1: Advocacy Campaign Management 2
(March 2004), available at
http://www.pactworld.org/galleries/resource-center/advocacy_series_module1.pdf
(Hereafter Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series); Pact Tanzania,
Advocacy Expert: Civil Society and Advocacy, 6 (2005) (Hereafter
Pact Tanzania).] [3: Ibid.]
Generally speaking, advocacy campaigns are designed to achieve
positive change through some combination of: (1) influencing public
policy and practice; (2) influencing corporate policy and practice;
(3) influencing public attitudes and behavior; (4) influencing
decision-making processes so that affected communities are
involved; and (5) empowering affected communities to influence the
decisions that affect them.[endnoteRef:4] [4: Ian Chandler,
Advocacy and Campaigning: How To Guide, 2 (July 2010), available at
http://www.dochas.ie/Shared/Files/4/BOND_Advocacy_Guide.pdf
(Hereafter Chandler).]
Grassroots Advocacy
Grassroots advocacy strives to increase the capacity of local
communities by giving a voice to community members, particularly
those who are disempowered and vulnerable. The goal of grassroots
advocacy is to increase a communitys awareness of its right to be
heard and its confidence to assert that right. To do so, grassroots
advocacy involves local communities and leaders to the greatest
extent possible in advocacy work. Characteristics of successful
grassroots advocacy include: (1) community leaders that can
articulate on behalf of the people they represent; (2) means
through which community leaders can communicate information to
those with the power to change policy; and (3) the successful flow
of information from governments, agencies, and other actors such as
the media about issues that affect the community, and about the
current processes that exist for involvement. Grassroots advocacy
requires recognition that people and communities have existing
knowledge and ways of working together. Thus, instead of merely
transferring advocacy tools and expertise, advocates must
recognize, understand, and tap existing capacity.[endnoteRef:5] [5:
WaterAid.]
Who Does Advocacy?
Advocacy can be performed by the people who are directly
affected by the issue. Those who are directly affected have the
most legitimate voice and are in the best position to negotiate
compromises. Outsiders can play a supporting role by helping
affected communities to be their own advocates, but, whenever
possible, leadership and decision-making should stay with the
community. At the other extreme, people and organizations not
directly affected by the issue can advocate on behalf of those who
are affected. This form of advocacy is especially effective and
possibly safer in areas where human rights are not well-respected.
However, affected communities should be consulted on the solutions
being recommended and the methods of advocacy being used. Affected
communities and outside organizations may already be advocating on
the same or similar issues, in which case closer collaboration
between them may be beneficial. However, those with power should
ensure that they are not dominating the process; affected
communities should be equal partners in decision-making on the
issue agenda, objectives, and strategies.[endnoteRef:6] [6: Ian
Chandler, p. 3.]
Roles of an Advocate
There are many different roles an advocate can play. Which role
an advocate chooses depends upon who the advocate is, what change
the advocate is trying to achieve, and the avenues available for
implementing change. An advocate can: (1) negotiate or bargain for
something; (2) accompany or speak with the people; (3) empower or
enable the people to speak for themselves; (4) represent or speak
for the people; (5) mediate or facilitate communication between
people; (6) model or demonstrate behavior to people or
policymakers; (7) network or build coalitions. If an advocate is
advocating on behalf of another, he or she should be sensitive to
the needs and desires of the affected group in order to select the
role that best fits the circumstances.[endnoteRef:7] [7: Ayer and
Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series.]
Good Advocacy Practices
The following are a set of good advocacy practices that every
advocate whether a member of the affected group, or advocating on
behalf of an affected group should follow:
(1) Encourage participation Involve as many people as possible
in decision-making during the advocacy campaign because each
participant will bring different skills, contacts, resources, and
ideas.(2) Ensure legitimacy Advocacy campaigns must earn the trust
of the people and communities they represent by respecting the
variety of opinions and experiences present.(3) Be accountable
Openly and honestly discuss the campaigns progress and problems
with all involved and affected.(4) Act peacefully Do not use
violence to achieve your advocacy goals; it is never a sustainable,
long-term solution. Peaceful advocacy will earn the trust and
respect of both your supporters and your opponents.(5) Represent
the affected group Listen to the affected group, develop a strategy
with them, inform them of any risks or challenges, and take action
together. Whenever possible, help build their capacity to advocate
on their own behalf.[endnoteRef:8] [8: Ibid.]
The Three Spheres of Influence
Ideally, all societies have three spheres of influence: the
state, the private sector, and civil society. In a working
democracy, the three spheres share power and work together.
Effective advocacy can strengthen relationships between the three
different spheres of society and improve the accountability of
government institutions.[endnoteRef:9] [9: Ibid.]
The state is made up of public entities working to advance
public interests, including government officials, bureaucrats, the
military, schools, the police, and the courts. The private sector
consists of private people and organizations, including
corporations, small businesses, and the media, working to advance
private interests.[endnoteRef:10] Civil society is the space in
which policy dialogue occurs outside of formal
politics.[endnoteRef:11] It is composed of private citizens and
organizations working together to advance public interests,
including NGOs, community-based organizations, professional
associations, philanthropic and religious organizations, academic
institutions, the media, workers unions, and both ordinary and
elite individuals.[endnoteRef:12] Civil society actors can initiate
advocacy, can be the targets of advocacy campaigns, or can be used
as a medium to target others. [10: Ibid.] [11: Advocacy Academy, A
Practical Guide to Advocacy Campaigns: The Romanian Experience, 6
(2007), available at
http://www.cipe.org/regional/cee/pdf/Romania_Advocacy_Guide.pdf
(Hereafter Advocacy Academy).] [12: Pact Tanzania, p. 4.]
*This could be a good place for the graphic to be included*
The Advocacy Cycle
Identify the Issue
The first step in planning an advocacy campaign is to identify
the issues that your campaign needs to address.[endnoteRef:13] To
do that, you must identify, analyze, categorize, and prioritize the
issues that affect the people that your advocacy campaign strives
to help. Once identified and prioritized, these issues will serve
as a thematic map for your advocacy activities.[endnoteRef:14] [13:
WaterAid.] [14: Advocacy Academy, p. 10.]
What is an Issue?
For advocates, an issue is a negative situation often
deep-rooted affecting a specific group of people. Issues caused by
government policies or social practices usually cannot be solved by
one individual; thus, affected communities need advocates to help
address issues and offer solutions. A good advocacy issue is
focused enough so that it can be linked to a clear policy or
political situation and can easily be communicated to many
people.[endnoteRef:15] The first step in preparing for our advocacy
campaign is to identify these issues and educate ourselves about
their causes and effects.[endnoteRef:16] [15: Pact Tanzania, p.
10.] [16: Midwest Academy, Checklist for Choosing an Issue,
available at
http://www.scorcher.org/screed/pdf/issuechooser.pdf.]
What is a Good Advocacy Issue?
In choosing which issue or issues to shape your advocacy
campaign around, ask yourself: Will working on the issue . . .
(1) Result in real improvement in peoples lives?(2) Give people
a sense of their own power? (3) Alter the relations of power?(4) Be
widely and deeply felt?(5) Build lasting organizations and
alliances?(6) Provide opportunities for women and others to learn
about and be involved in politics?(7) Develop new leaders or
develop skills in existing ones?(8) Promote awareness of, and
respect for, rights?(9) Link local concerns with larger-scale, even
global, issues?(10) Provide potential for raising funds?(11) Enable
the organization to further its vision and mission?(12) Be
winnable?(13) And, does the issue have a clear target, timeframe,
and policy solution?[endnoteRef:17] [17: Lisa VeneKlasen and
Valerie Miller, A New Weave of Power, People & Politics: The
Action Guide for Advocacy and Citizen Participation, 12 (2002),
available at http://www.justassociates.org/ActionGuide.html
(Hereafter VeneKlasen and Miller); WaterAid; Checklist for Choosing
an Issue, available at
http://www.scorcher.org/screed/pdf/issuechooser.pdf.]
Analyze Your Issue Once you have identified the issues that you
are most concerned with, and have collected the relevant
information about them, the next step in the advocacy planning
cycle is to thoroughly analyze your issues. By analyzing your
issues, you can identify how best to influence them and which
stakeholders are best placed to produce that influence. There are a
number of ways to analyze an issue; each method aims to break the
issue down into smaller parts. Breaking an issue into smaller parts
helps you to understand the issue, the context in which the issue
operates, and how you can effect change.[endnoteRef:18] This
memorandum will describe two methods for analyzing an issue: the
Problem Analysis Framework and the Problem Tree. [18:
WaterAid.]
The Problem Analysis Framework[endnoteRef:19] This method of
analysis focuses on splitting an issue into a list of sub-issues.
Within each sub-issue, you then examine the causes and consequences
of the problem, as well as any possible solutions. In order to
develop a full analysis of the problem, repeatedly ask yourself,
Why?[endnoteRef:20] [19: Valerie Miller & Jane Covey, Advocacy
Sourcebook: Frameworks for Planning, Action & Reflection
(1997).] [20: WaterAid.]
Issue:
Sub-issuesConsequencesCausesSolutions
Sub-issue 1
Sub-issue 2
Sub-issue 3
Problem Tree[endnoteRef:21] Problem tree analysis is a visual
method of analyzing a particular problem by physically illustrating
its causes and effects. The problem tree enables you to visualize
the links between the main issue, its resulting problems, and its
root causes.[endnoteRef:22] If you imagine that the most important
problem is the trunk of the tree, you can then picture all of the
related effects growing out like branches. The problem tree will
likely have deep, root causes which feed the trunk and
branches.[endnoteRef:23] Thus, the trees trunk represents the core
issue or problem; its roots represent the causes of the problem;
and its branches represent the effects of the
problem.[endnoteRef:24] [21: Daniel Start and Ingie Hovland, Tools
for Policy Impact: A Handbook for Researchers, 24-25 (2004),
available at http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/156.pdf.]
[22: WaterAid.] [23: Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series.] [24:
WaterAid.]
In order to create a problem tree: (1) Draw the shape of the
tree on a large chart, and write the key problem or issue on the
trunk of the tree; (2) On smaller pieces of paper or card, write
down the causes of the problem, to be placed on the tree as its
roots; (3) On other cards, write down the consequences that result
from the main issue, and place them on the tree as its leaves. In a
group, you can debate with one another about the priority and
placement of different leaves and roots. The heart of the exercise
is the discussion, debate, and dialogue generated as factors are
arranged and rearranged.[endnoteRef:25] [25: Ibid.]
The next step in the problem tree analysis is to break down the
causes of the problem, so that you can see where your advocacy will
have the most effect. To do so, take one of the key root (cause)
cards, and make it the trees trunk (key problem). You can now
analyze that problems causes in the same way in order to identify
areas where you can have influence.[endnoteRef:26] You will need to
prioritize to determine which are the most important, and which can
be realistically solved by your advocacy. The most important
problems are the ones that, if solved, will directly lead to better
lives for affected persons.[endnoteRef:27] [26: Ibid.] [27: Ayer
and Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series.]
Cut the Issue[endnoteRef:28] [28: The Change Agency, Training
Resources: Strategy, Cutting the Issue, available at
http://www.thechangeagency.org/download.asp?varAction=part2&ID=82
(last visited May 17, 2011).]
Cut the issue to narrow down bigger picture problems into more
manageable parts and to help define your goals. Cutting the issue
helps to reduce the scope of an advocacy campaign to focus efforts
on where change can actually be achieved. It also helps to
transform a potentially daunting and complex problem into one or
more bite-sized issues, for which you can realistically consider
making a difference. Reducing the scope of a problem through
creative brainstorming can also help you consider the relative
merits of different approaches you might take; for instance, you
can cut an issue to maximize its immediacy in the community, guard
your campaign against claims of extremism, or appeal to different
allies and constituents.
Cutting the issue can be achieved through the Problem Analysis
Framework and the Problem Tree described above. In order to cut
your issue, first think of a significant problem you would like to
address, and then, consider how to cut this bigger problem into
smaller issues that appeal to different targets, community groups,
or other audiences.
Research the Issue
Once you have identified your issues, it is necessary to
thoroughly research them. A detailed understanding of the issues
you will be advocating on is vital in the early stages of the
advocacy planning cycle.[endnoteRef:29] Many campaigns make the
mistake of implementing advocacy activities without first
researching the problem.[endnoteRef:30] Only with research can you
create a sound and persuasive argument and provide the evidence to
back it up, giving your advocacy positions credibility.
Furthermore, research provides the information you need to properly
plan, develop your messages, and lobby. Research can also assist
you in building alliances with both policymakers and community
members as you gather information you need from other organizations
and individuals.[endnoteRef:31] [29: WaterAid; Ayer and Bunn,
Advocacy Expert Series; Pact Tanzania, p. 11.] [30: Ayer and Bunn,
Advocacy Expert Series; Pact Tanzania, p. 11.] [31: WaterAid.]
Fortunately, there is already a wealth of information available
on the internet, in libraries, in government departments, and NGOs
to aid you in your research. However, there is no substitute for
hearing and learning directly from the group affected by your
issue, including through questionnaires, surveys, interviews, and
focus groups.[endnoteRef:32] Your research should: (1) analyze the
issue; (2) analyze the context in which the issue takes place; and
(3) understand the timeframe of your advocacy on the issue. The
research itself should be objective, representative of all
viewpoints on the issue, accurate and reliable, and methodical and
systematic.[endnoteRef:33] A good advocate asks and answers the
following questions during the research phase of the advocacy
campaign: [32: Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series; Pact
Tanzania, p. 11.] [33: WaterAid.]
(1) What information do you need? Where are the gaps in your
knowledge?(2) Where can you find the information? You should
identify sources where information already exists: in reports,
government consultations, statistics, or other project plans.
Always consider whether this secondary information is credible,
reliable, and current. In some cases, you may have to collect
primary information yourself from original sources. You may, for
instance, identify the need to conduct a field survey, interviews,
or an investigation. (3) Who will contribute to your research? If
you are going to conduct primary research, you will need to
identify who to interview or survey, and ensure that the research
group is a representative sample. (4) How will you collect the
information? Through interviews, questionnaires, observation,
statistical analysis, or another data collection tool?(5) How will
you analyze and present the information? After collecting your
information, you will need to collate it in a systematic way in
order to enable yourself to analyze it properly, look for patterns,
and deepen your understanding of the situation. You should then
write up your findings; the process of writing up your results will
help you to analyze the information and draw
conclusions.[endnoteRef:34] [34: Ibid.]
Research Methods Table[endnoteRef:35] [35: Ayer and Bunn,
Advocacy Expert Series.]
MethodDefinitionAdvantagesChallenges
Questionnaires & SurveysA form containing a set ofquestions,
given to a statisticallysignificant number ofpeople, as a way of
gatheringinformationEasy to administer to manypeopleImpersonal
Informal InterviewsA conversation in which factsor statements
are discussedand notedFlexible and intimateTime intensive and
difficult to objectively analyze
Documentation ReviewReview literature about theproblem and
examine internationalbest practicesComprehensiveTime intensive and
inflexible
ObservationThe process of gatheringinformation about how
aproblem looks in acommunityView operations as theyoccur,
adaptableSubjective and complex
Focus GroupsAssemble small groups ofpeople to discuss theproblem
and explorepotential solutionsIn-depth examination of
aproblemDifficult to draw conclusions
Plan
Once the issue has been identified and researched, you can begin
the planning process by establishing goals, objectives, indicators,
stakeholders, targets, and activities. Planning involves a series
of articulated steps to ensure that the campaign is effective and
focused.[endnoteRef:36] [36: Pact Tanzania, p. 12; Ayer and Bunn,
Advocacy Expert Series.]
Set Goals
Goals articulate the desired change in policies or practices
that advocates wish to achieve over a fixed period of time. They
typically express the higher level results that the advocates wish
to attain.[endnoteRef:37] [37: Ibid.]
Set Objectives
Objectives define what the advocate will specifically
accomplish, with whom, how, and in what period of
time.[endnoteRef:38] Setting objectives enables you to clarify what
you are trying to achieve, and assists you in planning and
designing your advocacy activities. Furthermore, clear objectives
will also help you in the future with evaluation and monitoring of
your advocacy work.[endnoteRef:39] [38: Pact Tanzania, p. 12; Ayer
and Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series.] [39: WaterAid.]
SMART Analysis One well-established way to clarify your key
objectives is to run your issue through a SMART analysis:
(1) Specific What exactly do you want to happen? Is it clear
whose behavior must change?(2) Measurable Will you know when you
have achieved it? Is it clear by how much the behavior must
change?(3) Achievable Is it realistic or even possible to achieve
your objective, given your resources and time? Will you be able to
raise money or other resources to support your work on the
objective? Does your organization have the initial resources to
achieve this objective?(4) Relevant Is it relevant and appropriate
to all stakeholders, and to the problem itself? Can you achieve
your objective considering the current social and political
conditions?(5) Time-bound By when do you want it to happen? Does
the objective have a clear and realistic time-frame or deadline?
[endnoteRef:40] [40: WaterAid; Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert
Series.]
Identify Indicators
After articulating your goals and objectives, the next step in
planning your advocacy campaign is to identify indicators.
Indicators are signs that let you know that you are making progress
toward your objectives. All good indicators should be: (1) direct,
(2) discrete, (3) practical, and (4) reliable. While it is not
always possible to find indicators that have all four
characteristics, your indicators should embody as many of these
four characteristics as possible.[endnoteRef:41] [41: Victoria Ayer
and Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series; Pact Tanzania, p. 13.]
Direct A direct indicator measures only one thing at a time. For
instance, if you are tracking population income levels, a direct
indicator could be household income over a specific period of time.
However, sometimes a direct indicator is not available. For
example, in rural areas it might be difficult to find statistics on
income levels; instead, you could look at the percentage of
households with radios or bicycles as a substitute indicator of
wealth.[endnoteRef:42] [42: Ibid.]
Distinct Sometimes you may need to separate information about
your activities into categories, divided by gender, age, location,
or some other characteristic, called distinct indicators. Distinct
indicators demonstrate exactly who is benefiting and participating
in your advocacy activities.[endnoteRef:43] [43: Ibid.]
Practical An indicator is practical if data can be obtained
easily and at a reasonable cost. For instance, the number of
newspaper articles published about your advocacy campaign may be a
good practical indicator.[endnoteRef:44] [44: Ibid.]
Reliable A reliable indicator provides dependable information
for confident decision-making. Many indicators are based on
numbers, like household income figures, which means that they are
easy to understand and evaluate. There are many other indicators,
however, that are based on peoples personal experiences or opinions
and therefore less clear and sometimes less
reliable.[endnoteRef:45] [45: Ibid.]
Identify Stakeholders
A stakeholder is anyone who has a direct interest in the outcome
of your advocacy campaign, including people directly affected by
the issue, groups responsible for creating the issue, and groups
interested in solving the issue. Stakeholders will have different
degrees of influence or control over the issue; understanding each
stakeholders power over the problem is an important part of the
planning process. Stakeholders can be separated into three groups:
(1) allies, (2) neutrals, and (3) opponents.[endnoteRef:46] (here
it sais three groups, while in Stakeholder Matrix are four. [46:
Ibid.]
Allies Allies are people and organizations that support your
advocacy campaign, such as opinion leaders, politicians, media
personalities, NGOs, community groups, academics, and people
directly affected by the issue. Allies will contribute to your
advocacy campaign with time, technical expertise, financial and
material resources.[endnoteRef:47] [47: Ibid.]
Neutrals Neutral stakeholders are people and organizations who
have not yet formed a strong opinion on an issue. Because neutrals
can quickly become allies or opponents, they are important to your
advocacy campaign.[endnoteRef:48] [48: Ibid.]
Opponents Opponents are people and organizations who oppose your
advocacy campaign. Because advocacy challenges existing balances of
power, it often provokes a negative reaction from people currently
in power or people with different values. Opponents can range from
people who disagree but do not take action to aggressive or violent
enemies.[endnoteRef:49] [49: Ibid.]
Beneficiaries or Constituents The people you represent- maybe
more explanation because this is most important group
Stakeholder Matrix[endnoteRef:50] A stakeholder matrix can help
you to classify stakeholders according to their role in relation to
the advocacy issue. However, the stakeholder matrix is not static
or strictly drawn; individuals and organizations can move from
adversaries to allies or vice versa as your advocacy work
progresses.[endnoteRef:51] [50: Adapted from WaterAid.] [51:
Ibid.]
OpponentsThose who oppose your position (may or may not be
directly responsible for decision-making)Beneficiaries or
ConstituentsThe people you representAlliesIndividuals or
organizations that can help you reach your advocacy
goalNeutralsIndividuals and organizations that have not yet formed
an opinion
Identify Targets
A stakeholder with a high level of influence over your issue
regardless of their level of agreement with your position is a
target.[endnoteRef:52] Thus, when identifying stakeholders,
consider the degree of influence each stakeholder has over the
issue. Some of your targets may also be your opponents; educate
yourself about their opinions and ideas in order to find common
ground or counter their arguments. [52: Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy
Expert Series; Pact Tanzania, p. 14.]
Targets can be broken into two groups: Primary and secondary. A
primary target is a person with the most power to directly address
your issue. However, you may not have access to this person or this
person may be unable to openly support your issue for political
reasons. Instead, you may need to focus your efforts on a secondary
target: a person who cannot directly solve the problem, but who has
the ability to influence the primary target. If you can influence
this person, you can influence the primary target.[endnoteRef:53]
[53: Ibid.]
Once you have identified your key targets, research them and
analyze their positions, so that you can target your
advocacy.[endnoteRef:54] One method of compiling this information
is through use of a target table. [54: WaterAid.]
Target Table[endnoteRef:55] [55: Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert
Series.]
Objective:Target NameContact PersonWhat do they know about the
problem?What is their attitude about the problem?Who has influence
over them?What is important to them?
Primary TargetSecondary Target
Define the Message
Communication of your message is central to effective advocacy,
and thus it must be clear and definitive. A clear message should:
(1) summarize the change you want to bring about; (2) be short and
punchy, just one or two sentences; (3) be understandable to someone
who does not know the issue; (4) include a deadline for when you
want to achieve your objective; (5) include the reasons why the
change is important; (6) include any action you want the audience
to take in response; (7) be memorable.[endnoteRef:56] [56:
WaterAid.]
Frame the Message Once your key messages are established, they
need to be framed according to your target audiences. Although your
overall position on the advocacy issue does not change, you should
adapt the way you present your message to achieve the greatest
impact on a particular audience. Understanding the issues your
target cares about enables you to make links in your message
between your issue and their concerns, increasing the likelihood of
a positive response from your target.[endnoteRef:57] [57:
Ibid.]
Select the Medium & the Messenger Effective advocacy
requires both careful attention to the message itself and how it is
transmitted the medium. Based on the audience you are trying to
reach, consider the most effective medium to carry your message,
and the most effective messenger to deliver it. The medium you
choose may be by letter, phone call, meeting, press release, TV or
radio interview, leaflet, poster, press advertisement, research
paper, and/or conference. The messenger you choose to transmit your
medium to your audience may be a member of staff, an organization,
independent expert, celebrity, or beneficiary.[endnoteRef:58] [58:
Ibid.]
Assess Resources
Before you can choose the activities for your advocacy campaign,
you need to assess what resources you have at your disposal,
including financial, human capacity, and common or shared
knowledge. Examining each type of resource will enable you to
identify any gaps that need filling before you can begin a
particular activity: money, people, skills and experience, other
human resources, partners, information and knowledge,
relationships, reputation, and time. You will need to continually
reassess your resources, and you may discover that you need to
raise money in order to carry out the rest of your advocacy
campaign.[endnoteRef:59] [59: Ibid.]
Choose Activities
The next step in advocacy campaign planning is to select your
activities. The activities you choose should depend upon your
available resources and your relationship with your targets. The
best activities are participatory, cost-effective, and reach as
many people as possible particularly the poorest and most
disenfranchised.[endnoteRef:60] Advocacy activities include: policy
research, lobbying, demonstrations, watchdog activities, flyers,
websites, networking, meetings, newsletters, petitions,
negotiations, press conferences, strikes, poetry contests, marches,
surveys, theater, court cases, poster campaigns, talk shows, round
tables, workshops, negotiations, trainings, TV or radio drama, door
to door solicitation, letter writing, interviews, public forums,
press releases, mediation, exposure tours, and press
briefings.[endnoteRef:61] [60: Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert
Series; Pact Tanzania, p. 15.] [61: Pact Tanzania, p. 15.]
Generally speaking, the aforementioned advocacy activities can
be grouped under four broad headings: lobbying, public campaigning,
media work, and capacity building. Ideally, your advocacy campaign
should employ each of these four categories of action:
(1) Lobbying the process of trying to directly influence
decision-makers, such as politicians, civil servants, or corporate
chief executives;(2) Public campaigning activities designed to
engage the public and to mobilize support for your position; (3)
Media work raising public awareness of your issues, with the goal
of changing public attitudes and behavior, and encouraging support
for your other advocacy actions; (4) Capacity building increasing
the knowledge of those affected by a particular issue, and
increasing their skills and developing their structures to enable
them to carry out their own advocacy.[endnoteRef:62] [62:
WaterAid.]
A particular advocacy activity may fall into more than one of
the four categories. Here are further descriptions of some
individual advocacy activities you may choose from:
Using the Media[endnoteRef:63] The media can play a significant
role in your public advocacy campaign. Television, radio, and press
allow you to reach decision-makers and to influence public opinion.
The mainstream media is targeted at the general public, but it can
also have considerable influence over decision-makers, particularly
if they are aware of the mediums influence over public opinion.
Thus, your advocacy work should treat the media as both a tool for
advocacy and an influential target of your advocacy. [63:
Ibid.]
Reasons to use the media include: getting your issue onto the
political public agenda; making your issue visible and credible in
policy debate; informing the public about your issue and your
proposed solutions; recruiting allies among the public and
decision-makers; changing public attitudes and behavior;
influencing decision-makers and opinion leaders; raising money for
your cause.
You should research the media to determine: which publications
or programs already cover your issue or similar issues; how the
media picks up news stories; how free members of the media are to
say what they think; how you can fit into the style and format of
various programs and publications; how can you contact the media;
the role of press in your state (ranging from outspokenly critical
of the government to government-controlled); which audiences the
media reaches; and the style and tone of various publications.
Building a contact list enables you to rapidly pass your message
on to all relevant media when you have a news story. The most
common method for getting your message to the media is through a
press release a written document that outlines concisely the issue
you wish the media to cover, and is widely distributed to various
news sources. Timing is the key to good story-telling: Look for
breaking news opportunities such as natural events, speeches, or
anniversaries during which to disseminate your own message.
Social Media One form of media that is increasingly being used
to conduct advocacy campaigns is social media, which includes
advertisement and postings on Facebook, Twitter, and individual
blogs. Because social media is free and reaches a wide audience, it
should almost certainly be included in every advocacy campaign.
Litigation A well-publicized court case can draw public
attention to your issue, and can sometimes lead to legal reform or
fairer enforcement. In states where class action lawsuits exist,
groups of people affected by abuses of power can use a court case
to fight for justice collectively.[endnoteRef:64] [64: VeneKlasen
and Miller, p. 187.]
Lobbying Lobbying is the attempt to directly persuade
decision-makers. Lobbying can be formal through letter writing or
scheduled meetings or informal through chance meetings, leaflets,
or invitations to events. The foundation of lobbying is the ability
to shape the meeting agenda around a deliverable for the
decision-maker.[endnoteRef:65] [65: WaterAid.]
Negotiation Negotiation involves bargaining to seek common
ground, or at least respect for disagreement. It happens between
allies, advocates, and constituents as well as across the table
from those in power. To bargain with decision-makers, you need to
know your own power in relation to your opponents, what is and is
not negotiable, and what your plan is if negotiations fall
apart.[endnoteRef:66] [66: VeneKlasen and Miller, p. 187.]
Protest A protest is a demonstration or march which relies on
large numbers of participants, creative messages, and impeccable
timing to garner attention and support. Other forms of protest
include: boycotts (when directed at corporations), vigils, and
hunger strikes. Protest is oftentimes a tactic of last resort when
more conventional strategies fail to open up public
dialogue.[endnoteRef:67] [67: Ibid.]
Public Campaigning Public campaigning is the process of engaging
the public, and getting them to take action to demonstrate their
support for your advocacy project or position. The main objective
of public campaigning is to demonstrate to your advocacy targets
that there is significant public concern about the issue and wide
support for your position. As individuals, the public may not have
much influence, but united behind a particular position they can
exert considerable pressure as voters and consumers.[endnoteRef:68]
[68: WaterAid.]
Mass Writing Mass writing is a campaigning tool that asks people
to send letters, postcards, or emails to a particular target,
raising specific concerns and requesting specific results. You will
need to provide people with the necessary tools, such as sample
letters, printed postcards, or an email template.[endnoteRef:69]
[69: Ibid.]
Petitions Collecting a large number of signatures, names, and
addresses on paper or through a website can be an effective way of
demonstrating mass support for your position. Consider how to
deliver the petition to achieve maximum impact, and make sure to
secure media coverage.[endnoteRef:70] [70: Ibid.]
Events Campaign events, such as speaker rallies, marches,
vigils, or delegations to your targets offices, can attract media
coverage. However, large-scale events take a lot of work and can be
very expensive, so you may consider whether there are existing
events that you can piggy back onto.[endnoteRef:71] [71: Ibid.]
Conferences, Seminars, and Workshops Public events, such as
conferences, seminars, and workshops can be used to influence the
targets you invite, and offer opportunities for media coverage,
raising awareness among journalists, partners, and the general
public.[endnoteRef:72] [72: Ibid.]
Leaflets and Posters Printed material can be used to raise
public awareness among large numbers of people. The messages in
your material should be tailored depending on who your intended
target audience is.[endnoteRef:73] [73: Ibid.]
Research Research provides the necessary information for
advocacy planning, message development, policy alternatives, and
lobbying. Research can also strengthen alliances, build
constituencies, and help develop citizenship skills.[endnoteRef:74]
Furthermore, positions and proposals based on solid information
increase the credibility of your advocacy campaign.[endnoteRef:75]
[74: VeneKlasen and Miller, p. 187.] [75: Ibid.]
Reports Reports on your issue, and its causes and effects, can
be used to support lobbying activities, and to provide background
for journalists, partners, and the public.[endnoteRef:76] [76:
WaterAid.]
Websites A campaign website provides users with an accessible,
user-friendly, and authoritative resource about your advocacy
campaign. A website can also be a place to exchange and communicate
ideas and views about your advocacy issue, through the use of
blogs, message boards, or online petitions. Your website should
contain background information about your advocacy project, press
releases, reports, stories, images, and quotes. However, be aware
that millions of people in the developing world do not have access,
or easy access, to the internet.[endnoteRef:77] [77: Ibid.]
Street Theater, Drama & Video Street theater can raise
awareness among communities, engage the wider public, and offer
stakeholders the opportunity to tell their own stories and become
involved in the advocacy campaign. Drama presents an opportunity to
present facts and issues in an entertaining and accessible way,
however, the scope of the audience is limited and it may tend to
trivialize serious issues. Video is a relatively expensive advocacy
tool, but it has the potential for wide impact, both among
audiences with low literacy and among audiences increasingly
accustomed to audio-visual presentations rather than the written
word.[endnoteRef:78] [78: Ibid.]
Activity Checklist The following checklist can help you to
determine whether you have chosen good activities for your advocacy
campaign:
(1) Can you really do the activity? Do you have the needed
people, time, and resources?(2) Is the activity focused on either
the primary or secondary target?(3) Does the activity put real
power behind a specific demand?(4) Does the activity meet your
issue goals?(5) Is the activity outside the experience of the
target?(6) Is the activity within the experience of your own
members and are they comfortable with it?(7) Do you have leaders
experienced enough to accomplish the activity?(8) Will people enjoy
participating in the activity?(9) Will the activity play positively
in the media?[endnoteRef:79] [79: The Change Agency, Training
Resources: Strategy, available at
http://www.thechangeagency.org/01_cms/details.asp?ID=57 (last
visited May 17, 2011) (citing MidWest Academy Checklist).]
Factors Shaping Advocacy Strategy[endnoteRef:80] Four key
factors should influence the activities you choose to constitute
your advocacy campaign: (1) context, (2) timing, (3) organization,
and (4) risk. [80: VeneKlasen and Miller, p.186.]
Context refers to the fact that every political environment is
different: governments have varying degrees of legitimacy and power
in relation to civil society, the private sector, the media, and
international institutions. Furthermore, a particular societys
blend of culture, religion, ethnicity, race, and economic
development affects levels of tolerance and acceptance of social
change.
Timing acknowledges that each historic moment an international
economic trend, an election, or an international conference
presents different political opportunities and constraints. At some
moments, a march will draw needed attention to an issue, and at
others, it may provoke repression.
In designing your advocacy activities, it is important to be
aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your organization,
including the breadth and strength of your support, the power and
position of your allies, the sense of purpose among your
leadership, the efficiency and responsiveness of your leadership,
and the clarity of your goals.
Be aware of the risk that each advocacy activity creates.
Challenging current power balances often generates conflict. In
some states, a direct action aimed at a key decision-maker may be
politically dangerous or may decrease the potential for change in
the long-term. In other states, pushing for change that affects
cultural or religious beliefs may provoke backlash. Furthermore,
involving people who are usually excluded, like women or poor
people, may cause conflict within the family or community. While
you may decide to take risks because there are no other options,
everyone involved must understand the risks of the actions they are
taking.[endnoteRef:81] [81: Ibid.]
Create Advocacy Campaign Action Plan
After a thorough analysis of your goals, objectives, indicators,
message, resources, stakeholders, targets, and activities, you are
ready to create an advocacy campaign action plan. This plan will
help you to consolidate your thoughts and efforts into a concise
framework for your advocacy campaign.[endnoteRef:82] Your action
plan should be coupled with a detailed budget, both of which should
be flexible as they may require revision as your advocacy campaign
progresses.[endnoteRef:83] [82: Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert
Series; Pact Tanzania, p. 15.] [83: WaterAid.]
Advocacy Campaign Action Plan[endnoteRef:84] [84: Victoria Ayer
and Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series; WaterAid.]
Goals/ObjectivesIndicatorsAllies
TargetsActivitiesTimeframeResponsibilityReview
Act
After writing your advocacy campaign action plan, it is time to
begin implementing your campaign activities. First, you should
prioritize your campaign activities: some activities can be done
anytime, while others may require that other activities are done
first, and still others may need to occur at specific dates or
times. During this stage of the advocacy cycle, remember to follow
through, stay focused, and be timely with your
activities.[endnoteRef:85] Implementing an advocacy campaign
requires continuous coordination and evaluation at each stage of
the action plan in order to assess whether activities are having
the desired effect, evaluate the effect that changes in the
external environment may have on your campaign, and assess external
reactions to your message.[endnoteRef:86] [85: Ibid.] [86: Advocacy
Academy, p. 20.]
Monitor & Evaluate
In addition to a well-crafted and practical advocacy campaign
action plan, all successful advocacy campaigns have a strong
commitment to regularly monitoring and evaluating their efforts.
Only through monitoring and evaluation can you adjust your action
plan to reflect lessons learned mid-campaign.[endnoteRef:87]
Although it is often difficult to evaluate exactly which actions
lead to particular outcomes, or even what exactly the final impact
of the campaign is, you will have a far better chance of reaching a
meaningful assessment if you plan for evaluation before you
begin.[endnoteRef:88] [87: Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert Series.]
[88: WaterAid.]
Monitoring
Gathering information to measure the impact of your advocacy
campaign is called monitoring. In order for monitoring to be
effective, it must be completely integrated into all phases of the
advocacy campaign in order to determine whether your activities are
helping to achieve your objectives. Monitoring compares the inputs
(human, material, and financial resources), outputs (activities and
products), and results (achievements) against our advocacy campaign
action plan:[endnoteRef:89] [89: Ayer and Bunn, Advocacy Expert
Series]
ImpactImprovement in quality of life, measured objectively and
contributes to a larger social goalInputsResources (human,
material, and financial) which we put into a campaignOutputsDirect
results of combining and utilizing the inputs to create a capacity
for producing resultsResultsAchievements resulting from the use or
action of the outputs
Evaluating
Periodically during the advocacy campaign, you need to analyze
or evaluate the information you gather during the monitoring
process. Doing so will help you to think critically about the
campaigns strengths and weaknesses. Use the indicators from your
advocacy campaign action plan to assess what has been accomplished
and how well your resources have been used. Additionally, your
monitoring data may also indicate changes in power structures,
allies and opponents, or even the issue itself. You should be
prepared to adjust your advocacy campaign action plan, even while
the campaign is underway, in order to reflect the results of your
evaluation.[endnoteRef:90] Finally, once the advocacy campaign has
ended, it is important to verify the impact it has had on the
overall goals and objectives of the campaign, so that you can share
that information with the public, and be better prepared to take
action in the future.[endnoteRef:91] [90: Ibid.] [91: Advocacy
Academy, p. 20.]
Practically speaking, there are several steps that a good
advocate should take once an advocacy campaign has ended: (1)
emphasize implementation achieved at each stage; (2) send
encouraging messages and congratulations to all of the campaigns
allies; (3) send respectful messages to opponents, political
actors, and policymakers; (4) communicate the results achieved by
the organizations members; (5) post all public documents that have
resulted from the advocacy campaign (research, opinion papers,
media coverage, and political communications) on the advocates
website; (6) update the database with contacts gained during the
campaign.[endnoteRef:92] [92: Ibid.]
Conclusion
A good advocacy campaign has a direct effect on the lives of the
people it strives to improve. Because an advocacy campaign can
oftentimes seem long and arduous, it is important to remember the
ultimate goal and beneficiaries of the campaign during every step
of the process: while identifying an issue for your campaign to
address; when researching that issue; when setting your campaign
goals and objectives; during identification of indicators,
stakeholders, and targets; as you are defining and framing your
message and assessing what resources are available; when choosing
which activities will best achieve your goals; while carrying out
your advocacy campaign action plan; and throughout the monitoring
and evaluation process.
Endnotes