Lobby and Advocacy XISS, Ranchi, Jharkhand 9 th June 2013.

Lobby and Advocacy

XISS, Ranchi, Jharkhand 9th June 2013

For starters

People with and people without power

Influencing

Advocacy

Lobby~

Who needs to use lobby/advocacy?

People in power command

Marginalised people will not be heard

The ‘medium strong’ can lobby~

Reasons for influencing the powerful

Starting point is to help target group (without power)

Giving direct support is no longer sufficient

Scaling up:more can be achieved than just direct support

Policies government hurt target group

Policies government neglect target group

Lack of policies

No or limited implementation of policies~

Advocacy

Advocacy is:

Defend interestsMake someone heard

Influence powerful

Goal of advocacy is:

Win your cause for benefit of target group~

Meaning of Advocacy

• Dictionary –An act of giving support to a cause.

• Ad-voca - Amplifying the voice of those whose voice is not heard.

• The cause and voice of the marginalised sections in our society especially women, children, tribals, dalits, unorganised laboureres, minorities etc. who have less bargaining power

• To be heard by the decision makers namely the legislature, executive and judiciary.

Advocacy or lobby?

Lobby: special form of advocacy

Lobbying is a specialised form of advocacy:

Two way communicationInfluencing through linking interests of different

stakeholders

Special goals of lobbying are:

Let others win as well (create win-win)Build relationships

~

Common advocacy / advocacy campaigns

Common advocacy methods are well known, often used to force change

Only sending informationInfluencing through demands

Examples:Demonstration

Submission of memorandum/demandsLaw suitPetition

~

Advocacy vs. lobby

A girl is a human beingA human being is not always a girl

Lobby is advocacyNot all advocacy is lobby

~

Definition of lobbying

Systematic informal efforts to influencedecision makers

Systematicplanned, not incidental

Informalnot to be confused with formal procedures

influencing before decision makers make formal position known

Decision makersor people with power are target

~

Basics for lobbying

Sufficient knowledge on decision making process

Willingness to:

improve quality of decision making

offer solutions instead of dumping problems

create win - win situation

be constructive partner to decision makers~

Limits of advocacy

You cannot achieve everything:

You are not in power yourself, accept this position

Decision makers decide on your influencing space(however: by playing it smart, you can create

more space)

Extra limit to lobbying:

Compromises are necessary

Advantage of lobbying:

Less threatening to decision makers~

Four phases ofdecision making process

Initial phase

Analysing phase

Formal decision phase

Implementation phase~

Methods for lobby / advocacy

Personal visit

Personal letter

Informal contact

Hearing

Petition

Demonstration

Juridical approach~

Method effective elsewhere?

India (other training):Personal visit

MediaDemonstration

China:Meals / personal visit

ExposureSharing hobbies

Philippines:Mass mediaPersonal visit

Meetings~

Method ineffective elsewhere?

India (other training):Phone call

General letterReviews

China:Sit in / law suitDemonstration

Flyers & posters / petition

Philippines:IntrusionTheatre

Gifts~

Methods India most effectiveDemonstration 6 media 13 consultation 2

Signature campaign

3 survey Meeting (informal)

4

postcard 1 Personal letter 1 Press conference

1

rally 7 Sms/e-mail Drama / role play

2

strike 6 Sit-in Puppet burning 1

Road block 9 poll 2 Public hearing 2

Documentary film 1 fasting 1 Exposure visit 3

Human chain 1 posters petition 3

conference 2 Boycot voting 1 PIL 2

Personal visit 7 Self-burning 2

Methods India least effectiveDemonstration 4 media 1 consultation 2

Signature campaign

3 survey 3 Meeting (informal)

postcard 5 Personal letter 4 Press conference

rally 3 Sms/e-mail 6 Drama / role play

6

strike 3 Sit-in 4 Puppet burning 6

Road block 1 poll 3 Public hearing 1

Documentary film 2 fasting 2 Exposure visit 1

Human chain posters 6 petition 4

conference 3 Boycot voting 6 PIL

Personal visit Self-burning 7

Common obstacles in lobby

Hidden powers

Nepotism / incompetent decision makers

Bribery / personal gain

Distrust

Lack of knowledge (procedures, contents, interests)

Promote your own organisation

Wrong timing

From decision to implementation

Ever changing decision makers~