Advocacy.

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy is about influencing those who make decisions and is geared towards change: change in personal behaviour and attitude, change in the political and public debate, institutional change and legal change. Advocacy is the effort to change public perceptions and influence policy decisions and funding priorities. Advocacy involves making a case in favor of a particular issue, using skillful persuasion and strategic action. Advocates educate about an issue and suggest a specific solution.

Advocacy is not restricted to those policy makers who work for the government. There are policy makers who work for the private sector, and who wield enormous influence over poor communities. It is important to keep in mind that policy makers are always human beings, not institutions. Advocacy is used to influence the choices and actions of those who make laws and regulations, and those who distribute resources and make other decisions that affect the well-being of many people.

Why Advocate for SRHR?

Advocating for reproductive and sexual health arises from the recognition that: reproductive and sexual health problems are caused by decisions made at the household level and from decisions made within community leadership structures, national legislatures, international organizations, and powerful institutions.

Effective advocacy strategies will therefore:

* influence policy makers as a means of addressing policy root causes of sexual and reproductive health needs and problems.

* contribute more effectively to reducing and preventing deaths and suffering by using a wider range of interventions.

* reach a large segment of the population and broaden the scope of their impact.

Where can you Advocate?

Advocacy can take place within your organization, school, or local community, at the national government level, at a regional intergovernmental body, or in international venues. When initiating an advocacy activity, it is important to make strategic choices about where to direct your energies and to look for strategic entry points. In some cases, it is beneficial to participate in established agendas of institutions or decision-makers such as government-sponsored policy consultations, stakeholder meetings with financial institutions, and local council meetings. Effective advocacy in these "invited spaces" requires clear demands for change by skilled advocates. Advocacy activities in "created spaces", that is, in spaces opened up by advocates themselves with different and independent agendas, may require more resources but often offers stronger negotiating positions.

Advocacy as a Process

Advocacy is a deliberate process, involving intentional actions. Therefore, before implementing advocacy strategies it must be clear who you are trying to influence and what policy you wish to change.

A successful rights-based advocacy campaign is based upon the following components that will be elaborated on in later sessions:

* Strategy

* Mobilisation

Without a strategy, people easily get disappointed because it is hard to measure progress if there is no formulated goal and a plan to achieve that goal. Without participation of stakeholders an advocacy campaign can easily be isolated and ignored. Without mobilization and the resulting public debate, the public and policy makers might put aside the advocacy agenda as being irrelevant.

This advocacy kit is designed to help advocates develop the skills to advocate for reproductive and sexual health services and rights. It describes some of the steps in organizing campaigns and provides information on developing, implementing, and evaluating a successful rights-based advocacy strategy.