The Future Foundation Leaders

1. ADVOCACY
Facilitator: Joseph K. Henah,
Liberia Association of Psychosocial Services
(LAPS):
April 22, 2021

2. AIM
This session introduces participants to the concept of
advocacy and its application in supporting Gender
Based Violence Survivors who have experienced life-
threatening events.

3. OBJECTIVES
By the end of this session, participants will be able
to:
• Define Advocacy
• Know the types of advocacy
• Explain the steps in developing advocacy plan
• Identify the elements of advocacy for effective
application
• Discuss the importance of advocacy

4. Introduction
Advocacy is an integral part of changing society. It plays a
central role in caring and supporting people particularly those
who are most vulnerable in society, including Gender Based
Violence survivors.
Therefore, service providers need to be able to understand and
clearly carry out effective advocacy in order to support
survivors and contribute to social change in society.
This session focuses on definition of advocacy, types of
advocacy and the importance, including steps in developing
advocacy plan.

5. BRAINSTORMING
Let’s Discuss!
What is advocacy?

6. DEFINITION OF ADVOCACY
Any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a
cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others
It is the act of speaking on the behalf of or in support of
another person
Pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause,
idea, or policy; active support
Advocating, or speaking or writing in support of something
Active support for a legal cause by argument and persuasion.
The practice of supporting someone to make their voice
heard.

7. TYPES OF ADVOCACY
Advocacy involves promoting the interests or cause of
someone or a group of people.
An advocate is a person who argues for, recommends, or
supports a cause or policy. There are three types of advocacy.
Self – Advocacy
Individual Advocacy
System Advocacy

8. PURPOSE OF ADVOCACY
Advocacy in all its forms seeks to ensure that people,
particularly those who are most vulnerable in society, are
able to:
Have their voice heard on issues that are important to them
Defend and safeguard their rights
Have their views and wishes genuinely considered when
decisions are being made about their lives

9. SELF-ADVOCACY
Refers to an individual’s ability to effectively communicate,
convey, negotiate or assert his/her own interests, desires,
needs, and right.
It means, understanding your strengths and needs, identifying
your personal goals, knowing your legal rights and
responsibilities, and communicating these to others. It is about
speaking up for oneself

10. INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY
In individual advocacy a person or group of people concentrate
their efforts on just one or two individuals. There are two
common forms of individual advocacy: Informal and Formal.
Informal advocacy: when people like parents, friends,
family members or agencies speak out and advocate for
vulnerable people this termed as informal advocate.
Formal advocate: This form of advocacy more frequently
involves organizations that pay their staff to advocate for
someone or for a group of individuals

11. SYSTEM ADVOCACY
System advocacy is about is about changing policies,
laws or rules that impact how someone lives their life.
These efforts can be targeted at a local, state, or national
agency.
The focus can be changing laws, or simply written or
unwritten policy. What is targeted depends on the type
of problem and who has authority over the problem.

12. ELEMENTS OF ADVOCACY
ATTITUDE AND EMOTIONS
FLIXIBILITY
DETERMINATION
CREATING A PAPER TRAIL
KNOWLEDGE

13. IMPORTANCE OF ADVOCACY
Through advocacy, we can make sure that GBV
survivors have access to services that can help them.
Advocacy helps to create a environment that is
supportive to social change.
When we do all three (Self-advocacy, Individual
Advocacy and System Advocacy), we can make
significant progress toward creating a nation that can be
minimized or free from GBV.

14. DEVELOPING AN ADVOCACY PLAN:
1. Identify and understand your topic: (What does the
problem look like)?
2. Identify the specific problem to address: (Are there still
work to be done on this topic?)
3. Identify a point of action: (Which particular issues you
like to take action on?)
4. Identify your advocacy target: (Which governing or agency
has the authority to make the change and funding

15. DEVELOPING AN ADVOCACY PLAN….
5. Gathering background information: (What are the facts,
statistics, and stories that demonstrate the need for this
work)
6. Identify your personal strengths: (What unique skills,
insight connections or resources you can contribute to your
team)
7. Develop an advocacy plan: ( Consider whether this change
needs to take place on an administrative or legislative level)

16. Any questions or concerns?
Thank you so much for your attention
and participations!!!!!!!!