1. S T R A T E G I S I N G A D V O C A C Y F O R E F F E C T I V E
I M P L E M E N T A T I O N O F W O M E N F R I E N D L Y L A W S
5 - 7 T H A U G U S T
A A S H A R A M E S H
G E N D E R & D E V E L O P M E N T C O N S U L T A N T
B A N G A L O R E
Advocacy at different levels
2. Definition of Advocacy
Advocacy is a set of democratic social
actions that seeks to bring about
change.
It is ‘a set of organized actions to
change public policies in a way that will
empower the marginalized.’
3. What is Advocacy ?
Advocacy is:
A value driven political process
To effectively influence public policies
and get them implemented
To advance Social Justice and Human
Rights
To make the governance accountable and
transparent
( NCAS)
4. Advocacy at different levels
Local or grassroots level advocacy
State level advocacy
National Level advocacy
International or Global level advocacy
5. The different types of Advocacy
People-centered advocacy
Policy advocacy
Legislative advocacy
Media advocacy
Issue-based advocacy
6. Advocacy Strategies
Organised action-rallies, protests, sit in
etc
Campaigning using different tools-
signature campaign, pamphlet
Building alliances and coalitions and
collectively submitting petitions
Conducting evidence based research
7. Need based Rights Based
Non-justiciable (cannot
be claimed legally)
Gives more immediate
help/support to
immediately felt needs
Justiciable (can be
claimed legally)
Requires ‘staying power’
as the benefits take time
to be realised
Advocating for what
8. Need Based Rights Based
Eventually non-
sustainable
Fulfilled based on the
goodness of various
outsiders’ (e.g. state,
society to ensure NGOs
philanthropic groups
etc.)
Eventually sustainable
Responsibility of state
and civil
9. Need Based Right Based
Allows the ‘outsider’ to
select the beneficiaries
The beneficiaries
remain dependent on
the outsiders
Non-discriminatory,
except positive
discrimination
The marginalised are
empowered to claim
their own rights
10. Need Based Rights Based
Attacks the outward
effects, and is a
symptomatic approach
Can more easily get
funding for such
activities from donors
Attacks the root causes
Getting funds is more
difficult, as the donor may
get into trouble with
licensing/state authorities
11. Needs Based Rights Based
State is willing to look
more kindly at such
efforts as it is a
supplement to what the
state ought to be taking
responsibility for
Less risk for the
implementers, and
generally non-
confrontational
State is unlikely to
support such efforts as it
could create ‘problems’
(law and order issues,
upheavals in society)
Extremely risky, and often
could (though not always)
lead to confrontation and
violence
12. Advocacy with whom?
Those in power who can be influenced to
bring about change in the following;
1. Better implementation of existing
schemes/programmes/laws
2. Bring in policy change
3. Make legal amendments and new laws
4. Introduce proactive mechanisms
13. Your Constituency to Advocate with?
Building alliances with like minded civil
society organisations /individuals
Identify and make allies in the executive,
judiciary and legislative
Make allies in the media
Engage with UN and International agencies
for support and cooperation
14. The key to success in advocacy
Developing a body of evidence on the issue for
which advocacy is being done
Preparing briefs with authentic information for
dissemination among the different advocacy
partners
Adopting a combination of advocating techniques
such as people-led advocacy, media advocacy,
policy advocacy and legislative advocacy and
building synergies between them to achieve the
needed advocacy response.
